Strait of Juan de Fuca

 Timeless sails emerge from Cattle Pass to course the waters of Juan de Fuca. Favorable winds would build through the day and carry Ohana home from another excursion into Canadian waters. A walkabout. A trip to observe, take in, reflect upon the beauty of life at sea...and enjoy the news of great events to come. Sometimes life overwhelms with generosity. Be thankful. Be generous in kind.

Foulweather Bluff

Roche Harbor

All of the day's commotion at Roche Harbor gives way to the darkness of night and a peaceful stillness on the water reflects only the lights at anchor.

A Toast!

To Brooke and Louis

A toast to the engagement of Brooke and Louis. Carl and Judy Mundt shared the excitement of the news by procuring a bottle of the bubbly and raising a glass when our ships passed (in the day, as it were) at Nanaimo. More toasting when mom and family regroup in Seattle!!

Hornby Island

 Five hours after leaving April Point, the Strait of Georgia remained a "duck pond" with sun beating strong on the canvas.

Moonrise Tribune Bay

 Anchor was set as the moon rose over the hills of Vancouver Island south of Hornby Island.

Natural light

Settling in for some reading as the night fell lightly on the waters of Tribune Bay.

Redemption

Southing in Discovery Passage

As the speed over ground (SOG) indicates, Ohana is making excellent way after leaving April Point. Located below Seymour Narrows, I had the luxury of selecting the optimum time to cast off from April Point and jump onto the strong ebb. This in contrast to our previous trip when we transited the Narrows at slack and then fought a contrary current and were barely able to make 3 knots!

Moonrise

Moonrise April Point Marina

The evening sky lightened as the moon rose over the eastern horizon. It is slightly after 9pm.

Heriot Bay Inn

As it turns out, Heriot Bay Inn is accessible by bicycle from April Point. The asphalt two lane road, West Rd, winds through the rolling hills between the two sides of the island and makes for a good workout. With wide shoulders and very few blind corners this is an inviting bike route. The Inn at Heriot Bay is picturesque and conveniently located adjacent to the ferry terminal which shuttles cars and walk-ons to nearby Cortes Island. A pub with outdoor seating compliments the indoor restaurant and the menus will be sure to satisfy.  A similar arrangement with pub and restaurant conveniently situated by the terminal can be found on the April Point side of the island. Additionally, a small "town center" can be found within half mile of the west side ferry and within a mile of April Point. The center houses a Value Food grocery, Health Food grocery, Pharmacy, Health Clinic, Vancouver Regional Library, Book Store and more.

Nurse Log

Black Bear

So what are you doing here? No, I did not run into this fellow in the wild. But he presented an imposing image inside the Heriot Bay lounge. "Drinks around", he growled. How could you refuse a mug like that?  ....even if only in a photo.

SV Marabel

The Oak Bay Marine vessel Marabel is up for sale, not sail. Spartan berths for approximately two dozen guests have been made ready, the dining room is set but not for another salmon fishing outing, rather for a prospective buyer.  The SV Marabel will not fish again with Oak Bay Marine.  Neither will Salmon Seeker, a sister ship in the fleet and also docked at April Point.  At the moment, the Princess Charlotte remains commissioned for remote fly-in fishing. The antiquated ships at the dock are in need of upgrades including the addition of holding tanks for compliance with eco regulations. A potential buyer will review the ship tomorrow. There is much excitement and curiosity about the deal and future intentions.

Summer evenings at April Point provide tranquil moments. Guests lingering near the reflection pool might easily slip into a thoughtful conversation.

Spa Reflection Pool

Evening at April Point

April Point Water Taxi

The water taxi skims across Discovery Passage, ferrying guests to and from Painters Lodge.

Seymour Narrows

Many ships, large and small, transit nearby Seymour Narrows at slack, the brief window of time when the otherwise frenetic and powerful currents are becalmed. Even these jumbo cruise ships appear to respect the water of Seymour Narrows.

April Point

April Point Resort and Marina resides on the western shore of Quadra Island along the busy waters of Discovery Passage. Across the Passage lies Campbell River and the parent resort of Painters Lodge. The primary focus of the two resorts is unquestionably world class guided salmon fishing, however the facilities of April Point boast a first rate spa, restaurant and a quaint well protected marina. The marina offers long term tempting moorage rates which have enticed several full-time tenants to moor their luxury yachts. Yet in typical eclectic fashion of the Canucks (or any marina), one may find a full array of vessel types tethered here. Larry manages the marina with a refined yet informal hospitality typical of the entire resort. Internet, cable tv, laundry, restrooms and showers, a surplus of fresh water, Kenmore float plane destination, access to Painters Lodge facilities (gym etc.) and free water taxi in season give a wandering mariner pause to consider the possibilities...

April Point Marina

April Point

April Point faces west with stunning views across Discover Passage, especially as the sun sets below the peaks of Vancouver Island.

Boathouse Roof

A few large boathouses offer protected moorage (but may already be occupied). At least one of the corrugated structures is home to a couple, Harold and his wife, who caretake the marina in the off-season. Harold is 76 years young with a viselike handshake, keen eyes and catlike movement in his joints finding living aboard at April Point suits him just fine. He admits with a wry smile that he escapes each February to Palm Springs.  "You need sunshine, especially the older you get. These winters used to not bother me a bit.  Now they kind of get to me. So I head to Palm Springs after a few months of the gray and wet!", he chuckles.

Alternate Living

Cortes provides a mix of lifestyles. This quaint one level with surrounding waterfront could be seen not far from the mega yacht "C Jewel" tethered to the dock at Gorge Harbor.

Cortes to Campbell River

Brooke focusing

Brooke and Louis

Cortes Bay and The Strait of Georgia

Kenmore Air flights frequented the public dock at Manson's Landing in the southwest bay of Cortes Island. At times, the anchorage south of the public dock seemed on the edge of an airstrip. But it did make for some interesting action photography. And why not Manson's Landing... the tidal lagoon, Hague Lake, the grocery co-op and island museum all within a mile.

Tribune Bay, Hornby Island

Thatch Pub on Shingle Spit,  Hornby Island

The Thatch Pub provided a welcome stop on my circumnavigation of Hornby...by bicycle. The pub serves gourmet pub food 11:30am to 9 pm everyday. Strategically located at the ferry terminal on Hornby, the pub is a popular drop-in for travelers between Hornby and Denman Islands. I asked how often the ferry came and went and if there is a schedule. "It just kinda keeps going back and forth," was the reply.

Passing Shower near Dodd Narrows

The scene could almost pass for a tropical shower along the hills of Maui. Dodd Narrows would soon bring me back to Canada. I drifted along the eastern shore with staysail out and waited for the parade of southbound vessels to finish riding the remnants of the ebb current. "Securite, securite, securite. Forty foot sail, northbound Dodd Narrows". I led the northbound procession and was soon eyeing the paper mill mountains of Nanaimo.

Two attempts would finally result in a successful medi-evac helicopter landing at the sand beach of Montague's Provincial Park. The victim (unknown tragedy) would be taken to the helicopter where medics would spend the next hour and a half before taking off in a spray of sand and water into the darkening sky of night. 

Clouds enshroud the setting sun west of Montague. The sandy beach on the westernmost shore of the Provincial Park at Montague offers a satisfactory anchorage in the absence of NW winds and an unbeatable view at sunset. The eerie clouds would portend a drama later that evening on the beach.

Roche Harbor property development continues to attract those that have fallen in love with the surroundings and the ambience of a rather affluent resort community. A well stocked grocery, the vintage Haro Hotel, a couple of high end gift shops and restaurants and of course the well appointed and spacious stretch of docks all perched adjacent to the confluence of Speiden Channel and Haro Strait make for an attractive destination and confluence of a variety of travelers by land, air and sea.

Turn Island

First stop, Turn Island near Friday Harbor. Turn continues to be a popular campsite for kayakers. The beach allows easy haul out and tents can be pitched just beneath the towering pines along shore. Two of three mooring buoys remain within 100 yards of the beach.  The absence of the third buoy provides food for thought in the middle of the night while rocking wildly from the passing ferry wake aggravated by the tidal currents. I would move to Roche Harbor the following day ...to rendezvous with daughter Brooke and her friend Louis.

Qualicum Beach 

The notoriously unsettled region of the Strait of Georgia, north of Nanaimo, displayed an array of cloud filtered light from the setting sun. Much like the Qualicum, after returning from the epic journey to Alaska early in July, my sailing spirit remained unsettled and needed only a prompt from our oldest daughter to rendezvous northward again. Thus, Ohana's lines were cast off from the home dock at Bainbridge and her bow was again pointed toward Canadian waters. The nature of this journey, as most journeys either begin with or eventually adopt a nature, is intended to be casually free flowing and unscheduled with particular attention to present surroundings. This will prove a challenge as the wind of thirty work years continues to fill the sails.