Friday, 24July2015, Horton Bay to Smuggler's Cove, BC

Weather:  Overcast and cool, 60's F.  Winds:  SE 0 building to 10-15 gusts to 20.  Waves: 0 building to SE 4ft.

The intent was to get north, crossing the strait heading directly to Smuggler's Cove/Secret Cove area, about 54nm, knowing there were multiple bailout spots to the west; Active Pass, Poltier Pass, Gabriola Pass with a final decision point at Nanaimo.  Why the rush?  Weather guessers were stating strong NW winds Sunday and Monday, which would make any travel up the strait difficult aboard Strider.  So, get north sooner rather than later else we would have to hole up somewhere Sunday, Monday and probably Tuesday as the seas settled.  Today's predicted SE winds should get us a good ways towards our Desolation Sound goal.

Underway at 1000hrs, motoring out of Horton Bay via the south end of Curlew Island and east into the Strait of Georgia via one of the channels south of Georgeson Island.  Once in the strait, the wind was dead calm and there were no waves.  Just overcast and gloomy.  A hint of a breeze began about an hour into the passage.  At two hours, there was enough wind to unfurl the screacher (only - predicted winds indicated headsails only today) and make 6kts!

Winds continued to build and by Nanaimo, we were making 8kts.  45 minutes later, winds were 15 gusting to 20 and waves had built to 3ft with 4ft sets.  Fortunately, it was all from behind, the whole 'fair winds and following seas' thing.  Not unpleasant at all, to the point Kelly was below napping!  Strider was making 8.5kts with common excursions to 12-14kts and I did see 15.2kts!  During this time I remembered a tip from my Dragonfly mentor Steve, "Use the main halyard as a backstay."  I did.

I had total confidence in the rig, including the new waterstays.  Though there was one moment....  While surfing down the face of a 4ft wave directly into the back of another 4ft wave at 14kts, I wondered 'how is this going to turn out?'  Turns out Strider rode up the back of the wave effortlessly.  One of the ama tops got a little wet, but not much.  No green water anywhere:  Like a cork!

Approaching the Merry Island Light, just before entering Half Moon Bay, I thought to slow Strider by changing the screacher out for the genoa.  After the screacher blowout fiasco a couple years ago, I wanted to blanket the screacher with the genoa.  However, a jam prevented the genoa from unfurling.  I overburdened the screacher furler somewhat and managed to furl it some, slowing us to 6kts.  I went forward, found the offending genoa jam, errant shackle had flipped, corrected it, unfurled the genoa to blanket the screacher, unfurled the screacher and properly furled it.  Still, under the genoa only, we were making 6.5kts!

The rest of the passage through Welcome Channel was uneventful.  Rounding Grant Island, heading towards Smuggler's, the land gave a good wind shadow making for an easy furl and motor into Smuggler's.  We motored through Smuggler's and into the back area, France Inlet.  There were 4 other boats back there, but lots of room.  Dropped the hook in the center, about 20ft of water, and by 1800hrs, we were stern tied on a bolt to the west.  Since it was dead calm in there, it was easy peasy.  One of the boaters inside asked if it was blowing 'out there.'  Yep.

It was a long, 8hr day of hand steering as auto was acting up.  Also, with the gloom and low visibility, there was a 4hr stretch of steering by the compass, something I hadn't done in a long time and it took a while to get my scan back up to speed.  Still, we made about 54nm in roughly 7hrs, an average of 7.7kts!

Lesson Learned:  Use the main halyard as a backstay.