June 5, 2018

Day 4: Comox to Bessborough Bay

Biggest day yet: the most miles (83); the most vast wilderness; the most wildlife sightings, and the biggest smiles.  Also the most rain, but clearly that did not deter our stalwart crews from having the best of times!

Early morning run from Comox to cross the Strait of Georgia
before the afternoon winds hit.

Team Alaska Crew!  Pictured: Mark, Peggy, Ollie, Pam, Glen (and Moxie).

Nicole pictured separately, below.

It was a cold wet day, so Nicole stayed on the boat.  Nicole will be pictured with the team when we have better weather.  Meanwhile, a pose with her favorite pet will suffice.  Nicole and Moxie are having a smiling contest - they both LOVE boating!


Our first whale sighting adjacent Pam & Ollie aboard Beyond (note white plume off to their starboard).  Not the best whale shot, but likely a harbinger of more opportunities to come.  By day's end we had seen a nice sampling of B.C. Coast wildlife: 3 Whales, 2 Porpoise, an Owl, and dozens of Bald Eagles, Harbor Seal and Sea Lions.

Thar she blows!


Heading North from Comox feels like we are now heading into wilderness....

Three tugs on anchor in Bessborough Bay, all to ourselves...

Today's routing took us from civilization (town of Comox, about the size of Anacortes) past Desolation Sound and into a wilderness where wildlife sightings outnumbered boat sightings, and tiny fly-in, single-building fishing resorts replaced actual towns.  We transited four different rapids: Yaculta, Gillard Passage, Dent, and Greene Point rapids - and our Ranger Tugs powered through the currents and strong whirlpools without great difficulty, but also by being attentive to tides and current changes.

Our anchorage is indicated by the red arrow, as we sought shelter in Bessborough Bay after being chased out of our original destination of Forward Harbor due to 30mph winds and horizontal rain. Remarkably, 15 minutes later around the point and with less exposure to prevailing winds, we found calm and solitude and much more friendly conditions for setting anchor!

Today was awesome for its scenery, wildlife, and sense of remoteness and wilderness vastness.  Hard to believe that all of these elements will get only more exaggerated the further North we go...

~Mark