From Shawn's log:We are finally leaving Campbell River after a couple of weeks of worry, limbo, and waiting to be hauled. We are so happy to be onward! Alas, the nut and threads of the shaft are overheating again, so we spend a couple of hours cruising back and forth in front of Campbell River, just as we have done so many times before.
Tonie again reads and re-reads Nigel Calder's Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair, while Shawn loosens the stuffing nut, and gets an appreciable drop in temperature. The nut is warm; very warm, but not burning hot as before. Are the stuffing wraps too tight? We're perplexed. A part of us wants to limp back to Blaine, Washington for further analysis. However, we're close to analysis-paralysis, and we instead decide to run Seymour Narrows on the ebb.
Hurricane Jack told us that running Seymour Narrows was do-able on the afternoon ebb tide, so we stayed to the east side of the channel, and ran those impressive rips and swirls, as the the ebb pushed us north. We pull up into Johnstone Strait, and run to Blind Channel, a charming resort with big lawns, trails, a store and a restaurant. We pay the moorage, and hike to the overlook, to watch to water flowing through the channel. The water is clean, clear, and flowing swiftly with the tide.
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This Blevins Lyra-22 is the same harp I used to play for Jeff and Cheryl's wedding last year, as well as Jean and Neil's 50th Wedding Anniversary. It has a great sound, and really stays in tune on this well-insulated boat. There's a lot more room to store it this year, too! |
Tonie is up at dawn to do some laundry. She walks Kyra back to the overlook for wash cycle, then during the dry cycle, takes the Kyra dog up the Big Cedar Trail, which highlights a massive 800 year-old cedar that rivals California's sequoia gigantica. In addition to her many other "skookum" dog qualities, Kyra proves to be an outstanding trail dog.
Shawn wakes up in time to meet Tonie folding the clothes, and to secure everything before heading out to continue our run up Johnstone Strait. Conditions are glassy and overcast, as we chug through Race Passage and its swirls. We lay a course for Alert Bay, but gale force winds are posted for later. We ponder this, as there are no anchorages for 11 miles beyond Havannah Channel. We search Waggoner's and find an anchorage called Matilpi. Onshore there is an abandoned Indian village, as evidenced by a mound of hundreds of thousands of clam shells. The cove is nice and secure--we are safe here. Shawn pulls out the little inflatable Zodiac, and rows to shore for Kyra to refresh. She takes well to the dinghy, and Shawn enjoys rowing her.
Again, Shawn rows Kyra to shore, while Tonie cleans up and makes breakfast. The Dickinson Diesel really heats the boat up! Shawn rows all over the cove, with Kyra landing at the outer islands. This is the first day that we just sit and enjoy.
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Itsuro at anchor. |
The heat wave is on! Shawn pulls the hook, and we tow our tiny Zodiac up Chatham Channel against the ebb. We're in no big rush, because it is a short run to Minstrel Island. We land at the Minstrel Island docks, owned by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The area is in a state of neglect and ill-repair. The abandoned lodge behind is in full decay, with mold, mildew, rot taking over the old trailers and buildings. There are also piles of trash and useless appliances.
"Bill" catches our bow line, and gives us the inside scoop on the purchase of the old "resort". They are developing lots overlooking the "Blow Hole" on the bottom of Minstrel Island. The junk on the side facing Knight Inlet is terrible. We de-boat and hike well up the "four-wheeler" trail above the docks, to view one defunct trailer after another, full of discarded fuel tanks, moldy mattresses, and assorted trash. It's a shame we humans are so slovenly, but the forest is quickly overgrowing the mess. We eat lots of berries on the trail, but there is never a good view, and the trail is muddy and buggy. Returning, Tonie heads back to the boat, while Shawn and Kyra walk up a newly-logged road to the home sites. It's a broad road and logging operationsare in full swing further up the grade. Back at the boat, we exchange hello's with Hank, aboard the 25-foot C-Dory "Sea Skipper." Hank was heading south after a trip in the Broughton Archipelago. It's nice to run into fellow C-Dorians, even if we're no longer cruising aboard the "Tonie O." We've noticed quite a few more C-Dories up here, since we started doing this. It's a happy sight.
We're up early with some concern to beat the nasty afternoon winds of late. We give Kyra a walk, and the we motor through the aptly-named "blow hole" past Lagoon Cove, which apparently boasts one of the most famous happy hours on the Inside Passage. Lagoon Cove's "Bill," provides prawns and everyone brings booze and a dish. We'll try to visit him next time.
Clio Passage is glassy and beautiful. We are passed by a couple of sportfishing boats, and we see a couple of float houses. Conditions stay nice, and we pass below the Alaska Ferry "Malaspina." We pull up to the town float at Alert Bay. Quick shore liberty includes a trip to view the totems at the cemetary, and to the store. Note: from the town float, groceries, liquor, and ice are easy. But we decide to continue on to Port McNeill, where we can restock on everything we need.
We arrive at Port McNeill early enough enough to get groceries, supplies, and to do laundry and email. Tonie is extremely motivated to get everything done, despite the 30-degree Celsius heat.
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Shawn and Kyra in the dinghy: Kyra does very well in the dinghy. In this picture, Shawn is using the air-cooled outboard, but also does well rowing with the dog. Kyra has her own life-jacket. She can swim, but she's not particularly fond of the water. The lifejacket makes her easier to grab, in case of a mishap. Kyra is so agile, however, that it only took her one try to get it right. |
