BC Central Coast Update

[soin2la]

A BC brand specific association has just sent this “Central Coast Update” which says, in part, the coast has been effectively shut down by the local first nations.

A person who lives in the area, says Shearwater, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Ocean Falls and Klemtu are all locked down by the natives who make it very obvious that they do not want anyone in their territory. They have put up barriers at the ferry terminals and do not allow anyone other than a local citizen to enter the area.

All the docks are closed so there is no place to tie up. Exception is Shearwater but only for emergency repairs or grocery shopping. The fuel dock open.

Pacific Coastal Airlines was to resume flights June 1 but that has been delayed to June 28, so no air travel, effectively no ferry travel and no pleasure boat travel.

It is not clear what will happen after June 28 but they hope to resume at that point with reduced service.

The real impact to the pleasure boater is; if you need to get parts to repair your vessel, there is no practical way to get them as the local ferry only runs once every two weeks, and with no air freight or passenger service available you could be really stuck.

Bottom line, if you were thinking about going up the coast this summer, might want to reconsider.

 

[MurrayM]

Can't blame them, as First Nations were hit much harder during the Spanish Flu than those of European descent. That, and health care is meagre.

 

[Frosty]

I say more power to them, even though I had hoped to be cruising up there this summer.

 

[Ken E.]

Thanks for the update. I agree with Murray that you can't blame them for protecting themselves.

 

[IRENE]

This should be in the COVID-19 sub-forum with the rest of your repetitive advisories.

 

[soin2la]

Yeah, I knew that when I posted but also knew few would see it.
Go ahead, cuff it and throw it in the COVID clink, if you must.

 

[MurrayM]

It's relevant to BC boaters who may be thinking of summer trips, so I think the post is just fine where it is.

Fortunately, I didn't book any holidays from work this summer because our daughter will be working all summer. Weird...first summer without a cruise since we got Badger.

 

[C lectric]

I agree that the post is relevant to many members here, oddly enough B.C.ers.

We know of several people whose intentions had been to head for Haida Gwai. Of course that is scuttled now.

 

[alesnloggers]

I don't see why this post is an issue. See lots of posts about cruising on the east coast. If it doesn't apply to you, don't read it.

 

[soin2la]

It's relevant to BC boaters who may be thinking of summer trips, so I think the post is just fine where it is.

I agree that the post is relevant to many members here.

to both. Yes there is a world beyond the 49th.
I pondered the COVID bin and West Coast bucket but decided on General.
I figured at least a couple would agree with the placement.
Refuge Cove is telling people not to come. I know of a boat that was denied overnight dockage at Shearwater and chased out of Klemtu.

The "Coastal Guardians" are very active and that's all I will say about that.

 

[C lectric]

I just phoned Refuge Cove due to the comments above. I was told they ARE open WITH PRECAUTIONS. THe fuel dock, transient dock, store and ice will be available.

Lots of places are restricted to certain operations such as fuel or closed though so I will say it again if you want to visit a place, PHONE them.

This does NOT negate Soin2la's post though. Just check it out carefully.

 

[MurrayM]

Things change fast as well, so it's probably a good idea to double check before leaving, then again before arriving to make sure the policy hasn't changed.

 

[soin2la]

I will say it again if you want to visit a place, PHONE them.

Things change fast as well, so it's probably a good idea to double check before leaving, then again before arriving to make sure the policy hasn't changed.

Really valid points. It might still be worth keepin the summer flexible.

 

[rsn48]

Don't forget to check back to Waggoner's Cruising Guide as they have what is open, closed, partially open for BC and Washington:

https://waggonerguide.com/covid-19/

 

[dirtdoc1]

This should be in the COVID-19 sub-forum with the rest of your repetitive advisories.

I found the post useful, though depressing. I've decided that I'm going to boat through the winter this year.

 

[MurrayM]

I found the post useful, though depressing. I've decided that I'm going to boat through the winter this year.

We take Badger out in winter, but because we don't have a storm anchor set up, it's just day trips for now. There's daylight for about 8 hours a day, so that leaves weekends when the weather is doable. That works out about once a month, which is something Badger's engine appreciates.

This last winter we had the perfect day. Over a foot of fresh snow has fallen overnight and it stuck to the branches of trees and bushes right down to the high tide line. Only trees near the waterline facing south dropped snow from their branches in the late afternoon sun. There were patches of blue sky and puffy white clouds all day. Sometimes small whiteout snowstorms would pass through, obscuring the mountains or shorelines temporarily.

We were hugging the shore and I was photographing snow draped mature alders against a steep mountainside of evergreens when my wife spotted a deer on the beach. We followed it, and it met two other deer on the next beach.

There was no wind and no current to speak of, so we hovered in about ten feet of water just off the beach and steep shoreline for about 45 minutes, moving Badger just enough to stay close to the deer as they moved along the beach. They were so close we had to zoom out our lenses to fit their whole bodies in the frame.

It was a magical day.

There is no such thing as 'boating season'.

 

[C lectric]

MurrayM,
I know what you mean although we no longer winter boat and our territory is quite different. We used to winter boat and the good days were brilliant. Dead calm seas, absolutely clear air, almost no other boats, thousands of seabirds wheeling and swimming around. So many birds that it was pointless trying to avoid the flocks. I would try but all I could do is pick the least disturbing, to me, track through them.

We wouldn't see the deer though but nonetheless it was spectacular.

 

[GFC]

It was a magical day.

There is no such thing as 'boating season'.

And those Magical Days are the reason boaters seem to enjoy life much more than non-boaters will ever know.

 

[MurrayM]

Hey C Lectric...nothing like the sound of a thousand or so Surf Scoters taking off, eh? (Their wingtips "whistle" for those who don't know)

I know I posted photos from that day somewhere here on TF, but can't find them and our computer is having a hiccup with photos right now... here's some from another winter day trip:

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=515764&postcount=47

 

[MurrayM]

Found one inglorious deer photo posted on a Fujifilm camera forum, with a couple photos from the same day trip in the posts right before this one.

It's from a thread called "Down to the Sea in Ships" which will probably kill a whole afternoon if you like looking at boat photos from around the world!

https://www.fujix-forum.com/threads/down-to-the-sea-in-ships.54202/page-69#post-958805

 

[Waterford]

"A BC brand specific association"

Do you have a link to them? It would be good to watch for changes.

 

[C lectric]

Beeautifull photos.

We seldom got much snow but I did have to clean about 8" off one year to get home, kick the frozen to the cleats lines so we could untie, make our way through the snow storm to home.. One year we couldn't find the First Narrows Bridge even though we were aimed at it the snow was so heavy, white out and there were some warnings but to late to help us. We got home just fine. THe whiteouts didn;t last long. I guess they were the snow versions of a squall.
Most of the other years were tamer but there was real beauty in those clear, calm days.

Now there is little snow and what there is doesn't last and the boat stays hidden along with us.

Good boating.

 

[rsn48]

I'm tired of linking Waggoner's Guide web page, go look it up. They have an active area of Washington and BC, what is closed and what is not. They are pretty good at keeping it up to date.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Nice pics Murrey....

 

[soin2la]

"A BC brand specific association"
Do you have a link to them? It would be good to watch for changes.

It was the Canoe Cove owners association and it was sent to members but not on the site.

 

[soin2la]

Nice pics "Murrey" but I still like the one of the mail vans.

 

[JDCAVE]

I think there is more than a little bit of fear mongering “out there” and a lot of unsubstantiated speculation, Some observations with our experience so far, from Steveston to Port Hardy:

We’ve been “out and about”. There’s hardly anyone on the water, as I suspected before leaving Steveston. But there are a few hardy cruisers out and about. WRT First Nations Communities, the situation is fluid, and we will respect their wishes and avoid FN communities. FYI, Alert Bay is now open for transient moorage, however we won’t be going there.

https://salishseapilot.com/covid-19-closures/



We talked to a couple who were in the Central Coast 2-3 weeks ago for a period of 3 weeks. Bella Bella and Bella Coola were closed so they didn’t go to those communities, however no one bothered them otherwise. They were able to get supplies in Shearwater and Dawson’s Landing.

The docks at North Island Marina were open but nearly empty. The smaller operators such as Kwatsi Bay will not survive this event.

We have been self isolating and are COVID free. The situation in BC is now such that there are only about 5 new cases a day. See figure below.



If someone in authority tells us to leave, we will but for now the communities and operators we have visited are pleased with our support.

We will leave Port Hardy in a couple of days time and we will further undertake our self isolation in Seymour and Belize Inlets.

Jim

 

[nwboater]

This tread is most helpful for those of us who spend our summers along the BC coast. This summer we were hoping to explore the West Coast of Vancouver Island...any up to date info regarding status will be appreciated.

 

[Nomad Willy]

JDCAVE,
Bleze Inlet .... can’t imagine a better place to ISOLATE.

Wanted to cruise the south part of Bleze Inlet for years but was never motivated enough ti actually do it.
Anchorages are almost non-existent and there’s nothing else but loggers. No towns, villages or bush people. Just deep water. Except for some narrow and mostly very shallow inlets in the south end. End may not be the best word as these inlets are fairly close to the entrance rapids. Looks like a bear heaven on the charts.

 

[JDCAVE]

NW: actually some very pretty anchorages by all accounts. James and Jennifer Hamilton cover some of these in their book, Cruising the Secret Coast. The anchorage at the head of Alison Sound apparently rivals the most beautiful locations on the coast. Also, a good friend and former commercial prawner knows the place well and has advised on possibilities and good prawning spots. Evidently the commercial prawners only go in there for a few days at the end of the season as there are no services and they can’t get fuel. Also winds are not common in there in the summer. We are really looking forward to it, and it will likely be empty of boaters.

Jim