Excitement in the Narrows

Approaching Rait Narrows

We're gradually making our way back south to Port McNeill. The aim is to spend more time underwater. Every time we stop for a few nights, we look for suitable dive spots. We look for  steep rock walls which we can anchor close to in safety. Steep walls and deep water depth close to the wall ensure more interesting underwater life. This time of year, walls which are in shadow are preferable because kelp proliferates in the sun and we have more trouble descending into kelp-laden water. 

We've passed through Meyers, Jackson and Rait Narrows on our way here. Larry's been choosing interesting routes. These Narrows are on routes we hadn't experienced before. 

Because Traversay has a large Under-carriage, we don't want to get stuck. Getting stuck was FUN in Australia where we could wait (along with other marooned boaters) for the water to come back in and float us up. However, here in the BC Wilderness we often don't see another boat all day. So Larry approached the Meyer's and Jackson Narrows with due caution ... on a rising tide so if we did get stuck, the tide would come in and release us. 

In contrast, the Rait Narrows gave us (and the Watch-bird) quite an exciting ride. The Rait is VERY narrow (see photos) but it is also Deep. So we didn't worry about touching ground. As we gingerly proceeded through the Watch-bird (a huge eagle) swooped up into one of the overhanging trees. He proceeded to monitor us very closely as we passed under him and through his territory. All three of us had a most exciting time.

In the midst of the Rait Traverse 

Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest

 This beautiful book is by Dr. Andy Lamb and Bernard P. Hanby. It's  invaluable for everyone sailing or  living near this coastline. The assembled photographs and basic information introduce one to all the amazing plants and animals gracing this coast from Alaska down to mid-California. We live in one of the BEST scuba-diving and adventure regions on earth (at least that's our prejudiced view). 

Nearly 30 years ago,  we took up diving to allow us to clean, monitor and dive under Traversay's hull. However we were not happy together underwater ... Larry was too fast-moving for my leisurely pace. That changed once we enrolled in Andy's Marine I.D. course and Larry started photographing animals we saw.  We really enjoyed the course - particularly savouring Virginia Lamb's breaktime cookies! Discovering the New World underwater became one of our paramount pleasures. 

We never imagined that scuba diving would become one of THE most fun, people-meeting and important skills we could have during our travels. Shortly after we met Andy we spent significant time on Lamb-organized West Coast Dive Charters.  Bernie was also 'on location' using his skills to photograph the tiniest and most improbable-seeming underwater creatures. His images literally took our breath away.

During our travels, in order to meet local people, we would sometimes print extra photos of endemic underwater creatures so people could see the wealth of beauty underneath their boat hulls. Some marine folks we met (including Dr Paul Brickle in the Falklands) wanted to use this book as a model for future Marine I.D. books for their dive areas.

Tunicate Siphon Hydroid (endocrypta huntsmani)

A few days ago, I decided to start reading the book rather than just using it as a reference. I admit I didn't get very far into the first section (on Flowering Plants and Marine Algae) ... my attention  span began to  falter with the enormity of knowledge present in these pages. Progressing a little further, I was amazed to find the I.D. of a species Larry had just photographed under the later Hydroid category. 

This ANIMAL lives with a more advanced life form - the tunicate - but rather than attacking and eating the tunicate itself, it harmoniously shares it's food in a commensal relationship. Thank goodness we had Bernie's picture and Andy's description of the Tunicate Siphon Hydroid (see it on page 103).

Emily Carr Inlet

We couldn't have guessed that such incestuous goings-on could be happening in this beautiful location!

Emily Carr Inlet 52-55.67N 129-08.77W

K'tzim Bear habitat

 

Ranger Station 

We arrived here yesterday after a 30-hour offshore sailing trip from Khutzeymateen Inlet assisted by excellent winds. Another distinguishing feature was the almost total white fog which accompanied us. By using the radar and AIS we were able to sculpt a safe course. 

At the Park we saw at least 8 bears ... alas they were at a considerable distance. I saw a cinnamon-coloured Mom with 3 babies .O.. but L only saw 2 babies .O. Regulations are very strict and we couldn't bring the boat very close. We didn't see other tourists ... a few small fast boats sped past. There's the opportunity to stay in a nearby Lodge or to pay authorized guides to take you in closer. The Lodge must be a lot of fun ... we saw people breakfasting in a dining room and the number of crabpots in evicence suggests that people get to dine on our favourite seafood ... Dungeness crab!

We tied up to the dock at the Ranger Station and Tsimshian Nation guides Norm and Al (from Port Simpson) answered questions and showed us the well-documented information boards about these bears. 

Can You See the Face?

At Khutzeymateen

Anchored in Kumeon Cove BC

In Kent Island Anchorage

While anchored in Traversay III at the idyllic tiny anchorage netween Kent and Staples Islands, Larry received a forecast predicting an unusual span of 4 days of SE winds. This prompted our decision to head North to this wilderness spot.Because of over-hunting almost everywhere, it is rumoured to be one of the last places in Canada where we can safely watch the massive Grizzly bear. If we stay on Traversay we are safe from them! 

 Making this trip could demonstrate that we STILL have our 'Offshore Credibility'. We were able to assert our mastery over some common short-handed Offshore problems we had:  no problem with sea-sickness even without medication; were able to stomach a hearty soup & lots of Honolulu buns; made sail changes ranging from 30knots and quickly down to only 5knots; engineered sail changes when the wind direction reversed. 

We were able to read the  AIS (AIutomatic Independant Surveillance) on our computer screen which not only shows approaching  vessels but also posts valuable information about how big they are, when and how how closely they'll approach our boat, and what speed they're at. I had to review how to interpret the  radar which is invaluable in heavy mist or rain and we re-learned how to use toilet and & stove '"on the slant".

Our Failures:: we unsuccessfully tried silencing the various bottles or metal pots adding unwanted percussion. This included a sudden loud metallic  rattle which reverberated through the boat seemingly from inside the mast We had some trouble learning to sleep on our offwatches  with that Symphony of worrying sounds

About 12 hours after leaving Kent Island, the winds almost died and we ended up motor-sailing most of the way here. The sails only added about 10% to our speed. We look forward to making our way to the Ranger station and seeing some bears tomorrow.

Summer 2023

Forward Harbour B.C.

Our summer trip started with purchasing new anchor chain ... this happened 2x as the first chain got ensnared by rocks in Brentwood Bay near our Home Port of Victoria. The 100m of good chain is still there ... if anyone is adventurous enough to try to retiieve it!

log boom on the Fraser River 

Baby racoon at Newcastle Island Nanaimo

We've visited friends in Nanaimo and spent time at Milltown Marina on the Fraser River near Vancouver. We spent a glorious week swimming and sunning in Prideaux Haven in the George Vancouver-named 'Desolation Sound'. This is not an apt name for the area which boasts excellent anchorages, spectacular mountain scenery and warm summer waters.  

We have seen moon snail egg shell masses, ochre stars, dolphins, and hooded nudibranch in the shallows. Soon we'll be diving underwater. Above the water we've seen masses of dolphins, whales and bald eagles.

We sped through the rapids at Yakulta and have been here now for 4 days of Boat Projects for Larry and piano playing (Bach n Brahms) for me. 

Moon snail

Ochre stars (purple variant)

Moon snail egg casing

Hooded Nudibranch

A close look at green surf anemones!

The above GREEN SURF ANEMONE photo was taken last February.

We've managed to dive several times in Effingham Bay. If you choose to sail here, BEWARE as there's a high wooden deadhead which is grounded to the seabed. It shows up on radar if you come in at night.

 I was anxious to see the green surf anemones which are clustered around the islet in Effingham. The best time to see and photograph them would be at high tide, so we anchored nearby and Larry tied 2 lines to the islet shore as a precaution. We hung on to one of the lines and snorkelled over ... they are very beautiful. Unfortunately, when I tried to descend I wasn't able to dive down this time (that has happened to me about 5x over the last 30 years). 

In addition we realized that a horrid accident had happened (due to a minor oversight) and our faithful camera was flooded! Fortunately, 40 good pictures taken in our earlier dives here this year are stored as well as this favourite photo of green surf anemones taken last year. We'll have to decide about whether to get a new camera.

A Sunny Day!

 We awoke today to another rainy day. In the forseeable future only rainy days parade across rhe weather forecast.  

So we were fortuntate to have a day with mostly sunshine on Tuesday ... that's the day that we detached from our secure anchorage and motored to Refuge/Toquaht Bay to see the waterfall. We saw our first other boat far in the distance. We theorize it might have belonged to the owner of an aquaculture farm in the vicinity of Refuge. The boat left from a brand-new caravan parked up above some wooden buoyed platforms which betoken aquaculture activity.

As per our cruising guiides' instructions we  approached the waterfall at high tide. The falls were most interesting because of the foam ... looking much like soap bubbles ... collected in the vicinity of the falls and stretching all the way out to the Bay. Of course, in this complete wilderness, the 'SOAP' is not due to human intervention ...  it is likely whipped up by the force of the water tumbling over the rocks.

On our way out, we were fascinated by the beautiful scenes on the river. which were mirrored in the water