June 30, 2016 Fury Cove to Shearwater

Harbor Master's Office at Shearwater Marina 

New sign at Shearwater Marina

Lynn and Tom Ihrig posing at Shearwater Marina 

Alaska Marine Highway vessel Columbia on it's way to Bellingham

Addenbroke Light Station

Hobbit & Lady Lynn rafted at Shearwater Marina

Jun. 30th - Shearwater Resort & Marina

We left Fury Cove at 7:20 this morning.  It was 56'.  When the Captain pulled the anchor it was very muddy so lots of washing as he brought it up.  We arrived just after 1pm & rafted to Morris's boat as the marina was full.

Rod worked on the steering after he bought a grease gun here & thinks that's working better now.  We had a great dinner - ribs, potatoes & Cole slaw plus dessert.  The girls had lemon drops & then Pinot Grigio.  It was fun to catch up with everyone.  Tomorrow we are going to Ocean Falls.

Jun. 29th - Fury Cove

It was 55' this morning.  We left at 8:10 to get to Blunden Harbour & then hope to cross Queen Charlotte Straits tomorrow.  About 8:45 we saw a while school of dolphins going the opposite direction.  They were jumping out of the water & putting on quite a display.  We also saw a humpback whale crossing Johnstone Straits.

We got thru Johnstone & are crossing Cape Caution.  It will be a long day but at least we'll be closer.  We're going to be in Fury Cove tonight & will get to Shearwater in the morning.  Just texted Dee & they promise ribs & lemon drops tomorrow night 😻 

Our crossing was not great - we hobby horsed most of the way & poor Shadow got sick several times.  It took 3 hours to get across.  We ended up at Fury Cove at 5:45pm - a very long day!  There are 14 other boats anchored in here, including Sirius, Bill & Brenda Davis's boat.  Bill came over to say hello - Brenda's not here but he's even out with Jack Cheetam, who had never been this far north.  Bill dropped him off today at Port Hardy to fly home & then he came over here early this morning.

Jun. 28th - Lagoon Cove

It was 57' this morning & foggy.  It got up to 70' & was sunny again today.  Rod couldnt connect with the ham guys this morning as there is no internet on the boat.  The marina has coverage but you have to go up to the party barge to connect - nothing on the docks.  I did that this morning to get email & my daily puzzle on my Ipad.  

The captain worked all morning trying to fix our hot water supply from the hot water heater to the aft head & galley sink.  He got a piece of copper tubing from the marina to fix it.  He was successful (yeh!) so now we can shower in our head, just no hot water in the sink.  I also did laundry on the boat today.  It tripped our electricity twice, probably because we had too many things on at the same time.

The captain hasn't been posting pictures since we were at Blind Channel.. There isn't strong enough internet to post them but he'll catch up when we can.  This happened last year too.

Happy hour was fun again - not as many people as yesterday but almost as many boats.  We spent quite a bit of time visiting with Jean Barber, the owner, tonight.  It was good to catch up with her & she thinks she might have a potential buyer.  He was there tonight.

Jun. 27th - Lagoon Cove

When we got up this morning it was 57'.  Actually Rod always gets up earlier than I do as I'm sure many of you already know.  I'm up by 7am at the latest to listen to Rod's ham radio talking.  He always has a pot of coffee brewed before I get out of bed.  

We left Blind Channel at 8:15 & went through 2 sets of rapids - Whirlpool Rapids & Pt. Rapids. We were through the 2nd set a little before 10am.  We checked out Johnstone Straits next & the Captain decided to go across & it was smooth.  

We arrived at Lagoon Cove Marina at 1:15.  We haven't been able to get in the past 2 years so we were very happy to end up here.  They have great happy hours at 5pm & often do marshmallow roasts around the campfire.  Bill Barber passed away in 2013 & his wife, Jean, has been trying to sell the marina since then.  The last time we were here was Jean's first summer after Bill's death.  She told lots of stories about him once she got a little comfortable.  He was always the story teller around the campfire.

It got up to 72' with blue sky & sun.  Happy hour had a great assortment of appetizers & Jean is still doing the prawns with cocktail sauce.  There were lots of them & they were so good.  People that are helping her go out & get prawns daily.  Tonight they had a guitar player & a banjo player doing sing alongs.  The marina was full tonight with 1 boat in what they call "the honeymoon dock" which is not part of the official marina.  It's a short walk away.  We've had that option in the past but have never done that - we anchored out instead.

June 26, 2016 Cortes Bay to Blind Channel

Aurora Explorer (Rod & Mike Ackley were passengers on this vessel)

Shoal Bay Marina

Sailboat off of Frederick Arm

Sonora Lodge

Jun. 26th - Blind Channel

We left at 7am & it was 61'.  

Because it was so warm we had most of our windows & the doors open as far as we can without our naughty kitty escaping.  Last night, after we went to bed, we heard lots of mosquitos so I was up until midnight zapping them as we heard them with the great badmitten type wand that we got in Canada a long time ago.  We actually have 2 of them - they don't have the restrictions that the US has for safety - very effective!  I think I got a minimum of 20, maybe more, & got 2 more this morning.  They are nasty little buggers & particularly love the Captain.  I'd forgotten that they're a problem at Cortez.

After that we finally went to sleep & then were woken up very early by Shadow batting a small ball all around our stateroom at 4:30am...very, very noisy!

We were through the 2 sets of Rapids by 10am - the first was the Yucalta Rapids which we cleared at slack & the other was the Dent Rapids where we had current pushing us.  There was only 1 other boat going our direction - more the other direction.

We arrived at Blind Channel at 11:30.  We ended up eating lunch outside where they cook for you - I had red snapper tacos & Rod had a burger - both served with German potato salad.  I know we're having dinner tonight too but it sounded good to do both 😍.  We visited for awhile with a guy from SYC who we see here every year - his boat is called No Worries.  He told Rod that the wind is supposed to pick up significantly tomorrow.  We're going to try to go to either Pt. Harvey or Lagoon Cove tomorrow tonight - if the wind is up we'll stay in Forward Harbour. 

We had a great dinner - we both had halibut with polenta cakes, carrots, corn & avocado purée.  Rod had a salmon chowder for a starter & I had a great salad with yellow beets, strawberries, goat cheese & edamame.  This with a bottle of Pinot Grigio.  

June 25, 2016

68' Nordhaven "Windflight" 

Powell River Pulp Mill 

Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation Deck Area 

Lady Lynn at SYC Cortes Bay Docks 

Canadian Coast Guard Fast Boat stationed at SYC Cortes Bay 

Misty Isles moored in Cortes Bay

Jun. 25th - SYC Cortez Outstation

4 boats left before us this am & we know at least 1 more will leave shortly after us.  One came in late last night with their running lights on.  We left Garden Bay at 7:25 & arrived at Cortez at 12:30.  It's been around 70' this afternoon.

I used the outstation to do our sheets & the towels we used in the dinghy.  It's much easier to wash & dry in their machines.  There are 8 boats here tonight - all but one came from Garden Bay.

Tomorrow we are leaving at 7am to go to Blind Channel.  We already have reservations for dinner there tomorrow night.  They have a great restaurant which we always go to on the way up & down.

June 24th Garden Bay

Another one of Jerry Morris's boats the "Hobbit" 

Shadow took the opportunity to visit London since the Pound is a real bargain now
Thanks to Mike Ackley for the picture 

Shadow thought a Silver Shadow would make a nice ride and is bringing one home
Thanks to Mike Ackley for this picture too

Jun. 24th - SYC Garden Bay

Today we woke up to more rain & it rained on & off during the day- the temp was 59' when we got up & got to 62'.  The Captain checked the weather yesterday & decided we would stay here one more day.  It's supposed to be sunny for the next week so we'll head to Cortez tomorrow.  

3 boats left this am & 4 came in, for a total of 9 tonight.  It was a pretty lazy day due to the weather.  

June 23rd Garden Bay

Shadow needed a nap after working on the log

Seattle Yacht Club Garden Bay Outstation

Jun. 23rd - SYC Garden Bay

It rained all night & was still pouring when we got up.  When Rod got up at 5:00 am Shadow had rearranged the rugs in the salon.  They were folded over & drug around the cabin.  It stopped raining about 8am so the Captain turned on the bilge pump in the dinghy - he said there was a serious amount of water in it.

We heard from our friends who were going to stay with us & their dog, Marlee, does have a brain tumor - so sad.

I visited with Vera, the manager here, for awhile.  She reminded me that they have been here for 23 yrs.   I also visited with Marilyn Hale - she & her husband, Bob owned Waggoners Cruising guide until a couple of years ago.

It started raining again at 1:15 & rained on & off all day.  Rod is participating in the Canadian boaters ham radio net at 5pm every day.  There aren't a lot of people participating so far & they are mostly SYC boaters.  It's good to hear where everyone is (a lot in the Broughtons right now), weather reports...lots of rain & also info on passages, etc.  He also is talking to his ham radio group  at 7am each morning.  That usually goes about 30 min.

UNDAUNTED has a garage for the dingy

June 22nd - SYC Garden Bay

It was 60' this morning when we got up.  Rod washed the boat before we went to provision at Madiera Park.  We went to the IGA & the liquor store - just got a little food as we had little room in the frig, but stocked up on wine & liquor, most of which should last us the rest of our trip.  

Forgot to say that last night 2 more boats came into the yacht club (then 4) & today 7 more for a total of 11.

We just heard from our friends that were flying up to Pt. McNeil that they are cancelling.  One of their 3 dogs ended up in the emergency vet in Boise & might have a brain tumor.  They are doing numerous tests & won't have results for several days.  They have a house in Sun Valley & that's why Boise.

One of the SYC boats is a 70' Holland - it has a dinghy garage that opens.  Rod took a picture.  Only seen that before with misc. toys.

Tonight we went to the pub for dinner.  It's been raining most of the day since we got back from shopping, but stopped when we went to dinner.  When we left to come back in our dinghy it was raining again.

Tuesday June 22st

Pacific Yellowfin used to belong to our neighbor Jerry Morris

Shadow is recovering after a bout of sea sickness

Jun. 21st - SYC Garden Bay Outstation

We left Reid Harbor at 7am after Rod called Customs to check in.  We cleared at Bedwell Harbour at 8am.  No one came down from Customs - we didn't actually dock, we just waited to see if anyone came.  You don't have to wait more than 5 min. once your assigned time comes.

Rod realized yesterday that all of our old trips were still on the tracker - he figured out how to get rid of those last night.  It will be much easier to follow us now.

We headed up by Galiano Island & came out Polier Pass to get to the Georgia Straits.  The trip started out smooth but winds got up to 23 knots, with white caps & 6 foot waves.   Poor Shadow threw up.  It definitely was not a nice ride even though we have stabilizers.  Poor Captain Rod had to steer without the autopilot as we had a following sea.  Rod checked the weather/wind before we left Reid & the wind was not predicted to be that high - definitely a surprise.

We arrived at Garden Bay at 3:30.  Only one other boat here.  We normally leave Seattle in early July & meander up here.  This year we have guests flying into Pt. McNeil on June 26th & they'll leave July 2nd from Shearwater.  We used to stay with them in Palm Springs when Rod was on the Pilchuk Board - it will be fun to see them again!

As soon as we tied up, Rod said that the bilge pump went off 3 times while we were traveling.  So he went down to the hot engine room & found that he needed to replace a hose clamp that apparently was the wrong size to begin with. 

Rod & Shadow heading up the Swinomish Channel Day One

June 20th - First day out

We left the house earlier than we thought - off by 7am!  Shadow has already adapted to boat life, probably because we've been out twice this year.  Rod put him out on the deck when he brought him down to the boat (he just carries him down in his arms) but Shadow immediately ran inside.

Don't forget that Rod has a tracker on the blog so you can actually see our routes & satellite maps/pictures of where we are.

We arrived at Reid Harbor at 11:40am & tied onto a mooring buoy.  Rod bought a great tool last year to help us tie on - it's called the "Grabber".  It makes it very easy!

This afternoon it warmed up to 70'.  We had windows slightly open & the door when we were tying to the buoy.  Shadow (our cat) managed to get outside several times.  The last one was through the front vent window.  I didn't open it that much but he figured out how to get out sideways on to the forward cabin top. Yikes - Day 1: clearly this will be an ongoing challenge for us.  I did bring a harness & leash so may have to resort to trying that again. 

There were at least 20 boats anchored in Reid by the end of the evening - split between sail & power.