Join Me on a 6 Day Guided Tour of Desolation 8/4-8/9: Reduced Cost

[AKMary]

My boat guy, Scott Gienow of Sweet Pea Marine Services, is offering guide/training services in Desolation Sound this summer. He’ll be joining my boat on Monday August 4th and I have him booked for a 3 day run. I’d like to keep him a bit longer to explore some of the more technical aspects of Desolation Sound. This is where you come in…

I’m looking for another 2 or 3 boats to join me on our adventure. Your cost would be a mere $600/boat for 6 days of trip planning, guidance/training/expertise & entertainment (!!). I’ll be hosting Scott on my boat and his food, accommodation & travel expenses have already been covered.

Our current plan is to meet up in Refuge Cove on Monday August 4th – that would be Day 1 of our trip. We’d have Scott at our disposal through Saturday August 9th. He would depart on the 10th for another gig. There’s 1 day of wiggle room if we need it, but that’s it. He’s booked up on either end – the guy is good.

My agenda includes a night at Dent Island Lodge if there’s availability + running Yaculta Rapids, Hole-in-the-Wall, Devil’s Hole, Waiatt Bay, etc. The exact route is flexible and will be determined by us, but I want to use Scott to experience the more difficult/technical aspects of Desolation. I’d also like to raft up, stern tie and whatever else we can think of. I’m new to all this stuff and want to maximize the value of his time.

I envision Scott rotating his time between our boats so that we each get the benefit of his insight. I’ll be hosting him on my boat each evening so you do not have to provide him with sleeping quarters, meals & such.

To summarize, I am not looking for additional passengers, I’m looking for other boaters who would like to join us on a fun-filled, learning experience on the beautiful waters of Desolation Sound. Whether you’re new to the area or an experienced boater, I guarantee you’ll get tremendous value from spending time with Scott – and the price point I’m offering can’t be beat!

Intrigued? Send me a PM and we’ll discuss details.
Cheers,
Mary

 

[Andy G]

Wouldn't this be a good thread to start off the new commercial section that is yet to have a post?

 

[FlyWright]

Since Mary is not part of a commercial business and is only seeking like-minded Trawlerers to join in her adventure (for a fee), I've moved this to Classifieds. Good luck in your Training Tour, Mary!!

 

[windmill29130]

600 dollars per boat for him to do what?

 

[AKMary]

- Go through your mechanical systems and answer questions, offer advice on preparing for unexpected failures.
- If needed, actual on the water repairs to enable you to get back to port/services.
- Planning & navigation through some of the strongest tidal currents in the world.
- Parallel docking, stern tying, close quarters maneuvering & anchoring in congested waters.
- Proper radio communication skills
- MOB planning. Are you ready?

Heck, he’ll cook dinner, do the dishes and swab your decks if you want. You name it.

Last summer, on my first ever big trip, I had Scott along for 2 days. I was hoping to make it up to Desolation Sound after dropping him off in Bedwell Harbor, but an alternator spewing flames and a surprise exhaust leak put an end to that plan. However, together we were able to MacGyver the needed repairs and reconfigure things. His help and advice on what to be cautious of going forward and how to handle further issues enabled me to play around the Gulf Islands for a glorious 18 days. It was a great experience and one helluva introduction to boating!

Here’s what I know – All the time people talk about their harrowing experiences on the water and many of those tales start with the observation, “If I only knew...”

Well, here’s your chance to figure out what questions you have and what skills you’re lacking with a professional available to provide guidance in real time.

From Yacht Sentinel article about Desolation Sound:

No account of this area would be complete without mention of the tidal currents, the strongest in the world, as tides sweep round each side of Vancouver Island and then rush through constrictions in the long, deep passages. The Nakwakto Rapids has been known to reach 24 knots on high spring tides but there are many places where more than 10 knots is reached on an average tide.

It is not just their speed but the turbulence, producing overfalls, standing waves, and whirlpools of very aerated water which will not support a heavy boat and seem to suck it down…

Fun stuff!