NW EXPLORATIONS - Part 3

Jordan made some adjustments to our cruising itinerary to get us back on schedule for reaching Ketchikan on May 29^th.  We would be skipping a night of anchoring in Forward Harbour and instead head for Lagoon Cove.  Our route took us through the Upper Rapids of Okisollo Channel where the rapids can run at 9 Knots on a spring tide.  It was quite a sight to see the flotilla skidding across the eddies.

Our cruising weather was less than ideal.  Low hanging clouds obscured the mountain tops and intermittent drizzle kept us under the bimini at the upper helm.

As we entered Johnstone Strait Hannah told us to be on the lookout for northern killer whales, Dall’s porpoise and Pacific white-sided dolphins.  This strait connecting Discovery Passage with Queen Charlotte Strait was well-known for sightings of these creatures. We didn’t see any.  But we did spot Steller sea lions feeding near Helmcken Island on Race Passage.  Their surface spouting had us all thinking we had spotted whales, but NO!

Steller sea lions

Along Chatham Channel we crossed paths with an interesting row boat with four hearty souls giving it their all fighting strong currents in the rain. 

We noticed what looked like Spanish moss hanging amongst the trees along the shoreline and Hannah informed us that it was a lichen called wizard’s beard.  The name so perfectly fit!  Hannah also pointed out the difference between moss and lichen. Moss is a plant with all the needs of a plant while lichen is a fungi/algae combination with a symbiotic relationship with its host.

Wizard's beard

By 4:30 the flotilla had arrived at Lagoon Cove Marina.  Our boats were the first arrivals of the season.  In fact, divers were in the water busily chaining these floating docks to the shore.

By 5:30 the crews had all congregated in the ‘historic’ workshop for happy hour.  This marina workshop is filled with the detritus from years of existence on Minstrel Island – mildewed lines, crab traps and floats, rusty anchors, dozens of paint cans, old tools, outboard motors, and burgees left by visiting boaters from around the world.  Checkered tablecloths covered the workbenches.  We feasted on delicious potluck dishes supplied by the flotilla crews and fresh caught giant prawns supplied by the marina owners, Dan, Kelley and Mike. A great time was had by all.

Scattered along the rocky shoreline and clinging to the marina pilings were starfish of many colors – yellow, orange, gray, pink and purple.

  

What a day Friday, May 17^th turned out to be!  The sun was shining as we cast off from Lagoon Cove Marina at 10AM for the 31-mile run to Port McNeill.  Those who wanted had gone off for a nature hike with Hannah at 8AM as far as the Blow Hole, a narrow channel that we had navigated the previous day.  Some of us who stayed behind saw a Coastal brown bear far off on the beach.  Related to the interior grizzly bear, these Coastal brown bears can reach 1,000 pounds by feasting on a rich diet of salmon.  I only got to view the bear on Cindy’s camera.  Maybe next time…

Frank after the nature hike at Lagoon Cove

The sunshine didn’t last very long and by the time we reached Hanson Island it was overcast and a balmy 50⁰.  But what a show we had on the water!  Hanson Island is world-renowned for Orcalab, its unique killer whale research laboratory.  All the whale research is undertaken in such a way as to limit human interference with whale behavior.  A network of hydrophones (underwater microphones) are used to listen for whales in the core habitat of the northern resident community of British Columbia orcas.  Each clan or family of orcas can be identified by the sounds they make and when vocalization is heard, surface cameras record the whale movements.  Well, we didn’t see any orcas but we were lucky enough to encounter a humpback whale spouting and fluking!

But that wasn’t the end of our sea life encounters.  Dozens of playful Dall’s porpoise entertained us by zipping along in our bow wake!  With coloration much like that of a killer whale or a black and white torpedo, these fast swimming porpoise had no trouble keeping up with Bonum Vitae as we cruised along Johnstone Strait.

North Island Marina in Port McNeill was our stop for the night.  This town is known for its logging and the visitor centre attendant called the surrounding area “one huge tree farm”.   For our flotilla, it proved to be an excellent reprovisioning point as we will be on the hook for the next six days. 

I think we saw all the town had to offer within easy strolling distance of the docks – an IGA Supermarket for restocking the larder, Gus’ Pub for seafood chowder and happy hour nibbles, the Steam Donkey, and the World’s Largest Sitka Spruce Burl.  A steam donkey is a steam-powered winch once used in logging operations here in the northwest. It made high-volume, mechanized logging possible during the early years of the twentieth century.  It replaced the brute force of hand labor and teams of oxen and horses.

Steam Donkey

Saturday, May 18^th was a lay day.  Bob and Madeline and Scotty and Richard from Patos, all of us from Bonum Vitae, Hannah and Lilly boarded a BC ferry for a short ride to Alert Bay, a Namgis First Nation settlement on Cormorant Island.  Juanita, the museum curator, led our group on a personal tour of the U’mista Cultural Centre.  U’mista means ‘the return of something important’.

In 1921 the government of Canada, in an effort to stop the potlatch custom of dance, song and wealth distribution, confiscated wooden masks, copper shields and ceremonial regalia so essential to the Kwakwaka’wakw potlatch ceremony.  The U’mista Cultural Centre showcases the artifacts that were later reclaimed from institutions and private collectors from around the world when the period of cultural repression ended in the 1970’s.  Juanita explained the legends and significance of many of the artifacts in this large collection. 

After our informative tour, we were treated to an extensive seafood buffet personally prepared by a husband and wife who had caught all the fish from their own boat!  Clam cakes, smoked salmon, fried halibut, smoked hooligan (a small, oily fish prized as a trade item – not a favorite of Juanita or me), fry bread, brownies and ice cream.  Just as no one would ever go hungry at a traditional potlatch, no one went hungry today. No dinner preparations would be needed tonight!

Scotty, Richard, Madeline, Lilly, Barb, Frank, Bob under one of five awakwas at Alert Bay

Low tide makes for a strenuous hike up the long, steep ramp from the marina to town.  But low tide also exposes a vast muddy flat frequented by many birds.  We spotted loons and common mergansers in the marina basin while we waited for a beautiful late-day sunset.

Jordan had the flotilla up early on Sunday, May 19^th.  It would be a long day of cruising as we needed to cover 67 miles from Port McNeill to Fury Cove, crossing Queen Charlotte Strait and into the open waters of Queen Charlotte Sound.  Good cruising weather was essential!  Vancouver Island had sheltered us for the entire cruise and now we would leave that protection behind.  It could be a rocky ride.  Hopefully, Captain Jordan timed our cruise well!

We cast off our lines at 6:15 under sunny skies.  It was a refreshing 47⁰.  The water of Queen Charlotte Strait was smooth.  To port was the north end of Vancouver Island; to starboard the snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Coastal Range.  A large group of Steller sea lions congregated on a rocky outcropping off Race Island.  A group of sea otters floated on their backs in beds of kelp.

Sea otter

Passing through the Walker Group

As we rounded Cape Caution, the flotilla entered Queen Charlotte Sound.  While there were good-sized one to two meter swells, there were no white caps and Bonum Vitae’s stabilizers were much appreciated.  Perched atop a rocky island, a lone bald eagle kept watch over the sound amidst a flock of sea gulls. We followed the rocky shoreline of British Columbia to our anchorage in Fury Cove off Fitz Hugh Sound.

We shared Fury Cove with three other trawlers that had been docked at Port McNeill.  Just off the bow of Bonum Vitae was a pretty white clamshell beach and beyond that, through a small opening, we could see the choppy water of Fitz Hugh Sound.  After lunch we decided to launch the dinghy and wander along the beach.  And so began the Great Dinghy Debacle…

Launching went without a hitch and, with me at the helm, we somewhat cautiously cruised the perimeter of Fury Cove.  Bill at the bow yelled “hard right” and we grazed a submerged rock near Deception – Captain Jordan would not have been impressed had I damaged the dinghy while cruising right off his stern.  We headed for the beach where Brodie and Jordan had anchored their dinghy and we placed ours close by. Well, they were smart enough to head back to Deception before the tide went out leaving our dinghy high and dry on the beach.  OOPS!! We soon realized that no amount of pushing and rocking the heavy dinghy was going to get her afloat.  Bonum Vitae sat just beyond our reach in 27 feet of chilly water.  We were no longer so proudly boasting that we had the biggest, heaviest dinghy in the flotilla.  We were wishing we had a smaller inflatable that we could muscle back to the water. 

Help was on the way as Dan from Thea arrived to rescue us.  Bringing his dinghy as close to shore as possible, he loaded Vivian and me onboard and whisked us back to Bonum Vitae before returning for Frank and Bill.  By then Brodie and Jordan were on the beach assessing the situation and no doubt questioning the boating skills of our crew.  It was clear that the dinghy would have to spend some hours resting on the beach and waiting for high tide to set her free.  That wouldn’t be until midnight!  “No worries,” said Brodie.  He would take care of it.

We laughed and drank our way through our dinner of salad and cabbage rolls purchased at the Port McNeill farmers’ market.  Before we knew it, Jordan arrived to ferry us back to the beach for a bonfire and s’mores roast.  The males in the group circled the stranded dinghy and commiserated with Frank and Bill.  On our way back to Bonum Vitae I jokingly asked Jordan if he would ever let us take the dinghy out again and he jokingly (?) said, “I’ll get back to you.”

Bill, Lilly, Frank, Richard at Fury Cove

The dinghy magically reappeared the next morning securely tied alongside Bonum Vitae.  Let the next adventure begin!

Monday, May 20^th, was a cold, dreary, rainy day to cruise 33 miles to Hurricane Anchorage.  Fitz Hugh Sound was rather bumpy.  While other boats in the flotilla bobbed to and fro like corks, we had a somewhat gentler bow to stern pitch through the big swells.  Thank you, stabilizers!!  Along the way several sea otters were spotted in Fitz Hugh Sound. 

Dinner aboard Deception

Hurricane Anchorage was a peaceful spot to spend the night – the five Mother Goose boats were the only ones there.  Each boat’s crew gets a dinner invitation from Deception.  It was our turn and we enjoyed a delicious lasagna dinner complete with ice cream for dessert with Jordan, Brodie, Hannah and Lilly.

NW EXPLORATIONS - part 2

The morning of Monday, May 13^th, Bill, Frank and Bob from Patos were busy plotting and planning a course across the Strait of Georgia to Pender Harbour.  Jordan gave advice on where to anchor.  Bonum Vitae took the lead and we cast off the docks in Nanaimo before 10AM.  Captain Frank was happy!

 The crossing seemed to be devoid of wildlife – where was Hannah when we needed her?  By 2PM we had dropped anchor twice before setting the hook.  This first anchorage of the trip was rather disappointing.  We were hoping to be anchored in a more scenic, secluded cove but instead were surrounded by vacation homes and a small marina.  The anchorage was redeemed by the sighting of two bald eagles high up in the trees.

 

Before leaving Nanaimo, we had commandeered two kayaks from Deception and Madeline and Bob from Patos came to retrieve them shortly after dropping anchor.  We decided to try our hand at launching our dinghy.  Between the four of us we managed to remember all the key steps involved with launching and were able to take a short cruise around the harbor. 

 

Vivian prepared a delicious pork entrée complete with asparagus, bread sticks and wine, of course!

 

On Tuesday, May 14^th, Frank and I donned our rain gear and pulled up anchor. Bonum Vitae was on its way with Patos by 9AM bound for Grace Harbour. While the forecast predicted only a 40% chance of showers, it rained/sprinkled on us most of the five hour, 48-mile cruise.  Quite honestly, this was the type of weather we associated with cruising in the northwest.  The bimini covering the upper helm could have undergone a better weatherproofing during the off season, but all in all we managed to stay pretty dry.

 

 

Despite the dreary weather we still enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the narrow Thulin Passage between the Copeland Islands and the Malaspina Peninsula.  If only Hannah had been cruising with us we might have known what trees and rock formations we were looking at! 

 

As we rounded Sarah Point we officially entered Desolation Sound, the glacier-cut waterway renowned as one of the Northwest’s most sought-after cruising destinations. In 1792 George Vancouver explored this area and dubbed it Desolation Sound noting that “there was not a single prospect that was pleasing to the eye.”  He and his crew were obviously in foul moods having dealt with inclement weather, flea infestations, and shellfish poisoning!

 

 

Grace Harbour was just the kind of secluded anchorage we had expected to find along the Inside Passage.  As we celebrated another successful setting of the anchor, Bill and Vivian espied a pair of Common Mergansers – a male and a female – gracefully paddling around the cove.  And either a porpoise or a seal would occasionally pop its head out of the water.  No one was willing to head out exploring in the dinghy – we had enough wet cruising for one day.  We stayed onboard and enjoyed another great meal and good conversation. 

 

An afternoon phone call from Jordan had informed us that the rest of the flotilla was still in Nanaimo preparing for an afternoon departure for Pender Harbour.  Plans were made to rendezvous with them near Hernando Island Wednesday around noon.  A little sunshine tomorrow would be much appreciated.

 

The sun was shining when we awoke on Wednesday, May 15^th.  We had several hours to while away before meeting the Nanaimo flotilla so Patos and Bonum Vitae decided to explore the Desolation Sound Marina Park.  The crew of Patos had previously been to this area so as we rounded Mink Island they took the lead through Prideaux Haven where each stunning vista proved to be more beautiful than the last stunning vista. 

 

Cruising to Desolation Sound

 

 Scenes from Desolation Sound Marine Park

 

 

  

Patos leads the way to Prideaux Haven

 

Bonum Vitae in Desolation Sound

 

 

Patos in Desolation Sound

 

Scenes from Desolation Sound Marine Park

 

We had barely scratched the surface of exploration of Desolation Sound Marine Park but it was time to think about reaching our rendezvous with the rest of the flotilla.  Leaving Prideaux Haven behind, we turned north up Lewis Channel around Cortes Island then south on Sutil Channel between Cortes Island and Read Island to meet Deception, Discovery and Thea (Arctic Star’s replacement).  Patos, being a slower boat, took a shorter route back to the rendezvous point.  Along our route, we encountered nesting eagles and several seals sunning on a rocky outcrop with others frolicking in the nearby water.  The sunshine made for a picture perfect day.

 

 

Seals along Sutil Channel

 

Jordan had warned that timing our arrival at Beasley Passage was critical in order for the flotilla to have an easy cruise through the rapids there.  With Bill at the helm, we carefully observed the boats ahead of us get pushed and rocked every which way through the swirling water.  He had at least one white-knuckle moment when he realized that he would have to give Bonum Vitae a power boost to get her to respond to his wheel. 

 

Rapids along Beasley Passage

 

Octopus Islands Marine Park, our destination for the evening, was less than an hour past Beasley Passage and the remainder of the day’s cruise was in much calmer water.

 

Flotilla at anchor in Octopus Islands Marine Park

 

 

By 4PM we had set the hook and launched the dinghy.  While Bill and Vivian took the dinghy for a bird-watching cruise around Waiatt Bay, Frank and I joined Hannah and others for a long nature hike on Quadra Island. 

 

Hiking through towering hemlocks and Douglas fir, we marveled at the bushy skunk cabbage and massive ferns with curling fiddleheads. The densely moss-carpeted forest floor was littered with fallen tree trunks serving as breeding grounds for all kinds of mushrooms, moss and young saplings – ‘nursery logs’.

 

 

     

By the time we returned to Bonum Vitae it was way past our normal happy hour!  As we sipped our libations, we were entertained by the shrieks of several members of the crew of Patos leaping from their swim platform into the chilly water of Waiatt Bay.  Brodie and Jordan came aboard to troubleshoot the water maker. 

 

NW EXPLORATIONS - PT 1

Sixteen years ago we completed the Great Loop aboard Sea Venture, our 37-foot Mainship.  Ever since then Captain Frank has been itching to charter a vessel in the Pacific Northwest.  After much planning and many other travel adventures, we are now ready to do it!  On May 9^th we will embark on a three-week ‘Mother Goose’ charter with Northwest Explorations from Bellingham, Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska via the Inside Passage.  This Inside Passage is the waterway on which the Northwest Indians lived their daily lives.  We will travel 793 miles of this waterway, most of it in the protected waters of British Columbia. Joining us are fellow ‘loopers’ Bill and Vivian Wood.  This will be their third charter with Northwest Explorations on the Inside Passage so it must be an awesome experience!

 

In 1792 George Vancouver was chosen by the British Royal Navy to lead an expedition to the Pacific Northwest. He was to be a diplomat and an explorer tasked with charting the coastline of the area as far north as Alaska’s Cook Inlet and looking for the elusive Northwest Passage to the Atlantic Ocean.  He charted the intricate, rugged coastline with great accuracy.  His scientific observations of the local flora and fauna as well as his detailed reports concerning the native peoples he met along the way are of great historic significance.  We are excited to cruise these same waters.

 

Just days before our scheduled departure we happened to look out our apartment window and espied the Lazy W northbound on the Elizabeth River!  Was Frank ever excited!  He raced down to Waterside Marina to greet his long, lost boat (actually not so long, lost since we sold her just about one year ago). He returned to the apartment looking forlorn.  He grabbed a beer to drown his sorrows and then explained to me what had befallen his beloved boat.  Apparently while southbound this fall, the owner and his paid ‘professional’ captain ventured out in gale force winds off the coast of North Carolina.  Being fair weather boaters ourselves, we found this folly quite appalling.  As they neared Frying Pan Shoals off Cape Fear in the dark, a rather large wave hit the boat so fiercely that it tore the dinghy Cassiopeia and its mounting davits off the aft transom of LazyW.  Unfortunately, Cassiopeia was lost at sea.  Fortunately, the entire transom did not break free and LazyW and her crew survived. While LazyW and Cassiopeia are very sea worthy vessels, no one, especially an experienced ‘professional’ captain should have taken them out on the water in those conditions.  As our boating friend Alan remarked, “No one loves them (the boats) the way we did.”

 

 

On May 9^th we met up with Bill and Vivian at the docks of Northwest Explorations.  Bonum Vitae, the 52-foot Grand Banks Heritage Motoryacht that will be our home away from home for the next three weeks, was all ready for our arrival.  And what a beautiful, spacious yacht she is!  She had recently undergone a $250,000 renovation and she looked much newer than her 20 years.  She was a replacement for our original chartered boat, Grand Adventure, which had been removed from the fleet upon her sale.  We were certainly not disappointed by this upgraded vessel.

 

 

Bonum Vitae was equipped with every amenity needed for a comfortable cruise.  Three beautifully appointed staterooms could sleep six, all right maybe only four adults and two very small people.  Two private heads with showers, a well-equipped galley, a laundry room and a spacious salon with enough comfortable seating for ten people – what a yacht.  And the folks of Northwest Explorations stocked her with eco-friendly cleaning supplies, dozens and dozens of fluffy, snowy white towels, plenty of sheets and blankets for the chillier days ahead.

 

 

Frank was thrilled when he encountered the engine room with plenty of headroom.  Bonum Vitae is powered by two Caterpillar turbo-charged engines each rated at 660HP!  Stabilizers!  Bow thrusters! State of the art electronics! A heated, enclosed upper helm! A water maker capable of making 53 gallons/hour!  A monster-sized windlass capable of easily hauling up the 99-pound anchor and stowing it in the bowsprit – this deckhand won’t have to struggle with it!  We were all in seventh heaven.

 

With a length-overall of 63 feet 8 inches and a beam of 15 feet 5 inches, Bonum Vitae was just a bit bigger than our 43-foot Lazy W – just a bit!  The captains wanted to practice handling this big girl so Jordan from Northwest Explorations came aboard Thursday and, after a giving us all a crash course on the ac/dc systems, Frank got to take her away from the dock for a short ride out of the marina and back to the dock.  Frank exclaimed, “She handles like a dream.”  Friday afternoon was to be Bill’s turn at the helm but time ran out before he had that opportunity.  I guess Northwest Explorations trusts that we know what we are doing!

 

 

Saturday, May 11^th was a momentous day – Ashley, our granddaughter, turned 7 AND we left the docks in Bellingham!!  After two days of orientation, provisioning and familiarizing ourselves with each other and the boats, it was fair to say that our group of boaters was anxiously awaiting our early morning departure. All the Northwest Explorations staff were on the dock before 8AM to see the flotilla off on our adventure.  With temperatures in the 50’s, hazy blue skies and calm winds and water, Arctic Star, Discovery, Patos and  Bonum Vitae idled patiently in Bellingham Bay waiting for the lead boat Deception to begin our 75-mile journey north bound for Ganges on Salt Spring Island.

 

 

 

A Mother Goose cruise is so unlike any cruising we have previously done.  Jordan on Deception plans it all from departure time to end of day.  We no longer have to spend hours poring over charts, charting our course, entering waypoint after waypoint in the chart plotter, anxiously checking and rechecking weather, winds and tides, deciding on a marina stay vs. an anchorage. Each evening, Jordan delivers the next day’s detailed cruising plan.  It seems all too easy and we must admit we kinda miss some of those chores.  We are putting our day-to-day cruising plan in the hands of Jordan, a twenty-something captain who began his career with Northwest Explorations when his grandfather hired him on as an eleven-year-old garbage boy.  His job then entailed getting in the dinghy each morning and collecting the trash from the boats in the flotilla.  Now he ably commands a flotilla of boats captained by crews of folks old enough to be his parents/grandparents.  We obediently have our boats ready to get in formation and follow his lead at whatever time he deems appropriate.  And we solemnly swear to follow his mantra “Turn where I turn not when I turn” whenever we cruise in tight formation through narrow passages.

 

With Deception leading the way and the snowy slopes of Mount Baker behind us, we were on our way!  Hannah was on the radio whenever she spotted pelagic cormorants, harbor porpoise, black oyster catchers, pigeon guillemots and bald eagles.  She also pointed out the red-barked, broad-leafed evergreen madrone trees along the rocky shores of many of the islands in the San Juan Archipelagos. Bill and Vivian are avid birdwatchers so we had our own naturalists aboard scanning the water for birds.

 

 

As we approached Pole Pass the currents increased. The flotilla gingerly made its way through while obediently mimicking Jordan’s every maneuver and staying in close formation with just a boat length separating each Grand Banks.  We would repeat this close formation again as we made our way through Johns Pass just before entering the Gulf Islands, British Columbia’s version of  Washington state’s San Juan Islands. 

 

Approaching Spieden Island

One of the islands in the San Juan Archipelagos is Spieden Island.  It is notable in appearance as it is half covered in trees and half covered in grass.  In the 1970’s it was a big game hunting preserve named Safari Island.  Two taxidermist brothers purchased the island and populated it with several species of exotic animals and thousands of birds imported from around the world.  Hunters were invited to fly in and pay for the privilege of hunting there.  Lions, tigers and monkeys were among the trophy animals that could then be hunted, stuffed and taken home. The hunting preserve didn’t last long as local residents were outraged at the ‘sport’ of driving around in vans and shooting these animals.  There was also concern that stray bullets would hit the nearby heavily-populated island of San Juan.  Today the island is owned by the founder of Oakley sunglasses and is still home to some Sika deer from Asia and Mouflon sheep from Corsica.

 

                           Clearing customs at Poets Cove Marina

 

First order of business after entering the Gulf Islands was to clear Canadian customs at Poets Cove Marina in Bedwell Harbor on South Pender Island.  The crew of Deception assisted each boat with docking and the captains talked via phone with the customs agents who issued each boat a clearance number.  Our departure from Bedwell Harbor was delayed due to an engine alarm issue on Discovery.  Vivian and I admired from afar Poets Cove Marina and all its advertised luxury amenities – hot tubs, a spa, and a Eucalyptus Steam Cave (whatever that is). 

 

Discovery’s engine issue was not completely solved but she was able to cruise on one engine to Ganges on Saltspring Island, our first overnight stop.  Ganges is named after HMS Ganges of the British Royal Navy.  The town was once a summer fish camp for First Nations people.  Non-native inhabitants who ultimately settled here include ex-slaves fleeing the California gold mines and Hawaiians displaced by the Hudson Bay Company. Yes, the Hudson Bay Company! A trading post was established in the Sandwich Islands where Hawaiians were allowed to buy goods on credit and then found themselves deep in debt. They then became laborers sent to Hudson Bay Company properties in North America to pay off those debts.  In the 1960’s Ganges became a popular destination for young American men dodging the Selective Service System.

 

We arrived at Ganges Marina in the late afternoon.  We had avoided bringing much wine and beer into Canada so it was time to stock up and finish provisioning since the next four days would be spent at anchor.  The crew of Bonum Vitae enjoyed a relaxing dinner at the Oyster Catcher Restaurant before calling it a day.  We all slept well that night.

 

This sign at Ganges Marina tickled our funny bone!

 Jordan’s cruising plan of the day had us departing Ganges at 7AM on Sunday, May 12^th for a 62-mile cruise to an anchorage at Madeira in Pender Harbour.  It was a breezy, overcast morning.  We continued our cruise through the Canadian Gulf Islands, scanning the waters of Trincomali Channel for signs of porpoise and harbor seals. Between Saltspring Island and Galiano Island a beautiful bald eagle sat atop a channel marker just as an osprey would perch atop a buoy in the Chesapeake Bay.  Dozens of tawny-colored Steller sea lions basked in the sun along the rocky shore line of one of the islands we passed.

 

 

Brodie rode aboard Discovery for troubleshooting for the first two hours then got back aboard Deception when Discovery was deemed cured.  As it turned out, he wouldn’t be aboard for long!

 

As most boaters know, boating plans are set in jello.  May 12^th proved this to be true.  As the flotilla exited Gabriola Passage, the port engine of Arctic Star died.  Brodie, our flotilla mechanic, transferred over from Deception to assess the problem while the remainder of the flotilla idled amidst the Flat Top Islands.  The diagnosis was not a good one – the engine was covered in oil!  Arctic Star needed repairs and so the flotilla diverted to Nanaimo, the second largest city on Vancouver Island, for the night.
 

 

 

Nanaimo harbor

 

Nanaimo harbor was bustling with activity – mighty BC Ferries plied the waters which also served as runways for float planes! 
 

We wandered aimlessly through town before returning to Bonum Vitae to host the first flotilla happy hour (24 people!!!).  The crews of Arctic Star and Deception were a bit bummed out after determining that Arctic Star would have to be replaced and it would take at least a day for a replacement vessel to arrive from Bellingham.  While most of the twenty plus boaters we hosted had a wonderful time getting acquainted, it seemed that no amount of camaraderie would bolster the spirits of the crew from Arctic Star.  Perhaps if we had come in July when Nanaimo hosts the Annual World Championship Bathtub Races we would have been able to get a smile out of them…

 

While in Nanaimo, Bill and Vivian introduced us to Nanaimo bars, a no-bake, sugary, sweet three-layer dessert bar – a wafer/coconut crumb base, custard filling, and chocolate ganache topping. Who knew that this popular British Columbia confection would become the subject of controversy?  Well, it has!  This April, Canada Post released a stamp depicting the Nanaimo bar and critics quickly pointed out that the base-to-filling ratio is all wrong!  Crazy Canadians, eh!

 

 


The advantage to bareboat chartering is that we are free to cruise off on our own and that is exactly what we chose to do.  While the crew of Arctic Star and Deception had no choice but to stay in Nanaimo until a replacement vessel arrived, the crew of Bonum Vitae and Patos saw no reason to stay and decided to move on.  Discovery stayed behind.