Weather: Scattered clouds and mild. Winds: NW 10-15kts. Seas: 2-3ft.
Mostly great day of sailing!
Departed Nanaimo via the south route around Protection Island, motoring out of the moorage and then setting sail right away. In hindsight, should have motored north to Departure Bay as this would have set us up better for the crossing. As it was, full main and screacher initially.
As we rounded Protection Island and heading NNE, the wind was more upon our nose and the screacher was furled and the genoa brought out. About half way to Snake Island, killed a bunch of snakes in the cockpit by reefing the main and genoa and tacking WNW to get around the north side of Snake.
Once we tacked back NNE, we had a clear shot across The Strait of Georgia, making 8kts! 2-3ft waves can make for an uncomfortable ride, but reefing had smoothed it out. Hand steered initially, toying with the windward waves, avoiding the biggest and enjoying the sailing. Further across, the winds moderated a little and Lasqueti and Texada Islands reduced the fetch and shook out the genoa reef.
Approaching Thormanby Island, the winds decreased further. In an effort to continue sailing, we tacked WNW and then back to NNE around the north side of Thormanby. Winds died on the north end of Thormanby and we motored the rest of the way. In hindsight, to arrive sooner, should have just continued around the south end of Thormanby and then motored through Welcome Passage into Secret Cove. I guess all is a compromise. Arrival in Secret was uneventful with a helpful staff. Sunny and hot in the cove. Maybe the extra time on the water was good!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Tuesday, 24July2012: Princess Cove to Nanaimo
Weather: Overcast and cool initially. Winds: 0. Seas: Flat.
Departed Princess Cove at dawn, the sun still way below the horizon, but just enough light to make our way out of the cove. Motored through the quiet waters to arrive at near slack for Dodd Narrows, the shortest way to Nanaimo.
Dodd Narrows is just what the name implies, a narrow passage between islands. The significance, besides being narrow, is the tidal currents must get through this passage, making upwards of 10kts and then being dangerous. The 6 minute slack is the safest, but slack also attracts traffic, including barges. The books state the narrows has at least a 150ft width, but it seems narrower, particularly with a 25ft wide boat.
It appeared we were the first boat northbound and Captain's Mast was the only one visible behind. Several 'Securitie" calls were made announcing our arrival. Several yachts made their way south before our arrival. We made our way through with a slight southbound current and found several yachts on the north side waiting for our passage. Nice of them!
Captain's Mast was about 30min behind and RT reported about a 3kts current in his face as he went through.
Once into the industrial Northumberland Channel (paper mill to the west, log booms to the east), the waters were calm. Observed a small tug attempt to pull a log boom out of the bunch (east to west) only to hit full reverse as a small motor yacht heading north to south, did not yield. Technically, the M/Y probably had right of way, coming from the tug's right and the tug did not have a restricted in maneuvering marker out.
I pulled up and let the tug out and a radio call was recieved, "Trimaran in Northumberland Channel, thank you." I responded with, "No problem." I figured he had the right of way 3 ways. First, coming from the right. Second, while not having hoisted a restricted in maneuvering marker, it was. Lastly, the law of gross tonnage was on the tug's side.
The wind started to pick up as we approached the north end of Northumberland and we managed to sail a bit. We made our way to the mooring buoys at Newcastle Island Marine Park, snagged one and settled in for a day of sightseeing/provisioning. Took the dinghy to the island and hopped the water taxi to downtown. Strolled along the waterfront, got ice cream and attempted to send a post card to Sam, but it never arrived. Made our way to the local, and conveniently located supermarket and stocked up - this was our last chance prior to heading into the desolate north. OK, not really. Not really the last chance and not really desolate, but it felt like it at the time.
Dinner at the Dinghy Dock. OK pub grub. The deck is the attraction.
Departed Princess Cove at dawn, the sun still way below the horizon, but just enough light to make our way out of the cove. Motored through the quiet waters to arrive at near slack for Dodd Narrows, the shortest way to Nanaimo.
Dodd Narrows is just what the name implies, a narrow passage between islands. The significance, besides being narrow, is the tidal currents must get through this passage, making upwards of 10kts and then being dangerous. The 6 minute slack is the safest, but slack also attracts traffic, including barges. The books state the narrows has at least a 150ft width, but it seems narrower, particularly with a 25ft wide boat.
It appeared we were the first boat northbound and Captain's Mast was the only one visible behind. Several 'Securitie" calls were made announcing our arrival. Several yachts made their way south before our arrival. We made our way through with a slight southbound current and found several yachts on the north side waiting for our passage. Nice of them!
Captain's Mast was about 30min behind and RT reported about a 3kts current in his face as he went through.
Once into the industrial Northumberland Channel (paper mill to the west, log booms to the east), the waters were calm. Observed a small tug attempt to pull a log boom out of the bunch (east to west) only to hit full reverse as a small motor yacht heading north to south, did not yield. Technically, the M/Y probably had right of way, coming from the tug's right and the tug did not have a restricted in maneuvering marker out.
I pulled up and let the tug out and a radio call was recieved, "Trimaran in Northumberland Channel, thank you." I responded with, "No problem." I figured he had the right of way 3 ways. First, coming from the right. Second, while not having hoisted a restricted in maneuvering marker, it was. Lastly, the law of gross tonnage was on the tug's side.
The wind started to pick up as we approached the north end of Northumberland and we managed to sail a bit. We made our way to the mooring buoys at Newcastle Island Marine Park, snagged one and settled in for a day of sightseeing/provisioning. Took the dinghy to the island and hopped the water taxi to downtown. Strolled along the waterfront, got ice cream and attempted to send a post card to Sam, but it never arrived. Made our way to the local, and conveniently located supermarket and stocked up - this was our last chance prior to heading into the desolate north. OK, not really. Not really the last chance and not really desolate, but it felt like it at the time.
Dinner at the Dinghy Dock. OK pub grub. The deck is the attraction.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday, 23July2012: Sydney to Princess Cove, Wallace Island
Weather: Sunny and warm. Winds: Light and variable. Seas: <1ft.
A calm, pretty day with little wind and we departed Sydney without fanfare or drama. Wind conditions dictated motoring most of the way. Route was straight forward, south of the Little Group into Moresby Passage, Swanson Channel, Captains Passage and into Tricomali Passage, up the west side of Wallace Island and into Princess Cove.
On the route up and just south of Wallace Island, we spotted a trimaran ahead of us. Looked like a Dragonfly and we had a brief encounter with Steve and Janet on their way back home! They told us they had not made it to Desolation Sound but had found warm, swim-able water in a small bay near the entrance of Jervis Inlet and had enjoyed the splash!
Per the norm, RT motored faster and was all set up with a stern tie just south of the dock in Princess and we rafted on his starboard side. PCove was neat! Surrounded by 20ft cliffs, this is a long and very narrow bay with room for a lot of boats if they drop anchor in the middle of the cove and stern tie to the numerous bolts/chains on the banks. Small dock in the middle of the west side is convenient for walking the trails on top of the cliff.
Besides being a neat place, we chose to stop a PCove because it is about a 3hr motor to Dodd Narrows on tomorrow's route to Nanaimo. Dodd is infamous for its raging tidal currents and it is critical to pass a slack tide.
A calm, pretty day with little wind and we departed Sydney without fanfare or drama. Wind conditions dictated motoring most of the way. Route was straight forward, south of the Little Group into Moresby Passage, Swanson Channel, Captains Passage and into Tricomali Passage, up the west side of Wallace Island and into Princess Cove.
On the route up and just south of Wallace Island, we spotted a trimaran ahead of us. Looked like a Dragonfly and we had a brief encounter with Steve and Janet on their way back home! They told us they had not made it to Desolation Sound but had found warm, swim-able water in a small bay near the entrance of Jervis Inlet and had enjoyed the splash!
Per the norm, RT motored faster and was all set up with a stern tie just south of the dock in Princess and we rafted on his starboard side. PCove was neat! Surrounded by 20ft cliffs, this is a long and very narrow bay with room for a lot of boats if they drop anchor in the middle of the cove and stern tie to the numerous bolts/chains on the banks. Small dock in the middle of the west side is convenient for walking the trails on top of the cliff.
Besides being a neat place, we chose to stop a PCove because it is about a 3hr motor to Dodd Narrows on tomorrow's route to Nanaimo. Dodd is infamous for its raging tidal currents and it is critical to pass a slack tide.
Sunday, 22July2012: Bedwell to Sydney
Weather: Sunny and mild. Winds: Calm freshening to S@20. Seas: <2ft.
A good day with an ugly period.
Departed Bedwell around 1000, motoring initially but picking up a light wind and we beat out of the harbor. Once outside, winds died and then became brisk and increasing to 20 by the time we arrived Sydney. Raced RT, flying formation for a while, but the centerboard was not going down and control was sloppy. Heaved to and deployed the centerboard and returned to the race. Initially used the screacher, but elected the genoa as the winds increased. Cruised in for an easy victory arriving about 20min ahead of Captain's Mast.
With the south winds, route to Port Sydney was pretty direct, south of Moresby Island, north of Reay Island, south of the Little Group
Entry into the marina was standard but got ugly getting into our slip. Sydney marina is tight, one of the tightest I'd been in. Not much maneuvering room. Further, the strong winds were pushing us into the dock, but off our finger pier. Attempted to use our standard entry, going past the slip and turning back into it to approach bow in, directly towards the dock. Did not make the turn fast enough, did not have enough speed on and the winds weather vaned the bow away. Then the winds pushed Strider sideways, into the moored boat next to the slip we were headed for. Ended up hooking the other boat's bow anchor with the port back stays.
A gathered crowd assisted us into the slip.
What could we have done differently? Turn sooner, making a more direct entry into the slip comes to mind. Kept more speed on perhaps. Could have used the weather vaning to hover at the end of the finger pier, drop Kelly off with the spring line and then made the entry is another thought. Next time....
Though tight, Sydney Marina was modern, clean with good showers and laundry. The town was nice and we restocked, did a shelf check in the BC Liquor Store and found an ice cream shop!
A good day with an ugly period.
Departed Bedwell around 1000, motoring initially but picking up a light wind and we beat out of the harbor. Once outside, winds died and then became brisk and increasing to 20 by the time we arrived Sydney. Raced RT, flying formation for a while, but the centerboard was not going down and control was sloppy. Heaved to and deployed the centerboard and returned to the race. Initially used the screacher, but elected the genoa as the winds increased. Cruised in for an easy victory arriving about 20min ahead of Captain's Mast.
With the south winds, route to Port Sydney was pretty direct, south of Moresby Island, north of Reay Island, south of the Little Group
Entry into the marina was standard but got ugly getting into our slip. Sydney marina is tight, one of the tightest I'd been in. Not much maneuvering room. Further, the strong winds were pushing us into the dock, but off our finger pier. Attempted to use our standard entry, going past the slip and turning back into it to approach bow in, directly towards the dock. Did not make the turn fast enough, did not have enough speed on and the winds weather vaned the bow away. Then the winds pushed Strider sideways, into the moored boat next to the slip we were headed for. Ended up hooking the other boat's bow anchor with the port back stays.
A gathered crowd assisted us into the slip.
What could we have done differently? Turn sooner, making a more direct entry into the slip comes to mind. Kept more speed on perhaps. Could have used the weather vaning to hover at the end of the finger pier, drop Kelly off with the spring line and then made the entry is another thought. Next time....
Though tight, Sydney Marina was modern, clean with good showers and laundry. The town was nice and we restocked, did a shelf check in the BC Liquor Store and found an ice cream shop!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Friday, 20July2012: Reed Harbor to Bedwell Harbor, South Pender Island, BC
Weather: Sunny and warm. Winds: Variable. Seas: <1ft.
Another 'sail when we could, motor when we had to' day. Had some winds leaving Reed and managed to get near the center of Boundary Pass and then motored. As we approached South Pender, a NNE wind popped up and we beat towards the entrance of Bedwell. At the entrance, winds died and we motored to the custom's dock.
RT had motored the entire way and handed me the phone at the custom's office for check in. Waited on hold for about 20min then checked into Canada. Poet's Cove Marina is co-located with the custom's dock making this area a bit of a zoo. Which boats are in line for customs and which are attempting to get to the marina? Patience.
After clearing, motored out of the marina and took a provincial park mooring buoy...another first for us. Rafting is not allowed on these buoys. Fortunately, I was able to observe RT's mooring technique and being a good mimic, getting on the buoy was painless, monkeying with the harness is another story.
All my reading of trimaran anchoring and mooring buoys indicated the 'superiority' of the wide harness technique available to multihulls. That is, hooking the harness to the boat at the widest possible point, the outboard end of the akas. Did so, but also looped a mooring line through the buoy attached to the vaka as a back up. We were secure. What I don't like about the wide harness is there is so much line and this line can dip into the water and under the boat. Doesn't happen with sufficient wind to hold the boat off the buoy, but in calmer conditions it does. Still working on it...I hate reinventing the wheel.
During the afternoon, a S wind picked up and I sailed the dinghy around the harbor. Great fun, but I learned I needed to sit in the bottom of the boat, just too tippy. Later, after the wind died down, rowed Kelly to Poet's Cove for a little retail therapy. Along the way, a British lady from another boat popped up and asked "Is this your tender?" Yes. "Brilliant! I saw you sailing it around earlier. Brilliant!"
Lesson Learned: Getting on a mooring buoy.
Lesson Learned: Anchor/mooring ball harness needs work.
Another 'sail when we could, motor when we had to' day. Had some winds leaving Reed and managed to get near the center of Boundary Pass and then motored. As we approached South Pender, a NNE wind popped up and we beat towards the entrance of Bedwell. At the entrance, winds died and we motored to the custom's dock.
RT had motored the entire way and handed me the phone at the custom's office for check in. Waited on hold for about 20min then checked into Canada. Poet's Cove Marina is co-located with the custom's dock making this area a bit of a zoo. Which boats are in line for customs and which are attempting to get to the marina? Patience.
After clearing, motored out of the marina and took a provincial park mooring buoy...another first for us. Rafting is not allowed on these buoys. Fortunately, I was able to observe RT's mooring technique and being a good mimic, getting on the buoy was painless, monkeying with the harness is another story.
All my reading of trimaran anchoring and mooring buoys indicated the 'superiority' of the wide harness technique available to multihulls. That is, hooking the harness to the boat at the widest possible point, the outboard end of the akas. Did so, but also looped a mooring line through the buoy attached to the vaka as a back up. We were secure. What I don't like about the wide harness is there is so much line and this line can dip into the water and under the boat. Doesn't happen with sufficient wind to hold the boat off the buoy, but in calmer conditions it does. Still working on it...I hate reinventing the wheel.
During the afternoon, a S wind picked up and I sailed the dinghy around the harbor. Great fun, but I learned I needed to sit in the bottom of the boat, just too tippy. Later, after the wind died down, rowed Kelly to Poet's Cove for a little retail therapy. Along the way, a British lady from another boat popped up and asked "Is this your tender?" Yes. "Brilliant! I saw you sailing it around earlier. Brilliant!"
Lesson Learned: Getting on a mooring buoy.
Lesson Learned: Anchor/mooring ball harness needs work.
Thursday, 19July2012: Roche Harbor to Reed Harbor, Stuart Island
Weather: Sunny and warm. Winds: Light and variable. Seas: <1ft.
Mid morning start with a motor around the west end of Spieden Island to Reed Harbor, the long, narrow bay on the south side of Stuart. RT arrived about 45min prior and was on a mooring buoy awaiting our arrival to raft off. We dropped a crab pot off near the entrance as we entered the harbor.
Captain's Mast motors at 6.5kts while we motor at 5kts. Sure, we can get 6.5kts, but our fuel consumption increases dramatically while 5kts @2200rpm consumes about .31gal per hour. Since Strider only holds 13gal, we like to conserve and sail as much as possible. Besides, Strider is much faster sailing than motoring. So, this became the norm for the adventure, if motoring was required, RT was in the destination prior to our arrival, with the fenders down, awaiting our rafting. He will later claim he had a beer waiting also. But he stocks IPA, which I don't care for. Further, I ended up supplying him with beer as there was a miscommunication between him and Merry Margret later in the trip. RT wanted two cases of beer in Powell River and ended up with two 12 packs...'nuff said.
Reed was the first of many first time stops for us on this trip. Nice place, long and narrow, seemingly completely protected. Being protected, it is warm! Later, Kelly needed a dog fix so she walked RT's with him as I checked the crab pot and found we caught a starfish! Yeah! Bait gone, starfish in trap...I think we had a steak that night.
Mid morning start with a motor around the west end of Spieden Island to Reed Harbor, the long, narrow bay on the south side of Stuart. RT arrived about 45min prior and was on a mooring buoy awaiting our arrival to raft off. We dropped a crab pot off near the entrance as we entered the harbor.
Captain's Mast motors at 6.5kts while we motor at 5kts. Sure, we can get 6.5kts, but our fuel consumption increases dramatically while 5kts @2200rpm consumes about .31gal per hour. Since Strider only holds 13gal, we like to conserve and sail as much as possible. Besides, Strider is much faster sailing than motoring. So, this became the norm for the adventure, if motoring was required, RT was in the destination prior to our arrival, with the fenders down, awaiting our rafting. He will later claim he had a beer waiting also. But he stocks IPA, which I don't care for. Further, I ended up supplying him with beer as there was a miscommunication between him and Merry Margret later in the trip. RT wanted two cases of beer in Powell River and ended up with two 12 packs...'nuff said.
Reed was the first of many first time stops for us on this trip. Nice place, long and narrow, seemingly completely protected. Being protected, it is warm! Later, Kelly needed a dog fix so she walked RT's with him as I checked the crab pot and found we caught a starfish! Yeah! Bait gone, starfish in trap...I think we had a steak that night.
Wednesday, 18July2012: Roche Harbor
Weather: Sunny and warm. Winds: Light and variable. Seas: <1ft.
Nice day in anchored in Roche. Kelly enjoyed the craft booths set up outside the Company Store.
RT arrived and rafted off us. As we observed the situation, we both decided my light weight Fortress, 40ft of chain and then rope rode was probably insufficient to hold both our boats rafted, particularly in the strange current/wind conditions of our anchorage. So, while I brought up the anchor, RT fired up his engine and motored us over to his favorite anchorage, about 300yds off the Customs Dock. His plow anchor and 100% chain rode were then deployed.
A comfortable evening was had by all!
Nice day in anchored in Roche. Kelly enjoyed the craft booths set up outside the Company Store.
RT arrived and rafted off us. As we observed the situation, we both decided my light weight Fortress, 40ft of chain and then rope rode was probably insufficient to hold both our boats rafted, particularly in the strange current/wind conditions of our anchorage. So, while I brought up the anchor, RT fired up his engine and motored us over to his favorite anchorage, about 300yds off the Customs Dock. His plow anchor and 100% chain rode were then deployed.
A comfortable evening was had by all!
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