Need advice for first longer cruise.

[Northern Spy]

Thanks for the complement. I'll be sure not to tell him.

But he is turning out to be a fine young man. Credit goes to his mother. ?

 

[dhays]

But he is turning out to be a fine young man. Credit goes to his mother. ?

Goes without saying.

I do appreciate you asking him to keep an eye out for us.

 

[BandB]

Goes without saying.

I do appreciate you asking him to keep an eye out for us.

Wifey B: YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's so great to see kids praised and though highly of. We're believers in them. We spend time with incredibly great young people. It's us who have left them such a mess. I get so royally p...ed off when I hear people blasting and condemning the young generation, like our generations have been so perfect? Just a real feel good to read the compliment and the proud parent. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dhays]

BC Ferry at Sunset unloading next to Westview Harbor.

 

[dhays]

BTW, did we mention that it is always rainy, cold, and dark up here in the PNW?

 

[Cliff Meima]

WesK said it, it bears repeating A schedule can be one of the most dangerous things to have on a boat. Having to be somewhere on a certain date can cause you to make poor decisions. Decisions like running in poor weather or at night.
If you must be home by a certain date, I suggest planning your trip so you should arrive a few days earlier than that date. That way you will allow for weather or other problems.
In my 60 years of boating, if I had to pass on any advice it would be that.

 

[BandB]

View attachment 54573View attachment 54574

BTW, did we mention that it is always rainy, cold, and dark up here in the PNW?

Wifey B: Well, you certainly should have by all the photos you've shown.

 

[dhays]

Thulen Passage.

 

[dhays]

Yeah, sorry about the photos. Too many I know.

 

[koliver]

"BTW, did we mention that it is always rainy, cold, and dark up here in the PNW?"

Dave:

I know this is being picky, BUT

You left the PNW behind when you came to our country. I know the weather improved as soon as you arrived here, so please, in future acknowledge that you are now in the SW corner of BC, not the NW corner of Washington State.

You are now entering Desolation Sound, appropriately named by Capt George Vancouver when here was there a few Junes ago. You have to appreciate the improvement of July weather of June.

 

[dhays]

Keith is exactly right. This is a typical day in sunny Southern British Columbia. ?

I must say, the first view of Desolation Sound is very impressive.

 

[BandB]

View attachment 54578
Keith is exactly right. This is a typical day in sunny Southern British Columbia. ?

I must say, the first view of Desolation Sound is very impressive.

Wifey B: I think it's all beautiful.....

 

[Hawgwash]

"BTW, did we mention that it is always rainy, cold, and dark up here in the PNW?"

Dave:

I know this is being picky, BUT

You left the PNW behind when you came to our country. I know the weather improved as soon as you arrived here, so please, in future acknowledge that you are now in the SW corner of BC, not the NW corner of Washington State.

You are now entering Desolation Sound, appropriately named by Capt George Vancouver when here was there a few Junes ago. You have to appreciate the improvement of July weather of June.

And I'll pile on.

It's Thulin Passage with an "i" as in Charlie Thulin who came there in 1889 and named Lund after his home in Sweden. Most everyone in Lund has at least a bit of Thulin in them.

 

[koliver]

Dave:

Now that you have arrived at the World's best cruising grounds, you need to go to the store at Refuge cove and buy whatever books they have in stock that will tell you the history of the area. There are too many good books for me to list here, but I will mention a couple of my favorites.
Spilsbury's coast, Jim Spilsbury
The Curve of Time, Wylie Blancet
Adventures in Solitude (what not to wear to a nude potluck), Grant Lawrence
Each from a different era, but these and others will give you an appreciation for how precious this area of BC is.

My wife Janet and I first came to Desolation Sound on our honeymoon in 1971. We started coming back when we got seriously into boating in 1976 and over the last 40 years rarely miss a summer. You will talk to many people who blow right on by, heading for the Broughtons or beyond Cape Caution, but thankfully, had they all stopped, DS would be too crowded. We have been further up, but love the DS area much more than the less populous areas further up. We strive to find the more remote anchorages and often have the place to ourselves.

We have cruised in the BVI and in Turkey, and though exploration of new and different lands is exciting, we always enjoy coming home to DS.

 

[MurrayM]

South coast, central coast, and north coast BC...eazy-peazy

 

[Hawgwash]

View attachment 54573View attachment 54574

BTW, did we mention that it is always rainy, cold, and dark up here in the PNW?

Every picture tells a story. Some not so nice as I recall those lost.

The first of this series, Dave (post 185) is Dinner Rock where in the darkness of 1947 the Gulf Stream struck rolled and 5, including an infant, drowned in the stern.

Your second picture is Savary Island which you see in my second one here of Gulf Stream.

 

[Hawgwash]

Now that you have arrived at the World's best cruising grounds, you need to go to the store at Refuge cove and buy whatever books they have in stock that will tell you the history of the area. There are too many good books for me to list here, but I will mention a couple of my favorites.
Spilsbury's coast, Jim Spilsbury
The Curve of Time, Wylie Blancet
Adventures in Solitude (what not to wear to a nude potluck), Grant Lawrence

There you go Dave, another prod to hit Refuge Cove.
Keith gives you a good start on books and I'll add;

Anything, anything on the Union Steamships but especially;

Whistle up the Inlet followed by Echoes of the Whistle by Gerald A Rushton

Union Steamships Remembered, 1920-1958 by Arthur M Twigg

The Good Company: An Affectionate History of the Union Steamships
by Tom Henry

And any of the Raincoast Chronicles series by various authors including Helen Meilleur a close family friend who grew up in Port Simpson and later lived at Bliss Landing.

And think about this while you BBQ whatever and sip a cocktail...everywhere you go up there, was settled first by natives mostly in canoes and then the whites by row boat.

The Thulins at Lund among them and the Finns who rowed from Nanaimo to Sointula.

Thulins built the first "licensed" hotel north of Vancouver.

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

I'll add a couple of more for when you chose to go further north. I heard the owl call my name and full moon and flood time... As much as we like desolation sound... which we always stay for a few days... The remote areas of the Broughtons are pretty neat... Kingcome Inlet is spectacular especially late spring when the snow melt creates 1000+ foot water falls... Additional I think that Miles Inlet is one of the best anchorages on the coast... This is just my opinion though

 

[koliver]

Dave:

SPOT tells me where you are.

What is your water temperature there? We have a picture hanging on our wall, of Retreat in Pendrell Sound, on a day the water temp was 87° F, the tiny glacier up on Mt Addenbroke on the distance.

This is a constant reminder of why we love the area.

 

[Hawgwash]

SPOT tells me where you are.

I doubt he can read us so we can talk about him.

I grinned and punched the air when I saw him making the run into Pendrell. He's hooked.

We'll be seeing a Seattle vision care practice for sale soon.

 

[koliver]

Hawg:

Ya, that's the other reason I go there.

He will respond when he leaves, and I won't have forgotten to ask.

 

[dhays]

Hi folks. For the two guys still reading this... As you likely know we are now in Laura Cove next to Prideaux Haven. Small fish are jumping like crazy around the huge number of boats wedged into this tiny anchorage. It is truly beautiful. Initially, I was thinking we would hang out for a couple of days in Pendrell and enjoy the warm water. The kids decided that they would like to explore more, and the mosquitoes were thicker in Pendrell so we moved on today. The water was pretty warm on Pendrell but I don't have a thermometer for water temps. I think it was warmer than Roscoe Bay, which was ridiculously warm as it was.


This was where we were stern tied in Pendrell. I am new to this and realized that I was a lot closer to shore than the other boats around me. We had enough water underneath us and likely a lot more rode than the others as well. I had 150' out in 40' of water. Of course 40' was average, the tidal change was a good 12 feet I think. Could have jumped to shore at low tied.

 

[dhays]

We timed our arrival in Laura Cove just right. There were a string of boats leaving and we beat a good half dozen who arrived after us. Provided plenty of entertainment to an older coupe who watched my third attempt at a stern tie.

This is the view our my Stb PH window. Lots of boats.

This is the stern tie today at Laura Cove.

BTW, I changed my anchor bridle and so far am happy with it. I use a dynema shockle around the chain to give an attachment point for two 1/2" three strand dock lines that are attached with dynema shackle. The bridle is backed up with a chain snubber. Last night we had a pretty good breeze hitting us from the side and the ground tackle held very well despite being pulled sideways and not as much scope as I would like.

 

[dhays]

OK, we will try and take your advice and make it to Refuge Cove and check out the books. I would be happy to just stay here for another day but I will go where the crew wants. We may need to pump out the hi,ding tank soon so Refuge Cove would be a good idea anyway. 50 gallon black water tank is a lot, but we have 5 adults on board so it does fill up.

 

[dhays]

OK, we will try and take your advice and make it to Refuge Cove and check out the books. I would be happy to just stay here for another day but I will go where the crew wants. We may need to pump out the hi,ding tank soon so Refuge Cove would be a good idea anyway. 50 gallon black water tank is a lot, but we have 5 adults on board so it does fill up.

 

[dhays]

I feel bad about the thread hijack in the thread about the gulf islands. So Tim and Keith's suggestions on Jervis inlet I want to look at here.

Hotham Sound sounds good HW and your point about not being up this way often is well taken. Given the amount of time we will have (i.e., not enough) I had decided to not go up to Princess Louisa. Someday I would like to, even though I have seen it before. I have a connection with Malibu so it would be nice to revisit. Not this trip however.

So, what would you suggest for 2-3 nights in the Hotham Sound or Sechelt Inlet area?

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: Ok, dhays. Enough boat talk kind of stuff and holding tanks and where to go, I want to know one thing....only one....see, I don't ask for much.

Are you guys having fun fun fun as in fun fun fun till your daddy takes the t-bird away....lots and tons and bucket loads of fun? Are you and

Is it what you hoped for? Happy with your new form of boating? Lots of smiles and family and community and life and did I mention....fun.

 

[Hawgwash]

I feel bad about the thread hijack in the thread about the gulf islands. So Tim and Keith's suggestions on Jervis inlet I want to look at here.

Hotham Sound sounds good HW and your point about not being up this way often is well taken. Given the amount of time we will have (i.e., not enough) I had decided to not go up to Princess Louisa. Someday I would like to, even though I have seen it before. I have a connection with Malibu so it would be nice to revisit. Not this trip however.

So, what would you suggest for 2-3 nights in the Hotham Sound or Sechelt Inlet area?

You pick.

Dave; don't feel bad about the other thread, it's all just good general information for anyone thinking of the "south" coast and Gulf Islands.

From me, Keith may think differently, you are what, 3 hours from Westview to Hardy Island and Musket Island Marine Park. Good dinghy or kayak exploring from there. Twisted Tree was in there not long ago so might give a current status of the park, aquaculture etc.

The entire area between Hardy and Nelson (Blind Bay) is cool. Telescope Passage is a neat squeeze and I have no qualms about you taking it.

If you want to bypass Hardy and go north (east?) around Scotch Fir then Hotham is another hour or so. Harmony Islands is the go to spot but there are others if you watch depth and bottom makeup.

Hotham or Blind Bay are a short run to Egmont and the rapids. Inside you can explore Narrows and Salmon Inlets, with an eye to Storm Bay.

If you plan on Sechelt Inlet, do your homework, 1, 2, 3 times if necessary, on slack at the rapids. Get in and go anywhere, really.

By the way, if you want a big Spring for dinner, Scotch Fir is the place.

 

[dhays]

Wifey B: Ok, dhays. Enough boat talk kind of stuff and holding tanks and where to go, I want to know one thing....only one....see, I don't ask for much.



Are you guys having fun fun fun as in fun fun fun till your daddy takes the t-bird away....lots and tons and bucket loads of fun? Are you and



Is it what you hoped for? Happy with your new form of boating? Lots of smiles and family and community and life and did I mention....fun.

Yes!

Yesterday the kids and I took the dinghy and explored a number of great swimming spots. For the kids, this meant rocks that you can jump off and into the water yet still find a way to climb back up without slicing your body on the oyster shells. My son, who is easily bored as only an immature 25 year old can be, kept saying that this was the best place ever.

We have 5 large adults on board. We have food, we have (for the most part) refrigeration, we have great views. We can be outside when we want and we can be inside when we want. We can be inside enjoying the shade yet still see the wonderful views outside.

I am a process kind of guy. For me relaxation is doing stuff, thinking about doing stuff, or planning on how I am going to do the stuff that I was thinking about. There are enough boat systems and navigation questions to keep me happy. Not as many lines and rigging to tend to, but I am getting by.

"Fun" for my wife is reading, playing games, taking a dip in this incredibly warm water, and taking lots of naps. She often comments that my "fun" doesn't look like "fun" to her. But it certainly is relaxing for me which I count as "fun".

 

[Hawgwash]

My son, who is easily bored as only an immature 25 year old can be, kept saying that this was the best place ever.

What? No Prideaux Pokémon?

Son of Dave; meet Sam.
Living Aboard: Two Years In - Waggoner Cruising Guide