Ten weeks: the discovery islands
Johnstone Strait together with Seymour Narrows is known as the Discovery Passage. Lying near the passage are several islands designated as the Discovery Islands. We are visiting a few of them: Cordero Islands, Blind Channel on West Thurlow Island, Shoal Bay on East Thurlow Island, and the Octopus Islands that are a part of Quadra Island.
Date: July 5, 2016
Time Start: 10:40 a.m.
Time Finish: 5:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Port Neville
Cruise To: Cordero Islands
Engine Hours Start: 472
Engine Hours Finish: 477
Weather/sea conditions: Partly cloudy, N.W. winds, then sunny, to 70's at Cordero Islands
After leaving Port Neville, we have some easy cruising in Johnstone Strait. The fierce winds of yesterday have died away. We take a break in Billygoat Bay on Helmken Island after two hours in the Strait, waiting for the right current conditions for entry into Chancellor Channel and passing through the Green Point Rapids. Helmken Island sits in the Strait just beyond the community of Kelsey Bay. We are on the Current Passage side of the island.
Time Start: 10:40 a.m.
Time Finish: 5:10 p.m.
Cruise From: Port Neville
Cruise To: Cordero Islands
Engine Hours Start: 472
Engine Hours Finish: 477
Weather/sea conditions: Partly cloudy, N.W. winds, then sunny, to 70's at Cordero Islands
After leaving Port Neville, we have some easy cruising in Johnstone Strait. The fierce winds of yesterday have died away. We take a break in Billygoat Bay on Helmken Island after two hours in the Strait, waiting for the right current conditions for entry into Chancellor Channel and passing through the Green Point Rapids. Helmken Island sits in the Strait just beyond the community of Kelsey Bay. We are on the Current Passage side of the island.
Heading on our way again, the water looks so calm. But no! The waters in this part of Johnstone Strait are swirling with the strong forces of the currents.
We enter Chancellor Channel between Hawdwicke and West Thurlow Islands, continuing in the Channel to the Green Point Rapids. The scenery along the way is stunning. We hit the rapids almost an hour before slack, but have no problems transiting.
The Cordero Islands sit just across the channel from W. Thurlow Island, next to mainland B.C. Beautiful and beckoning, we drop our anchor in 27 feet. The red sailboat "Bertha" is here as well, they were next to us just a couple of hours ago at our Helmcken Island stopover. And, they were also at Goat Islet off of Crease Island in the Broughtons the same time we were!
What a gorgeous anchorage! The air is warm, the water up to 62 degrees (unlike the 50-ish Broughton temps!), no wind, no rain! Hooray! We can have dinner in the cockpit tonight! And it is warm enough for after dinner paddles to explore our surroundings.
Date: July 6, 2016
Time Start: 11:30 a.m.
Time Finish: Noon
Cruise From: Corder Islands
Cruise To: Blind Channel, W. Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 477
Engine Hours Finish: 477
Weather/sea conditions: Beautiful, sunny, warm morning! Then clouds increasing into evening.
What a glorious morning! Sun! Warm enough to shed the layers we needed in the Broughtons. The tide is low in the Cordero Islands, and we paddle and drift over eel grass beds and along the ulva covered rocks. Below us is a garden of colorful orange anemones, looking like dahlias in bloom. Small fish dart through the eel grass. The surface of the water is smooth as glass, reflecting the sky.
Time Start: 11:30 a.m.
Time Finish: Noon
Cruise From: Corder Islands
Cruise To: Blind Channel, W. Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 477
Engine Hours Finish: 477
Weather/sea conditions: Beautiful, sunny, warm morning! Then clouds increasing into evening.
What a glorious morning! Sun! Warm enough to shed the layers we needed in the Broughtons. The tide is low in the Cordero Islands, and we paddle and drift over eel grass beds and along the ulva covered rocks. Below us is a garden of colorful orange anemones, looking like dahlias in bloom. Small fish dart through the eel grass. The surface of the water is smooth as glass, reflecting the sky.
A pair of eagles soar over us. I see an otter with a fish in its mouth scamper behind the rocks as I drift by. Areas of kelp with their billowing fronds add more beauty and color to our watery world. Kingfishers dart through the trees. A few seals swim and splash nearby.
We can almost tell the tides and currents just by watching the direction of the parade of boats passing outside the protection of these islets. They are either heading into or are coming from passing through the rapids. At ebb they are all headed one direction, at flood the other, and at slack they go both directions.
We have a short cruise to Blind Channel on W. Thurlow Island, just across the channel from the Cordero Islands. Our fuel tank gets filled, then we tie up on the dock for a two night stay. We love this resort. It is a stopover for most boaters who are either headed into or out of Johnstone Strait. It is a welcome provisioning stop and place to wait for the tides, do laundry, and chat with other boaters. There is a good restaurant, too! We feel like we are on a mini vacation here. A classy looking wood boat anchored near us is a 1953 Stephens made in California.
We have a short cruise to Blind Channel on W. Thurlow Island, just across the channel from the Cordero Islands. Our fuel tank gets filled, then we tie up on the dock for a two night stay. We love this resort. It is a stopover for most boaters who are either headed into or out of Johnstone Strait. It is a welcome provisioning stop and place to wait for the tides, do laundry, and chat with other boaters. There is a good restaurant, too! We feel like we are on a mini vacation here. A classy looking wood boat anchored near us is a 1953 Stephens made in California.
Lunch is on the outdoor patio overlooking the marina, fish tacos with fresh snapper and local flowers for garnish! Lovely!
Afternoon passes so quickly, dinnertime is here before we know it. We have stocked up on a few items from the store, and enjoyed the mosaics that decorate the marina. They are made from local items and add a lot of color. We dine in the restaurant, served by the grandchildren of the original owners. This resort has stayed in the family. Being of German descent, recipes of the grandmother are used. Tonight we dine on goulash, spaetzle, red cabbage, and of course, flowers. Nicely done!
Date: July 7, 2016
Blind Channel, W. Thurlow Island
Weather: Rainy, strong winds, upper 50's, a truly stormy day
We are so thankful that we are laying over at Blind Channel today. The wind is howling and rain soaking us here this morning. It's laundry day for us, and a good day to clean the interior of NORTH STAR, read a good book, and storm watch! S.W. winds are hitting us broadside on the dock, and NORTH STAR is straining on her mooring lines. The surrounding hills are obscured by clouds, and the channel is rough with white caps. The rain is at times almost horizontal, and most boaters aren't moving anywhere today.
Blind Channel, W. Thurlow Island
Weather: Rainy, strong winds, upper 50's, a truly stormy day
We are so thankful that we are laying over at Blind Channel today. The wind is howling and rain soaking us here this morning. It's laundry day for us, and a good day to clean the interior of NORTH STAR, read a good book, and storm watch! S.W. winds are hitting us broadside on the dock, and NORTH STAR is straining on her mooring lines. The surrounding hills are obscured by clouds, and the channel is rough with white caps. The rain is at times almost horizontal, and most boaters aren't moving anywhere today.
We enjoy a long coffee break with our neighbors Neil and Joanne Henderson from Calgary on their Camano Troll "All's Well". The dinghy is called "Ends Well"! Great people, they are just learning about boating.
For incoming boats, docking is a tricky exercise today, and there are lots of hands on deck to help grab lines. One of the things we love about boating is how helpful our fellow boaters are.
The pelting rain and winds last all day.
Date: July 8, 2016
Time Start: Noon
Time Finish: 1:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Blind Channel, W. Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Shoal Bay, E. Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 477
Engine Hours Finish: 48
Weather/sea conditions: Rain, not as windy, warmer, cloudy afternoon, mid 60's
We get tons of rain overnight, no wonder the berries on shore are so big and lush. There are lots of blackberries, huckleberries, elderberries, and salal berries for hungry bears, birds, and two legged creatures! The marina has a nice garden, a source of fresh produce for the restaurant, and one of the staff is using his boat as a floating garden.
It is gray and showery again, but the winds have calmed down. We'll leave Blind Channel around mid day, waiting for the right currents, but first we get cinnamon rolls from the store, take more photos, and visit on the docks with our fellow boaters. Rumor has it that a 120 foot boat is arriving here today. What a lot of dock space it will need!
The pelting rain and winds last all day.
Date: July 8, 2016
Time Start: Noon
Time Finish: 1:20 p.m.
Cruise From: Blind Channel, W. Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Shoal Bay, E. Thurlow Island
Engine Hours Start: 477
Engine Hours Finish: 48
Weather/sea conditions: Rain, not as windy, warmer, cloudy afternoon, mid 60's
We get tons of rain overnight, no wonder the berries on shore are so big and lush. There are lots of blackberries, huckleberries, elderberries, and salal berries for hungry bears, birds, and two legged creatures! The marina has a nice garden, a source of fresh produce for the restaurant, and one of the staff is using his boat as a floating garden.
It is gray and showery again, but the winds have calmed down. We'll leave Blind Channel around mid day, waiting for the right currents, but first we get cinnamon rolls from the store, take more photos, and visit on the docks with our fellow boaters. Rumor has it that a 120 foot boat is arriving here today. What a lot of dock space it will need!
Neal and Joanne assist us with our dock lines as we depart. We have a short, gray, but beautiful cruise in Cordero Channel, passing Erasmus Island. The high mountains of Phillips Arm and the cliffs of East Thurlow Island provide dramatic scenery for us. There is plenty of space available on the docks at Shoal Bay, and we tie up on the inside spot where we spent memorable times a year ago (see 2015 cruise).
Mark is at the house to register us, and we meet George who is helping Mark this summer along with Neal and Laurel moored beside us. They have just returned from the vigorous climb to the old gold mine. Hummingbirds, more than we have ever seen at one time, are swarming around the feeder on the deck. It's amazing to watch them and to listen to the whir of their beating wings (see and hear this video).
Mark and Cynthia have done such a great job of making Shoal Bay a really welcoming place. Her artistic skills are evident everywhere. We make our way to the garden, where visitors are invited to participate and even harvest the produce. There is a jar for leaving a donation for what you take.
We have some down time, and then a seaplane arrives at the end of the dock, bringing Cynthia home. Even in remote places like this, connections with the outside are easily made.
Even without a colorful sunset, the day comes to a beautiful end.
Date: July 9, 2016
Shoal Bay, E. Thurlow Island
Weather: Gray, cloudy, showers, some sun, mid 60's
It rained buckets overnight and the clouds still hang low around us this morning, misty layers over the water and against the hills and mountains. The water is like glass. Such quiet beauty!
Shoal Bay, E. Thurlow Island
Weather: Gray, cloudy, showers, some sun, mid 60's
It rained buckets overnight and the clouds still hang low around us this morning, misty layers over the water and against the hills and mountains. The water is like glass. Such quiet beauty!
The dock neighborhood changes as yesterday's boats leave and new boats arrive. Soon the dock is full, and it becomes a social hub, with lots of visiting and other activities.
While out in our dinghy, the Thea Foss comes by and toots her horn (and is cruising in the video below). She is the large 120 foot boat that spent last night at Blind Channel! The water taxi from Blind Channel pulls into the Shoal Bay dock, bringing guests here for an outing and picnic ashore.
The weather keeps changing, going from showers to sun and back to showers, but the temperatures are pleasant. We stretch our legs and go ashore between showers, taking more photos of this wonderful place. Cynthia has some pottery samples next to the pizza oven. She is planning on redoing the exterior of the oven. We see her down by the shore with her new puppy. An airhorn is tucked into her waist as bears have been seen on the property as recently as yesterday. (Please click for vertical photos.)
Evening is beautiful. We take part in happy hour ashore in the "pub". The day ends with a friendly gathering in the cockpit of one of the boats on the dock.
Date: July 10, 2016
Time Start: 8:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 12:15 p.m.
Cruise From: Shoal Bay, E. Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Octopus Islands, Quadra Island
Engine Hours Start: 478
Engine Hours Finish: 482
Weather/sea conditions: Gray with low clouds in morning, then a nice day, mid 70's
Two tugs, one pulling and one pushing, take a long boom of logs across the water in front of Shoal Bay. We will most likely see them close up as we are cruising this morning, on our way to Dent and Yuculta Rapids. Make that two log booms with tugs!
Time Start: 8:15 a.m.
Time Finish: 12:15 p.m.
Cruise From: Shoal Bay, E. Thurlow Island
Cruise To: Octopus Islands, Quadra Island
Engine Hours Start: 478
Engine Hours Finish: 482
Weather/sea conditions: Gray with low clouds in morning, then a nice day, mid 70's
Two tugs, one pulling and one pushing, take a long boom of logs across the water in front of Shoal Bay. We will most likely see them close up as we are cruising this morning, on our way to Dent and Yuculta Rapids. Make that two log booms with tugs!
We cruise along the shores of Sonora Island where there are lots of small boats out fishing. Passing through Dent Rapids is easy, the water is flat calm. In no time at all we are slipping by Big Bay on Stuart Island and the tony Sonora Lodge on the opposite shore.
The Thea Foss is ahead of us, moving at a faster speed. We catch up as she circles toward shore in Calm Channel. I spot an osprey as it swoops down to pick up a fish, and two eagles soar above us.
The rapids are behind us, so where shall we go now? The Octopus Islands! We have beautiful scenery, with mountains are peeking out at us, and we take the scenic "Hole in the Wall" passage noted for its high rock faces between Sonora and Maurelle Islands. This is another narrow passage where the water can flow with strong currents, but our timing is good today.
And there they are, the Octopus Islands, low and lovely and inviting. They are part of Quadra Island, one of the Discovery Islands.
The anchor is down, and stern tie is made to shore. What a beautiful place! We have been here before, but it still takes our breath away.
The wild sounds of gulls serenade us all afternoon. Dan thinks they might be mating. Using the dinghy as a work platform, we wash along the base of NORTH STAR's hull, trying to remove the growth of algae that is accumulating. We are loving this warm day, in the 70's, with no rain or wind.
Evening is a beautiful time of day to row. As I drift along islets and over beds of algae and marine life, I hear the sounds of a guitar and a male voice singing on one of the anchored boats. It is mellow music, perfect for this setting.
Evening is a beautiful time of day to row. As I drift along islets and over beds of algae and marine life, I hear the sounds of a guitar and a male voice singing on one of the anchored boats. It is mellow music, perfect for this setting.
And how does the evening end on NORTH STAR? A little reading, and then a movie on our drop down screen.
Date: July 11, 2016
Octopus Islands, Quadra Island
Weather: Gray and windy day, mid 60's
We begin our seventh week of the cruise today! "Lu Jac's Quest", a dive boat from Anacortes, is dropping anchor next to us, while other boats are leaving. It's the daily change of the neighborhood.
The water is flat calm. Two herons fly from spot to spot in our little cove, not finding the perfect spot to fish. We wait until after lunch before taking the dinghy for a cruise. We have been waiting for the weather to improve, but it looks like we are in for a gray and windy day and cooler temperatures.
Dan has a hike in mind. The trail starts from Waitt Bay, and we head that direction before the winds deter us and we head back to the islets and out the entrance. It is a good choice! Along the way, we watch a mink scamper up the rocks with a meal in its mouth. Maybe a crab? Then, we name an islet "Deer Knoll" as a doe is resting amid the shrubs. Our final treat is an eagle perched in the canopy of a shoreline shrub. It flies out as we drift slowly by, circling back to the taller trees to watch us from a higher perch. Such a regal looking bird!
Octopus Islands, Quadra Island
Weather: Gray and windy day, mid 60's
We begin our seventh week of the cruise today! "Lu Jac's Quest", a dive boat from Anacortes, is dropping anchor next to us, while other boats are leaving. It's the daily change of the neighborhood.
The water is flat calm. Two herons fly from spot to spot in our little cove, not finding the perfect spot to fish. We wait until after lunch before taking the dinghy for a cruise. We have been waiting for the weather to improve, but it looks like we are in for a gray and windy day and cooler temperatures.
Dan has a hike in mind. The trail starts from Waitt Bay, and we head that direction before the winds deter us and we head back to the islets and out the entrance. It is a good choice! Along the way, we watch a mink scamper up the rocks with a meal in its mouth. Maybe a crab? Then, we name an islet "Deer Knoll" as a doe is resting amid the shrubs. Our final treat is an eagle perched in the canopy of a shoreline shrub. It flies out as we drift slowly by, circling back to the taller trees to watch us from a higher perch. Such a regal looking bird!
The evening paddle starts as hard work, going against the wind. Returning is easy, just a drift, with the wind carrying us along. A few starfish and crabs are visible along the shores, along with fucus and sargassum algae.
Another day comes to an end. Tomorrow we'll start a new segment of our cruise, making our way to Desolation Sound.
Return to Boat Days Index
Continue to next entry
Return to Boat Days Index
Continue to next entry