It’s been a couple of hectic days and little cell coverage since our last blog, when we finally splashed Seaquel into the water and headed West through Deception Pass. Here are a few pics representing the start of our journey:
Our crowded driveway the day of the baby shower/launch is likely the most congestion that Seaquel will see for the next few months!
Loading Nicole, and launching Seaquel at Cornet Bay, Deception Pass State Park
From hectic to solitude and salty air: arrive at Spencer Spit in time for a walk on the beach and a nice Sunset
Two long, full days to pass through the familiar U.S. San Juan Islands, and the full length of the Canadian Gulf Islands, to set us up for what we came for: exploring new waterways in the days, weeks, and yes - months to come!
Sunday, June 3
Spencer Spit, Lopez Island to Pirates Cove, D.E. Courcy Island
Nicole has her first-ever passport, and she's putting it to work, eh! Canada, here I come!
Monday, June 4
Pirates Cove to Comox, Vancouver Island
Journey (Glen Wagner) heading out of Pirates Cove @ 7 am sharp!
A perfect morning for a long cruise: we round De Courcy Island, transit Dodd Narrows near slack tide, dodge timber and deadheads around Nanaimo, and head out along the Strait of Georgia toward today's destination of Comox where we refuel and provision.
We had mostly good water along the Eastern side of Vancouver Island, exposed to the moody Strait of Georgia. Of course, the swells later turned to whitecaps as the typical afternoon breezes hit.
These are tough little tugs, and the boats and crews all handled the rough water without issue.
As we get further North, snow in the surrounding mountains looms closer to sea level.
Back to calmer water, Beyond (Ollie & Pam Pepper) give the Volvo D3 Diesel Turbo a workout at the end of a long day of cruising. We get into Comox @ 3:30 as planned.
Today's run took us from Pirates Cove (2) to Comox (3). Tomorrow (Tuesday) we set out to cross the Strait of Georgia. Forecast is calm early, with building winds in early afternoon. I will dinghy Moxie to shore at 5 am; and we will join the flotilla as the consensus is to head across by 6 am. Our goal is Big Bay, which puts us North of Desolation Sound, and sets us up for transiting a series of rapids for Wednesday, one of many "gates" that makes boaters have to earn access to the Inside Passage.
~Mark
Looks like a great group of Ranger Tugs heading on through. I'm impressed by the amount of distance you've already gone, yet it makes sense since you've already explored those areas. Then I read about the "rapids"!!! With a little research, is the plan to take the longer Inside route of rapids, or closer to Johnstone Strait?
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying the blog!! We love you!! Catherine asked if you'd be back for her's/Lydia's concert on Wednesday but then remembered that you probably couldn't make it.
Exactly right, timing of rapids as well as weather fronts when we have large crossings as we did this morning across Strait of Georgia.
ReplyDeleteRapids: tidal changes 2 to 3 times Puget Sound (up to 20’ vs7’) being funneled thru narrow passages, or “gates” as commonly referred to.
We are taking a slight variation of the “inside” route you are showing. Staying in a remote Besborough Bay tonight as we sought refuge from wind and rain. But an awesome day, the scenery is getting "bigger" with every mile traveled North. We are racing past the lowest portion of the passage since access that all the time - want to spend as much time as possible further North (Alaska).
________________________________________