Campbell River, Broughtons, Port McNeill

1. Campbell River

2. Gowlland

3.Seymour Narrows

4. Walkem Island

5. Entering Johnstone Straits from Walkem Island

6. Cutter Cove

7. Sargeaunt'ss Passage

8 & 9 Kwatsi Bay

10. Echo Bay

11. Shawl Bay

12 & 13 Moore Bay/Thief Island

14. Claydon Bay

15 & 16. Turnbull Cove

17.Waddington Bay

18 &19. Alert Bay

20. Sointula

21. Port McNeill

Campbell River, Broughtons to Port McNeill

This section of the Blog finds us 14 days since Campbell River and 35 days since leaving Seattle. We had committed to updating the Blog every week plus or minus a couple of days and although we knew communication would become more of a challenge as we moved to the top Vancouver Island we underestimated how much we would actually be off the grid.  Cell coverage, including WiFi, is spotty or non-existent:  not enough cell towers, period.

The one piece of communications equipment that works every time no matter the location is the SSB radio. It’s slow, but dependable.  No pics, no attachments:  it’s a text-only WWII technology.

Campbell River gave us the opportunity to catch up on communications, laundry, grocery shopping, boat-part exchanges.  The town was surprisingly modern and had great amenities for boaters and those who live there full time.  It’s not as sleepy as Sidney nor as “stuffy” as Victoria.  We enjoyed it:  the opportunity to have a conversation with the locals (we’ve found Canadians to be helpful and friendly) and even just sit in a Starbucks or dinner at either Moxie’s or the Riptide Pub sitting in a chair that was not moving.  It’s the small comforts one appreciates, right?

The next chapter of our trip started by leaving Campbell river (we were there three nights) and making our way to  the Broughton Archipelago:  a group of islands Northeast of Vancouver Island.  We originally planned to travel the inside channels and not chance the Johnstone Strait - a fifty-four-mile long channel notorious for strong winds and choppy seas. However, having to pick up parts in Campbell River put us on course through Discovery Channel, the Seymour Narrows, and you’ve got it, Johnstone Strait, unless we needed to “turn right” into Nodales Channel, which would add three days to our entrance to the Broughton’s.

All three – Discovery Channel, Seymour Narrows, and Johnstone Strait have unique and strong tidal flows.   Discovery Channel and Johnstone Straight can reach ten knots and Seymour Narrows an incredible fourteen knots! This is really fast for a sailboat whose top speed under engine power is a little over seven knots.  That means we could potentially be traveling 21 knots (boat speed plus speed of tidal flow), all through a rocky, narrow passageway.  We were looking for slack water at Seymour (flow not moving in or out) followed by an Ebb tide (flow going out) to push us.  

We said good-bye to Campbell River on Tuesday, July 14, knowing we were going to have to wait for slack tide to enter the Seymour Narrows around 5:00 p.m.  We headed to Gowlland Harbor on Quadra Island, which is five and half miles from Seymour Narrows.  We’d had some problems with the head (that’s boat-speak for “toilet”) so used our time in the Harbor to work on what had become our “number one” priority (no pun intended.)  Mission accomplished, we re-entered Discovery Passage, facing who-knows-what ahead.

What we saw and experienced was nothing we’d seen in our nineteen years of sailing Puget Sound, San Juan and Gulf Islands:  whirlpools, strong riptides and sloggy, slow waters due to the strong tidal waters.  Slack tide was less than thirty minutes after which we’d catch a strong ebb tide (tide moving out of the strait and the direction we wanted to go).  We followed the Cruising Guide by staying to the Northeast side of the channel and capitalizing on the reverse flow (yes, another confusing thing that happens up here) along the shore.  That gave us a two knot of “push” in the direction we wanted to go.

Captain Vancouver referred to the Seymour Narrows as a pass that “rushes with some impetuosity” and one of his officers said “[it was] the most nightmarish spectacle his eyes have ever beheld.”  Yes, the Narrows have quite a legacy for boaters and boats of any size.  Even cruise ships and work boats wait for slack:  A message we heeded.

Seymour Narrows has been the site of many ship wrecks and much loss of life.  Ripple Rock, a huge underground island, was and continues to be to a lesser degree, responsible for that.  In 1958, the “island” (nee, Ripple Rock) was lowered by 35 feet in “the largest non-nuclear explosion in the world [to date, including now].  Even today, if the Narrows are attempted incorrectly; i.e., wrong weather, wind or tidal flow, you are putting yourself, your crew, and boat in jeopardy. 

Waiting at Gowlland Harbor

Travelling to Seymour Narrows-Not Boat Wake

Whirl Pools

Seymour Narrows, just starting in

The wind and weather was with us at the time we had to decide whether to “turn right” into Nodales Channel, or “left” into Johnstone Strait.  We’d been following another boater who seemed to know what he was doing (not that we didn’t), and chose the Strait.  It would knock off two or three days in getting to the Broughtons and our weather was holding.  Entering the Strait, we planned to use all available daylight (which up here is until 9:30 – 10:00 p.m.) to reach Helmclen Island & Billy Goat Harbor (you can’t make these names up) hopefully arriving around 9:00 pm. This wasn’t to be.  About 7:00 p.m., Johnstone Strait gave us a taste of its reputation:  The wind increased to about twenty-five knots, the sea became really choppy.  We sought shelter and a place to anchor.  Walkem Island, not known to be a great anchorage was about our only choice.  We followed our “buddy” boat which turned out to be in route to Ketchikan, Alaska, behind the island and anchored in the crook of a small bay. All night long, the wind howled, probably reaching thirty knots or more. Our little bay was a calm:  a mild two knots.

Anchor at Walkhem Island

Anchor at Walkhem Island

Ebb tide, water flowing out of the Strait (the direction we wanted to go) was at 4:20 a.m.  We needed to be out of the Johnstone Strait before the forecasted thirty- to thirty-five knot winds materialized that afternoon (time unknown).  We waited till just before 5:00 a.m. (it’s barely light at 4:20 a.m.) so we had good visibility.  We estimated getting to Havanna Channel and turning North toward the Broughton’s by10:00 a.m.

Under way before sun up

We passed the tidal rips at Ripple Point, the whirl pools at Camp Point, negotiated Current Passage and Earl Ledge and by the time we approached Hickey Point we were past the worst of it. The tidal flow was so strong that we achieved a boat speed of 12.6 knots over the bottom!  It was unnerving to consistently see over ten knots while traversing or rather speeding through the passage (remember, our maximum hull boat speed is a little over seven knots).

The Cruising Guide sometimes refer to this section of the Strait as being like two salt water rivers flowing in opposite directions. We turned into Havana Channel at about 9:00 a.m.- a full hour before our estimate – all due to that fast ebb tidal flow.  While exciting, and requiring that we be alert at all times (even Winslow was on watch), our overall experience was positive.  We could have had 23 knots of wind blowing us in the opposite direction making for an extremely harried passage.  We consider transiting the Johnstone Strait a major milestone in spite of hitting a 12” submerged log during the trip, fortunately without boat damage.

Travelling up the Havana Channel was uneventful and certainly less stressful.  Because we’d saved an hour of time, we didn’t have to anchor at the south end of Chatham Channel and wait for the tide change before passage.  We caught the last forty-five minutes of the ebb tide which pushed us through this narrow and very pretty passage to our next anchorage at Cutter Cove and well-deserved night on the hook.

Cutter Cove a long narrow inlet with a cliff on one side and a steep treed hill side on the other.  In days past, there was a logging camp at the head of the bay.  We anchored in twenty- to twenty-five feet of water we ended up with over 150’ of chain out to make sure we didn’t move.  The wind entered the mouth of the channel and accelerated at the back of the inlet where we were anchored.  We had a consistent 15 – 25 knots before we went to bed.  One gust at 3:25 a.m. heeled our fully-loaded 25,000 pound boat over far enough to wake us both up.  As any sailor knows, the boat can always take more than the sailors aboard.  We’ve come to trust this vessel to keep us safe and she quickly righted ourselves and we fell back asleep.

When we have shared this experience with other boaters we met, they asked us why we didn’t anchor at nearby Lagoon Cove, waxing on about how beautiful and calm it is.  The answer:  We didn’t know.  Lesson learned:  Some things are convenient and pretty during the day but can’t be trusted overnight. 

Cutter Cove with 15 kts wind

Departing Cutter Cove. Windy but pretty inlet

The next morning, we gladly pulled anchor and headed to Kwatsi Bay via Knights Inlet which is nothing short of spectacular!  With its 6000’ granite mountains, dense forests and sun shining brightly, we were in paradise.  We opted to take what was described as a very picturesque short and narrow channel called Sargeaunt’s Passage.

We waited for high tide since it’s pretty shallow.  The steep-sided banks lining the passage were 600 – 800’ high.  We immediately felt the temperature drop just like when you walk into the woods and feel its coolness.  We watched for rocky shoals on the edges, maneuvering from side to side, and soon emerged into the glorious sunshine of Tribune Channel.  With its hyperbolic granite mountain views and places where waterfalls normally emerge (none this year because it’s so dry), it was one of the most beautiful places we’ve experienced.  

Sargeaunts Passage, Narrow & Shallow

Sargeaunts, best to wait for high tide

Tribune Channel

Tribune Channel

Kwatsi Bay is not unlike a bowl of granite with a slot just wide enough to let water and boats 
through.There is a small family-owned marina at one end of the bay which was on the site of a 1900’s shingle mill.  At that time, it was manned by Japanese & Chinese workers and later became the site of a logging operation till the 1960’s. Several of the anchorages we’ve visited have had a history of logging, fur trapping or commercial fishing most of which are now long gone:  The resources plundered or cost of operation in such remote areas is too high.

We anchored at the opposite end of the bay with three other boats that first night and on our own the second night.  It was one of the more peaceful stops we’ve made, placing the bar very high for future anchorages.  Our only regret is that we didn’t put the kayaks into the water which we’ve done at most coves of this type.  I think we were just happy to sit, see and BE. 

On our second day, we took the dinghy to shore and hiked to a small waterfall, followed by a visit to the marina where we sat on the deck and talked to the owners who had lived there year round for 30+ years.  Their two children had been home-schooled through the eighth grade and then transferred to Port McNeill High School.  These strong, independent Canadians, formerly of Victoria, found a lifestyle and home that suited them perfectly.

Kwatsi Marina

Kwatsi Marina

Waterfall Hike

Tuamotu at anchor with stern tie in Kwatsi Bay

Fittingly, we were escorted out of Kwatsi Bay by literally hundreds of white-sided dolphins!  They look like small Orca whales but only about seven feet long.  They jumped, frolicked, and fished around the boat for about an hour, rushing under the bow of the boat to ride the wake, sometimes rolling onto their side to look up at us with what appeared to be a curious smile.  While we madly tried to take pictures and video their antics, we soon gave up.  They were just too fast we were enjoying them too much to waste our time trying to catch impossible shots.  It was a magical experience and being only about four feet away from them in our boat made it exceptional.

White Sided Dolphins hunting

Playing with the boat

Playing with the boat

We were also amazed at the huge granite mountainsides, and entered Watson Bay to see Lacy Falls and perhaps hike to the home of the 1,000 year-old, fifteen-foot diameter cedar tree.  Sadly, Lacy Falls was more of a trickle than fall, and we decided not to drop anchor, saving the visit to the cedar tree for another time. 

Inside Watson Bay with its narrow entrance

Lacy Falls, not enough rain to make the falls spectacular

Saturday morning, July 18, we decided to head over to Echo Bay, following up on the tip a sailor friend from Poulsbo Marina had given us to “stop go to the pig roast at “Pierre’s Resort!  Surprisingly, they had space for us at the marina because several boaters had left based on a weather front that was moving into the area. 

They begin preparations for the pig roast begin every Saturday morning through the summer season at 5:00 a.m., and the potluck dinner is at 6:00 p.m.  Pat put together a salad, and together with about a hundred other people, we gathered inside a hugely-windowed event center with outlooks onto Echo Bay.  There we shared dinner and a couple bottles of wine with a couple from Blaine, Washington, and one from Vancouver, B.C.  In conversation we learned the young Canadian couple, with their daughter, Dominque, had circumnavigated Vancouver Island the previous year. 

The pig roast lived up to its reputation, with Pierre doing the cooking (they bought and dramatically enlarged and enchanted the facilities of the resort in 1999) and his wife of 40 years directing us to a bountiful table full of food.  This couple has learned how to make long-distance relationships work.  She works for the Nanaimo School District as a special education teacher’s assistant (she’s a former teacher) while he and the sons live and work at the Resort year round.  If you are in the area, by all means head to the Resort.  If you favor prime rib, those dinners are Tuesday and Thursday evenings; fish and chips are on Wednesday.  Of course, you’ll share your dinner with guests from all over which in itself is worth the trip!

After the pig roast, we met with Marc, a French-Canadian transplant to Vancouver, who shared with us their travel plan, anchorages, places to fuel and water, “must see” places and “places to avoid” on the West side of Vancouver Island.  We took copious notes, and enjoyed Marc and his enthusiasm.  They were heading North this year past Cape Caution. They spend summers sailing and winters skiing.  Dominque didn’t speak English until fourth grade, and her mother Nichole, teaches at a French-American high school in Vancouver. 

Echo Bay

Echo Bay

Echo Bay floating homes

The Pig. He  gave it his all

The hosts. Pierre on the left.

Reluctantly, we departed Echo Bay on a sunny Sunday, heading for Shawl Bay near Gregory Island.  The nearby marina is known for their pancake breakfasts and cinnamon rolls, a “must do” follow up to a pig roast!  Arriving in sunshine, we trolled the bay to find a suitable place without a stern tie to shore.  The cove has protruding rocks and a rocky bottom.  After making two attempts to get the anchor set and far enough away from rocky shoals knowing that a 15 – 25 knot wind was expected during the night, we ultimately decided to give our windlass (the piece of equipment used to drop and hoist our 50 pound anchor) a break.

Shawl Bay Marina

A resident of Shawl Bay

Moving through a very narrow no-named channel to Moore Bay on Kingcome Inlet, we anchored on the North side of Gregory island behind Thief Island. It was a very secluded two-night stop with a visit from the white-sided dolphins. We kayaked around Thief Island into Kingcome Inlet through 600’ of water.  We saw our friendly dolphins feeding nearby and knowing they’re inquisitive, smart and elegantly swift creatures decided to return to the boat, avoiding a dolphin-kayak encounter of a third kind. 

No name channel between Shawl Bay & Thief Island

Anchorage view

Moore bay behind Thief Island

Pat in 600' water looking up Kingcome Inlet

We had a quest to get as far East in the Broughtons as was practical visiting those bays and inlets that were on “THE LIST” (per Pat, “Ian always has a list;” She always has a spreadsheet.  Old habits die hard.)

Leaving Kingcome Inlet and turning left into Penphase Passage and on into Sutlej Channel on the North side of Broughton to Sullivans Bay where everything except the fuel storage tanks are on floats!  The Resort, which is probably one of the most high- end-off-the-grid stops here in the islands, is a floating village.  There’s even a one-hole golf course, which depending on tide and wind, the target is 100 to 140 yards out.

Several floating homes, some with beautiful flower gardens and of course their own floating moorage, started out life in Claydon Bay in 1945.  In the 60’s, several of the homes moved to Sullivan Bay where they have been updated and added to ever since. The town still has a Town Hall and street names.  While it was beautiful and definitely worth further exploration, since we’d just been tied to dock, we chose to continue on and return to an anchorage on the hook.  We will add it to “PAT’S LIST” for future return.

Sullivans Bay Resort & Marina

Sullivans Bay Resort & Marina

Sullivans Bay Resort & Marina

We decided to check out both Carriden and Claydon Bays off Grappler Sound (north of Well’s Passage and Drury Inlet), looking for a place with a muddy bottom and shallow water to drop the anchor.  The view from Carriden Bay towards the spectacular knob called Pandora Head was amazing, but there were several boats already at anchor in close quarters.  We continued to Claydon Bay which lived up to its reputation of being laid back.  We respected those sentiments, acted appropriately and laid back.

We put the kayaks into the protected anchorage and met several interesting boaters, including Juniata, a 37’ Pacific Seacraft, with experienced sailors aboard who had done the West Coast passage in both directions.  David gave us some good tips which caused us to reconsider the date we were going to go around the point to Cape Scott.  Local knowledge is invaluable on these types of trips.  It’s fellow cruisers who will pass on intel about best anchorages, where there are challenges, where you’ll find the best water:  all info is not necessarily in the Cruising Guides.

Deerleap ran aground entering the bay. For fishing charter

Temporary resident of Claydon Bay

After spending the night, we made a late day decision to move to Turnbull Cove which is a round, steep-sided bowl of trees with a narrow passage of fast-moving water. It has a short hike up a steep trail to Watson Lake.  You can still see the logging cables that pulled the trees over the hill to the bay. The winch used is just back from the water’s edge.  This logging camp operated from 1960 to 1985 and was one of the last logging operations in this area.

Turnbull Cove, at the head of MacKenzie Sound, was our first significant change in the weather. Since leaving Seattle on June 24, through the San Juans, Canadian Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and most of the Broughton’s, it has been clear, sunny and hot.  One exception was in Desolation Sound where it rained for two days.  On Thursday, July 23, the clouds were very low settling into the high, tree-lined bowl of Turnbull Cove.  It was chilly, the temperature dropping to 65 degrees and we experienced our first significant rain.

Walk to Watson Lake

Using the Kayaks to go to the beach

Turnbull Cove, boat in back ground

Logging Legacy

Kayaking the bay

Turnbull Cove became oppressively dark and we pulled anchor and headed south.  We back-tracked around the North end of Broughton Island rather than travel South through Wells Passage which dumps into Queen Charlotte Strait where we’d heard there was lots of wind and choppy seas.  Instead, we re-entered Sutlej Channel, passed through Penphase and Raleigh Passages and turned east toward Cramer passage.  We’d heard Waddington Bay on Bonwick Island was beautiful, and it was well worth the 23 miles we’d traveled that day. 

Arriving late afternoon to milder weather and calm waters, we immediately put the kayaks into the water, taking the opportunity to kayak through the Fox Island’s.  We were gone about an hour and one-half.  As soon as we got back to the boat, the skies opened up and it rained hard and got very cool. We turned on the diesel heat that night to take the chill off and restarted the heater the next morning to take the chill off the boat (and out of our bones).

Waddington Bay Entrance

Near Waddington Bay kayaking the Fox Islands

Near Waddington Bay kayaking the Fox Islands

Waddington Bay, close to Port McNiell so more boats than usual

We wanted to spend a couple of nights at Waddington Bay, but read that Alert Bay, the home of U’mista Cultural Centre, and the meeting ground of five First Nation Indian clans, was holding its annual Seafest celebration “the fourth weekend in July” according to the 2015 Waggoner’s Guide.   We decided to participate in the festivities.  Pat had recently finished reading “Totem Poles & Tea,” by Hughgina Harold, a woman’s account of living on nearby Village Island as a teacher and nurse during the 1935s, and wanted to see and learn more about the Indian culture.

Alert Bay is the home of the “Namgis First Nation” clan.  It used to be a fishing and fur trading hub in this part of Vancouver Island during the 1800’s. The community has done a lot to attract tourists with one of the best Interpretive Centers in BC, a city coastal walk with some very cool period lights and even some cruise ships stops.  Unfortunately, you can’t trust the Waggoner’s Guide every time.  The Seafest and Paddle Boating contests were to be held the following weekend.  It was very quiet during our visit.   We did get a nice walk in, however, and Alert Bay has a well-stocked grocery store with fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices:  no small thing to find as one travels through these islands.  It was well worth the effort although the rain took a lot out of the spirit of the day.

Alert Bay Marina

Burial Ground

1890's Church

Interpretive Center

Pat @ Interpretive Center

Mis-directed London Busses??

Board Walk

Down Town - London Taxi Cab

Alert Bay

We woke to dense fog the next morning with one-half mile visibility:  our first fog on this trip.  The fog burned off very quickly and the weather quickly changed to warm, sunny, blue skies, and a light breeze.  We once again happily donned our shorts and T-shirts.  We decided to wrap up the Broughton’s part of our trip with a visit to Sointula before going into Port McNeill to get ready for the West side and the next phase of our adventure.

Sointula means “Place of Harmony” in Finnish. The Fins apparently settled this town at the turn of the 20^th century, what would bring a Fin all the way from Europe to what was then a very remote location, who knows. They did however leave their mark in some of the construction and the neatness of the town, some homes have signs that say Fins only.

A very clean neat town with a nice marina and new showers and laundry facilities, we decided to check out the town and do some on-foot exploring.  We walked from the marina down to the “Sea 4 Ever” Inn, a charming retreat with see forever views of the mountains and ocean.  We chatted with a vacationing couple from Denman Island near Hornby Island and Tribune Bay which we’d enjoyed after leaving Nanaimo.  They said they usually spent a couple of weeks in this area, loving the relaxed atmosphere and low-key town.  Yes, it was low-key.  We discovered on our walk that everything in town, including the grocery store, is closed on Sunday and Monday.   

Our legs were tired, and upon checking, we saw we’d walked about eight miles – our longest walk since leaving the home.  Before returning to the boat, we decided to “have the best burger in town” at the Burger Barn, the only place other than the Pub which was open on Sunday. The burger and Greek wrap were thoroughly enjoyed as we looked out at the water of Cormorant Channel.

Sointula on a sunny day

Sointula Marina

Memorial

Friendly horse at road side

Port McNeill, Alert Bay Sointula Ferry

Down Town

Pity it was'nt open

Museum and Town Hall (Right)

Marina, Best Burger Place, Cruise Ship in background

Marina Area

Burger barn

Departing Sointula

Ready for the next leg of our journey to begin.  We are in Port McNeill where we can post this, our next update.  Know that we’re trying our best to keep you updated on our journey, but are finding places with cell towers and internet coverage farther and farther apart.  We don’t know what it’s going to be like on the West side; we’ll do our best.

We’ve plotted three different ways to go around the north end of Vancouver Island and will make the choice based on the conditions of wind, tides and weather when we get there.  The weather has to be appropriate for this section of the trip if it isn’t we will turn back down  inside of Vancouver Island using a different rout for our return. Safety is concern one! Hopefully, the God of the Waters, Neptune, will be with us. 

The Other "Reluctant" Crew Member