PNW question

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ghost said:
You may not like the term, but it’s traditional meaning does include BC. It’s a geographical term, not a political one. It refers to a region that existed long before the current border serving to separate First Nations people who might take a very different viewpoint on what belongs to what.

That said, if you find the term offensive, I’m happy not to use it.

Just pointing out that it’s proper meaning is not US centric, even if that is who appears to use it the most. In fact, if you want to refer to Oregon/Washington, one would really need to say US Pacific Northwest.
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Or as it was once known, Columbia. Before all the borders.
 

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dhays said:
My wife wants to spend a couple of days in Ganges next week. She wants to catch the Saturday market. Hopefully it won't be too crowded.
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I live in Ashland, OR, a town which prides itself in its Farmers' Market. Cant come near to Ganges'.
 
Again thanks everyone for the replies/opinions, it's a wealth of information. Where to start, there's several books on board one that I was reading was "cruising beyond Desolation Sound" that's what started this thread. Because of work I missed any chance for a late summer trip and the next opportunity will probably be November December. I work in the cold might as well play in it.

So it looks like weather, high winds and maybe an occasional farmers market are my biggest concerns. I take it the radio is my best source for weather information is that correct? Are there "buzz words" that I should be listening for like hammered, blown sideways, a$$ kicked. As in "High wind warning if your out today your going to get hammered, blown sideways and get your a$$ kicked". Weather has never been my strong point!

And ironically enough the other book I was reading is titled "The Pig Wars". I just started it so not sure how it ends! I just know somebody got some free bacon.
 
koliver said:
Dave: If she wants to see the market, this Saturday is likely to be crazy busy. Not only is this a long weekend, with all of the B&B, Hotel, and other nightly accommodation full, but most of those folks will be at the market. We have signed up for our Yacht Club's annual "Labour Day Cruise" this year and it includes a bus shuttling boaters from our Outstation to the market and back all Sat morning.
Without the extra crowds this weekend brings, there is rarely any parking left by about 9:00am on any Saturday, so don't plan on bringing a car. If you come by boat, reserve your spot in one of the Ganges Harbour marinas if it isn't already too late. from there you can at least walk and only have to manage the crowds actually at the market. You may also anchor out and come in by dinghy. The harbour is somewhat crowded with Mooring bouys, but there is still room to anchor.
If she is willing to wait a week, the difference should be astounding. You might even get parking less than 1/2 mile out.
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Thanks Keith. Yeah, we aren’t looking at this Saturday, but next Saturday. We were thinking about trying to get there on Thursday or Friday of next week and staying through Saturday. We really haven’t come up with a solid game plan yet.

Yes, we are planning to come up by boat. Karen wants to spend some time in the Gulf Islands. We have two weeks starting this weekend. I was hoping to leave this Saturday, but I’m recovering a bit slowly from a medical procedure last Friday so we probably will leave this Sunday.
 
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dhays said:
Thanks Keith. Yeah, we aren’t looking at this Saturday, but next Saturday.

Yes, we are planning to come up by boat. Karen wants to spend some time in the Gulf Islands. We have two weeks starting this weekend. I was hoping to leave this Saturday,
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We're drifting south from Desolation Sound, with Ganges likely for Friday-Sat. 7-8.

Bill & Gina
 
otis maximus said:
Again thanks everyone for the replies/opinions, it's a wealth of information. Where to start, there's several books on board one that I was reading was "cruising beyond Desolation Sound" that's what started this thread. Because of work I missed any chance for a late summer trip and the next opportunity will probably be November December. I work in the cold might as well play in it.

So it looks like weather, high winds and maybe an occasional farmers market are my biggest concerns. I take it the radio is my best source for weather information is that correct? Are there "buzz words" that I should be listening for like hammered, blown sideways, a$$ kicked. As in "High wind warning if your out today your going to get hammered, blown sideways and get your a$$ kicked".
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VHF wx broadcasts are spotty.

Windy.com is your best source of weather if you can get internet. Wifi is pretty scarce, but there is a lot of cell, even in some pretty remote areas. Both ATT and Verizon offer plans which include voice and data in Canada. Then hotspot your phone for weather.

Then it's just a matter of putting on your jammies, stoking the heat, choosing your book and waiting for your day.

Did I mention you'll need chocolate?
 
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AlaskaProf said:
VHF wx broadcasts are spotty.

Windy.com is your best source of weather if you can get internet. Wifi is pretty scarce, but there is a lot of cell, even in some pretty remote areas. Both ATT and Verizon offer plans which include voice and data in Canada. Then hotspot your phone for weather.

Then it's just a matter of putting on your jammies, stoking the heat, choosing your book and waiting for your day.

Did I mention you'll need chocolate?
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Windy.com thanks, that's what I was looking for. And yes chocolate in the liquid from!
 
otis maximus said:
...And yes chocolate in the liquid from!
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My regular go-to hot drink of choice aboard is rather vile, but works: two spoonfuls of hot chocolate and one of instant coffee.

If it’s really cold & nasty outside I’ll ramp it up by making a cup of Jump Up Go Go, which was invented when I didn’t want to get out of my sleeping bag while camping at -20C.

Start by making a cup of spearmint tea, then add two spoonfuls of hot chocolate, then one spoonful of instant coffee, then melt in 1/3 of a Mars Bar. That’ll get you out there to chip ice or shovel snow :D
 
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mramoo said:
Murray, As I was growing up I was taught that the PNW went from Oregon to Alaska and everything in between.
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You mean it doesn't?
 
Our experience in cruising the area in the off season:
Many of the small communities, and their fuel docks, are closed or have very limited hours in the off season, plan accordingly.
There is the possibility of skim ice in some of the harbors, be sure you are comfortable anchoring in and traveling through this.
You will have most anchorages to yourself, this is wonderful when you are searching for peace and quiet, and crappy when you are looking for company or assistance.
Visibility is much worse in snow than in rain, and it is a lot harder to tune an older radar to ignore snow and sleet, plan accordingly.

Weather is weather, we have been in crappy blows in July, but the same all-weather anchorages are still great.
 
MurrayM said:
Well, next time you take your boat to Alaska, I challenge you to announce in a crowded bar in both Ketchikan and Dutch Harbour that they live in the PNW, and not SE Alaska or the Aleutians :D
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Actually it is not an issue, some may ask where in the PNW. I’ve not heard locals harp when names like SE Asia, Latin America, Scandinavia or West Africa get mentioned.

Must be a TF thing.
 
sunchaser said:
Actually it is not an issue, some may ask where in the PNW. I’ve not heard locals harp when names like SE Asia, Latin America, Scandinavia or West Africa get mentioned.

Must be a TF thing.
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Maybe you are confusing politeness as acceptance.

Government of Canada websites for marine weather as well as commercial and sport fishing have information for the south, central, and north coasts of BC, so I'm not making this up.

It is considered good form, when in somebody else's home, to respect the customs and traditions of the host :socool:
 
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Heriot Bay Inn marina on Quadra Island has great winter rates!
Even better monthly
Nice grocery and liquor store just up the hill behind

Then, Gorge Harbour on Cortez....much the same, beautiful marina and grounds!

Anchor free in Melanie Cove....very protected, Von Donop the same, So many free places.

Supplies are easily found
Fishing is good too

I love it here late season
 
Our experience in SE Alaska trying to do cruising in the winter was most hampered by lack of daylight hours. If the tides wern’t right one didn’t get far. Wrangell Narrows may as well be the great Chinese Wall.
 
We cruise the Gulf Islands, Strait of Georgia all winter long in our Nordic Tug 37 & have been up in Desolation Sound in early May & late September. It’s great to be there when there are few other boaters around.

It would be quite rare to have sustained snow or subzero temps.

Occasional big blows may have you pinned down for a day or two once in Desolation Sound but there are many options for protected & bomb proof anchorages. Outflow winds and rough passages are likely to be more of an issue as you try to get up & back along the Strait of Georgia. Pick your days, & you should be fine.

Good year round provisions, fuel & water can be had in Powell River.

If you don’t try to stick to a tight schedule you should be fine.
 
MurrayM said:
Government of Canada websites for marine weather as well as commercial and sport fishing have information for the south, central, and north coasts of BC, so I'm not making this up.
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Environment Canada is just being more specific than "PNW". A forecast for the PNW would be meaningless over such a vast area. Just as NOAA has forecasts for the north and south Washington and Oregon coasts. It is a very difficult sell to claim than VanIsle and the north BC coasts are not boarding the North West Pacific Ocean - no matter who issued your passport. The Pacific South West generally refers to California and south to about Panama - though perhaps it should be Panama south to Chile. By convention, that is the western South Pacific.

I'd think you'd have more problems with "Puget Sound", often used by USA citizens to refer to both Puget Sound and the Salish Sea.
 
DDW said:
I'd think you'd have more problems with "Puget Sound", often used by USA citizens to refer to both Puget Sound and the Salish Sea.
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I see no issue with using “Salish Sea” as well as Puget Sound. When I use “Puget Sound” I specifically mean the waters south of Juan de Fuca and Deception Pass. I use the term “Salish Sea” when I want to include everything from Olympia up to the Desolation Sound area. The Salish Sea encompasses my cruising area although I would like to venture North of that someday.

So Salish Sea includes other regions which can be named separately (the Gulf Islands and the San Juans are separate names due to politics). So Murray’s home waters are outside of the Salish Sea.
 
Gulf Islands in the winter = deserted anchorages - lots of weather holes not in the towns; I have rock-n-rolled in Ganges in a southeaster. You want to keep an eye out for the southeasters, which are the strongest winter winds. I want to spend a Christmas at Princess Louise Inlet - with a snowfall - can't imagine anything more magical.

A great Strait of Georgia weather site is Big Wave Dave; it has real data and I find the forecast model the best of the bunch:
Latest Reports - Windsurfing, Kiteboarding, marine weather, Victoria, Vancouver Island, coastal British Columbia, BC, Canada, windsurf, kiteboard, webcams, surfing, photos, kayaking

The official Strait of Georgia Environment Canada marine weather, which I find almost always over-predicts wind velocity:
https://weather.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=03&siteID=14305&stationID=46131
 
Golden Dawn will be in Ganges 5-9 September (Saltspring Marina/Mobeys Pub).
 
PNW is often used as NW USA, but on a broader scale refers to PNW of the continent of North America. Its okay with me if the Canadians prefer another term, but its fair to say it is a geographic reference and not only a US reference. Please feel free to be insulted nonetheless.
 
Durant F said:
Heriot Bay Inn marina on Quadra Island has great winter rates!
Even better monthly
Nice grocery and liquor store just up the hill behind

Then, Gorge Harbour on Cortez....much the same, beautiful marina and grounds!

Anchor free in Melanie Cove....very protected, Von Donop the same, So many free places.

Supplies are easily found
Fishing is good too

I love it here late season
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Durant, I was reading specifically about Quadra and Cortez Island in one of my guides. That's pretty much what got me thinking about going. Seems like a lot of coves, bays and anchorages. If there's something open that's just a bonus!
Thanks
Eric
 
Durant F said:
Heriot Bay Inn marina on Quadra Island has great winter rates!
Even better monthly
Nice grocery and liquor store just up the hill behind

Then, Gorge Harbour on Cortez...
I love it here late season
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Just did a touch-and-go at Heriot. Hotel and restaurant were nice enough, the grocery was outstanding, especially considering its small space; the marina is a dump, reflecting the frank indifference of the staff.

We left for Gorge Harbor.

Enjoying the Nanaimo YC today.
 
DDW said:
It is a very difficult sell to claim than VanIsle and the north BC coasts are not boarding the North West Pacific Ocean - no matter who issued your passport.
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Actually, they border the north east Pacific Ocean ;)

DDW said:
The Pacific South West generally refers to California and south to about Panama - though perhaps it should be Panama south to Chile.
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Ah, there you go!!

Speaking of Americans (using a Canada centric viewpoint equal to your USA lower 48 centric viewpoint) I'm an American, as are Mexicans and Bolivians. Actually, from my vantage point, you and those from Ecuador would be Central Americans, anybody south would be South Americans.

Point being, you may carry your countries and/or regional biases across borders, but you should understand that people from other countries have their own names for where they live. Knowing these names would be a sign of respect, like flying another countries flag when you visit their waters.
 
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Cut him some slack Murray, he's from "Frisco.":socool:
 
Otis...
I only cruise falls here when it’s quiet.
You will have no problem.
Squirrel cove has great anchoring in the protected cove as well.
There is a nearby “country store” just up from the government dock there.
Between all the protected anchorages, Heriot Bay Store (awesome) just behind the Inn, Gorge Harbour Marina store...very good for so small and the “has a bit of everything “ store at Sauirrel Cove....you’re good. Fuel and propane at e@ch as well.
There are plenty of nearby places to explore and not get bored.
VonDonop for sure, Octopus Islands are so close as well.
Go for it
No worries.
PM me if you have questions
Have fun!
 
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