Monday June 7 - Day 22

We motored out of Pruth Bay early Monday morning, heading back into Fitz Hugh Sound.  A while north we entered the Lama Passage, heading west towards Bella Bella.  The entire morning we didn’t see a single vessel.  But as soon as we reached Lama Passage, which is quite narrow at points, a ferry and a number of other vessels catch up with us.  Pretty tight, but nothing we couldn’t handle.

Bella Bella

Tried to put the sails up at one point, but the wind wouldn’t cooperate, so we ended up motoring all the way to Bella Bella.  Short, semi-sketchy stop over at Bella Bella to get fuel/water, then headed to Shearwater, just across the bay to pick up other supplies.  Our GPS doesn’t have the proper maps loaded for this far north, so we were hoping to acquire them in Shearwater.  No such luck.  So instead we have to deal with non-detailed maps for the rest of the way to Prince Rupert.  Non-detailed, semi-non accurate maps to be specific.

Um, that doesn’t seem right...

Just south of Bella Bella is McLoughlin Bay.  Apparently Bella Bella used to be called Fort McLoughlin named after John McLoughlin, a regional head of company operations for the Hudson Bay Company.  History is neat.

McLoughlin Bay

After resupplying and enjoying an ice cream cone, compliments of the Captain, we head an hour north of Bella Bella to a bay called Kynumpt Harbor.  Cosy little place to spend the night.  For some odd reason, we all had cellphone reception for a brief moment entering the harbor.  Middle of nowhere.  Very strange.

I've seen so many bald eagles this trip, they're almost not worth photographing anymore

Spent a relaxing night tucked up in Kynumpt Harbor.  The weather continued to be gorgeous. 

Sat/Sun June 5th and 6th - Days 20 and 21

Friday morning we made the 2 hr jumped from Fury Cove up to Pruth Bay on Calvert Island.  The weather continued to be gorgeous (all starting as soon as the Captain arrived...hmmm) and the motoring was smooth.  The Captain decided to arrive in style, so we threw up the genoa for the last 5 miles down a passage to the docks at Pruth Bay. 

What does this look like to you?  Some of our thoughts were a bear, an eagle perched on a stick, a headless soccer player, North America, etc.

Pruth Bay holds a non-profit resort called Hakai Beach Institute.  The resort is available primarily for university student groups and research projects.  Neat place with very nice people.  The head chef, Gernot, is an old friend of the Captains, so we were treated in style from the moment we arrived. 

Most of the supplies and workers for the resort are brought in my floatplane.  Pretty damn awesome watching this guy take off 50 feet from our boat.

A short walk from the resort and you’re on West Beach facing out into the Pacific Ocean.  Gorgeous sandy beach with all kinds of coves/dunes/hiking trails to explore.  Nick and I spent the better part of 2 afternoons roaming around the area, enjoying the sun and seeing what was to be seen.

It was a longer fall that this picture makes apparent...

View from the top was worth it. 

Apparently there were gray wolves all over the island.  We saw a ton of tracks.

We even found a sweet rope swing. 

Much fun.

Once we got bored walking around the sand, we decided to build a wooden structure by balancing some logs on some other logs.  I was semi-skeptical by Nick's initial plan, but I must say, it worked swimmingly.  It was still balanced when we left, even with 20 knot offshore winds and the lashing removed. 

Awesome.

The resort was housing a group of environmental science students from the University of Victoria.  They were there for a 3-week field school of some sorts.  Very nice group of people who were all clearly quite into biology/zoology/botany/etc...as well as dance parties (pictures to follow once they add me on Facebook, unless they’re THAT embarrassing in which case they’ll be promptly destroyed).  3rd place woot!

Anyways, we spent two very entertaining days in Pruth Bay with great scenery, great food and great people.  Only thing I didn’t like was the bug bites, though I can’t even complain in comparison to some of the U. Vic students I saw.  Ouch... 

Thank you to everyone involved in our stay (if you’re reading this, ha)!  It was great meeting all of you!  If anyone gets a picture of a wolf, please send it to me, and if you're ever in/around Vancouver, look us up!

Officially been aboard 3 weeks.

Still going north...

Friday June 4 - Day 19

The Captain arrived around noon on Thursday June 3rd.  We initially planned to make way that evening, but threatening skies and weather reports kept us in Port McNeill for one more night.  We ended up leaving the next morning, bright and early, around 5:30am.  It was the start of what was going to be a long day for me.

We motored out into Queen Charlotte Strait in almost pool-flat conditions.  Going was quick and conditions were great.  Nick went up the mast yet again to clean the radar scanner, and while he was up there we were visited by a dolphin.  Very cool.  No pictures sadly as I was on deck camera-less.  My mistake.

After putting across the Strait, we finally got our first view of the Pacific Ocean proper.  Pretty exciting moment for me as I’d never sailed in open water before.

 Next stop Japan!

However, with open water came...*duh duh duuuuuun*...the swells. 

Now in the past I have experienced some troubles with seasickness, but having had no problems thus far on this trip, I was feeling confident that I was “gaining my sea legs” so to speak.  However, as it turns out, our extended stay in Port McNeill + first time on open water swells = unhappy stomach for G.  Blah. 

The Captain’s only been seasick once in his life.  So envious. 

Anyways, while the ocean was waging war on my insides, we motored along and eventually passed Cape Caution.  Nick and I couldn’t resist taking cheesy photos.

We wanted to get tattoos or some kind of commemorative piercing to honor this achievement, but later thought better of it.

By this time, my seasickness had landed me in a bunk down below.  We continued motoring until eventually anchoring on Penrose Island in a bay called Fury Bay.  Very neat place.  The calm water in the bay did wonders for my health, so Nick and I went ashore to scope the place out.

 

Abbey Road, eat your heart out...

We found an awesome Blair Witch-style cabin in the woods.  No clue what was inside.  Likely bodies.

After successfully circumnavigating a small island in the bay, we named it False Tree Cannon Island (see pictures below).

The beach we landed on was called Clam Beach.  No idea why...

Back to the boat, sleep.  Calvert Island the next day.

Departing Port McNeill for places north!

The Captain arrived from Vancouver this afternoon around 1pm.

Nick and I have spent the past few days preparing for our departure, resupplying and such.  After a few last minute errands, we’ll be departing for places north later this afternoon.  Our initial plan is to cross Queen Charlotte Strait and anchor somewhere along the mainland this evening.  Winds are shifting to NW tomorrow, so we’re going to try and get as far our of the Strait tonight as we can before the shift.

Not sure when we’ll have internet connection, so again this blog may fall silent for awhile.  However, I’m planning to keep writing so next time we’re “in civilization” I’ll update it.  So keep checking back!

Anyways, goodbye Port McNeill.  It’s been real.

(click for full panorama)

I'll keep doing what I do, if you guys keep reading.

Day 10-14

After Gerry left on Sunday morning, Nick and I were left to fend for ourselves in Port McNeill.  The Captain left us a list of projects to work on while he was gone.  We promptly divided these jobs into to lists: “sunny day jobs” and “rainy day jobs." 

Our general strategy for the past few days has been to do work in the mornings, then find some other for of entertainment in the afternoons.

Oh and just as much as teak oiling wood is unsatisfying, polishing brass with metal polish is satisfying.  Results can be mindblowing.  Nick and I have decided on a "30 minutes of polishing a day" policy.  The boat is looking shinier everyday.

On Thursday, we decided to take advantage of the sunny weather and take a day trip out to Sointula, BC located on Malcolm Island, just north of Port McNeill.  Sointula was founded by a group of Finnish immigrants who wanted to start some kind of communal, socialist utopia.  Not sure that the socialist part worked out, but it’s definitely a quant little town.

Evidence of the Finnish population was everywhere.

Mandatory dog picture

The weather was the nicest it had been most of the trip, so we decided against museums and other indoor things and decided to take a bit of a stroll around the island. 

4 miles later we arrived at the trailhead of the Beautiful Bay Trail on the north shore of the island.

Pretty awesome forest with big trees and plenty of view points looking out across Johnstone Strait.  Unfortunately there weren’t any whales “rubbing” at the “whale rub” area.

Burl love.  If you think this burl is impressive, just you wait.

At a point in the walk, we decided the “gale wind warning” we’d heard in the weather report may have some undesirable affects on the tall trees all around us, which were swaying back and forth fairly alarmingly.

So we headed back towards town, after messing around on a rope swing we found.

Ankle-break-city, but we both survived unscathed.  

Our original thought was to have dinner on the island, then head back to Port McNeill.  However, during “non-tourist season” (it’s apparently still early season), none of the restaurants (there are 2) in Sointula stay open past 2:30pm.  So after a bit of a sprint, we were back on the ferry heading to Port McNeill.

Can someone explain this diagram to me?  The "heads to bodies" ratio doesn't seem to work...

...and then we went back to Gus’ (a pub right next to the marina) for dinner.  We’re practically locals there now.

This is Val.  She’s from Quebec, a Habs fan and has her firearms license.  She’s really nice.

Some other highlights of the past week:

• Eva came to visit us as here family RV'd down the island
• Myriam and Ben stopped by for some beers on the boat and to watch Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final (Flyers suck!)
• Myriam introduced us to her friend Joe, who came by and fixed our outboard engine.  Big thanks for that!
• Gerry's relatives Chuck and Bev invited us to their house for lunch
• We ran into Jesse at Gus' last night

And last but not least, we saw the world's largest burl.

You know you're jealous.  Just admit it...