Sailing Vessel Chessie

BC June 2005 / Log Archive

6/25/05 We're in Laura Cove, Northeast Corner of Prideaux Haven. N 50 08.758, W 124 40.114. It is truly a great spot. Tied at the stern to a 150 foot cedar and anchored on the bow facing out from this small cove into Desolation Sound. The prawn trap and the crab trap are both down and just about ready to be checked to see what we will have for dinner tonight :-). K & R.

6/21/05 Grace Harbour N 50 03.111 W 124 44.639.

We were headed into this anchorage today...coming south in the Malaspina Inlet from Desolation Sound when we spied two seals, one appeared to be entangled in some white plastic. We came in, set the anchor and took the dinghy back out to the inlet to see if there was anything that could be done.

After a relatively short time we encountered a seal - not in distress - but one that had just given birth. The white plastic was the birth sack. Most amazing but the new Mom was conflicted about our arrival on the scene. She alternated between pushing her new baby toward us and away from us. At one point Mother and "Gracie"...as we have have chosen to name the pup...were about two feet from the dinghy and incredibly comfortable with our presence. We are happy to report...Mother and Gracie are doing well. We have some truly amazing pictures and will pass then along to Dee for posting on the website...probably two weeks.

Back in Grace Harbour which is a completely secluded spot with room for about a half dozen boats at the end of a two mile channel...we hike for a mile to a fresh water lake (yes, there was some great black mud a not a few black deer flies...there is always good new-bad news)...where the water is 80 degrees....with great "swimming rocks" for easy access and lounging.

Under the "firsts" categories...we thought we had picked up some of that great polypropelene line in the shaft and I got to try out my new cold water wet suit in 56-57 degree water. A successful Jacques Cruton adventure...mission succesful. Mother and Baby doing well :-).

All the best - Richard & Karen

6/10/05 We leave Princess Louisa Inlet today at low slack water...the Malibu Rapids at the entrance are every bit as formidable as the books tell you and "hittin' the slack window" is a must. Our entry was about 7 minutes early yesterday and we felt the end of the 7 knot ebb tide.

We've really dropped down into the cruising mode since leaving Vancouver. Smuggler's Cove was tight and a bit of challenge to get into but once there was amazing. Pender the next night had a great Pub and interesting bikers from Vancouver (on their Harley's)...takes all kinds to make the world go 'round. The next night to position for our run up to Princess Louisa we anchored in the Harmony Islands. A very typical challenge for cruisers up here...the water is either 120-150 feet near the shore or you're in much too close. Hence the many places that stern tying is used. We found (Karen found) a high patch in about 60 feet which wasn't too close to shore but, we did still spend a restless night. Karen worked on her crab killing skills and used her latent softball abilities (our flagstaff) to drive the Canadian geese off the boat. They are a cheeky lot.

The run up the Jervis Strait to Princess Louisa Inlet was very much like the drive into Denver. Great mountain scenery. Truly a spectacular waterway.

Last night all the cruisers assembled for a great impromptu dock party right at the foot of Chatterbox Falls...about twenty us...mostly Americans. Interesting cross section.

We hiked this morning up to some other water falls. Not a walk in the park. I believe the euphemism would be unimproved or not maintained trails. Again, spectacular views and great old growth forests.
Princess Louisa Inlet is everything the guide books say and worth the 80 mile round trip. The Canadian Ranger did tell there was - so far this year - just the one young male bear in the area. "Don't surprise him at blind corners." "He hasn't quite made up his mind about people yet." (We did not want to be part of his decision process.) We invented several (hits I'm sure) awful "warn the bear you're a comin' " songs.

10 June - Fox Island (Just on the South side of the Jervis Strait)
11 June - Sturt Bay, Vanada Cove on Texada Island (Just across the Malaspina Strait from Hardy Island)
12-13 June - Grief Point (Back across the Malaspina Strait to the "mainland"...a couple of days to do a little maintenance and provisioning)
14 June - We enter Desolation Sound - our first overnight in Grace Harbour

6/6/05 Smugglers Cove should be the "poster child" for cruising up here. We can in at about 2:30 through what can only be described as a deviation in the coastline. Chessie, chunky girl that she is...had about 10 feet on each side twixt the rocks...and we're talkin' rock on each side. Karen is saying..."are you sure this is the right place?" ...so we pass through the first anchorage and on to the second...same sort of deal...but we have something less than 10 feet on each side...and at least 2 feet under the keel. But it sure is worth it.

We arrive in this spot...ringed by enormous trees....we anchored in the very center of this 4 acre anchorage and not another soul in sight...tied astern to a tree...at low tide we'll have at least 18 inches under the keel :-). (Canadian tide charts are great).

We'll probably stay here for two days and then press on. It's very much a Walden Pond type of setting. Pics to follow but they won't do it justice.

6/6/05 Enroute from Vancouver to Smuggler's Cove( N 49 30.9, W 123 58.2). It's about 40 miles. All near coastal. No safety call but we'll probably call tonight or tomorrow a.m. if there's cell coverage. E-mail sometime tonight. Our plan is to stay in Smuggler's for one or two nights and then move a short distance up the Malaspina Strait into Secret Cove ( N 49 31.7, W 123. 58.3) for a night. Secret Cove will be our jumping off spot for the rest of Desolation Sound. Prior to leaving Secret Cove we'll provide a tentative itinerary...have no plan and stick to it...for the next two weeks or so. Near term plan is 29-30 June in Campbell River.

Weather has cleared from this weekend's solid rain. We have light winds building this p.m. from the South to 15-20 knots. 40% chance of rain which in Canadian lingo means that it will rain only that the really hard rain will be upon you only 40% of the time. We did clear Lion's Gate on a 6 knots ebb and bright sunshine. The weather is supposed to start looking more consistently like summer...we had a great snapshot of summer when Dani, John & the kids were here last week. Smugglers is a very secure, tight anchorage protected from all sides with good holding