A long day, but worth it…



Subject: A long day, but worth it…

As I've mentioned before, sailing plans are best written in sand below the high water line. Flexibility is absolutely necessary and not just for getting around on a moving platform, but in making plans and adapting them as well.  We weighed anchor in Von Donop this morning and headed off to Walsh Cove… a nice little anchorage we had enjoyed years ago.  It's the place that a large eagle was cruising our dog Sophie and then sat on the tree we had shore tied to, just waiting for her to come out.   Anyway we headed for there; only to find it chocker- block full with sailboats, motorboats and even a prawn trap mid channel. So we carried on to the next possibility (Elworthy Island); it was full. On we went heading for a third possibility, Tenedos Bay which is a large anchorage, shielded from the strongest winds 🤞and it has a walking trail and a lake that may be warm enough for swimming.  Also we were quite certain Ms. Maddie could use the exercise as much as we could.  

So, here we are, shore-tied not far from the bluff in the last photo, looking forward to a good hike and possibly a swim, tomorrow.   Hope your swimming water is warm and your hiking trails clear. CJ











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Tucked away in Von Donop…



with a story from the blog about a very different anchorage; with dear friends Sue and John on board.

" Friday, January 20, 2017: A little wind…To keep you young :-). Ensenada Grande

It's 2230 hrs (1030PM) and the swells have finally calmed down enough I can hold my old IPad on my lap… What an evening we've had. We woke (at Ensenada Raza) to a beautiful, sunny, calm day. Left right after breakfast so we could get to our next stop early enough to have some fun exploring a bit. We were heading to Ensenada Grande as it is the closest anchorage to Los Islotes (the small rocky bits, housing a sea lion colony) about 4 nautical miles north of Isla Espiritu Santo. Swimming with sea lions is very cool and Kathy managed two dives with them when we were here last in 2012. Our goal is for the both of us to dive with them this time.

Anyway, first things first … we really enjoyed our afternoon anchorage at Ensenada Grande. Even though the water was a wee bit cool by Mexican standards, we hardy BC types (well, most of us) jumped in for a swim after lunch. Then Kathy took the kayak and John, Sue and I fired up Donny the dinghy to explore our anchorage. This place is beautiful, complete with water as green as our lime green kayak (I kid you not) and beautiful geological formations all along the shore… really amazing architecture created by Mother Nature and her forces. Back on board it was siesta and book reading time…for a bit, and then it was Happy Hour which, of coarse, led into dinner time.

Now we re back where my story began. When we first arrived we chose our anchoring spot very carefully. After all we'd studied numerous weather forecasts (none of which agreed) and selected a spot that would be, hopefully, fairly protected from whatever might come our way. Well, you guessed it, just as I was firing up the BBQ for the chicken portion of the meal, the wind piped up… followed closely by an increase of swell size. Oh, I should have mentioned it was dark by then and the direction the wind came in was neither forecast nor pleasant as it put us on a lee shore. Not to be starved to death, we continued with the cooking, at one point using the ships umbrella to divert the wind away from the BBQ so it would stay lit (which it did) :-). Unfortunately,by the time the chuck was cooked, the wind and waves were so strong, dinner at the table was nigh impossible and folks ate as they could and where they could.

By now (about 1940 hrs) we were all thanking Kathy heartily for her prowess on the foredeck (she's in charge of discharging the anchor from where it lives, sending it to the bottom of the sea, to a precise location selected by the crew in advance and the amended by the wind and current at will), and for her diligent 'setting' of the anchor, a process that requires experience and patience. As we watched two catamarans not far from us, climbing up and down the seas and worrying about their anchors, we patted Kathy on the back for 'sticking' the hook well, at the same time as we discussed the need for an anchor watch until things settled down.

Just to give you a sense of how it felt… on several occasions I went forward to check the anchor chain and snubber and had to crouch on the foredeck , hanging on to the pulpit with both hands as the nose of the boat… almost…buried itself in each swell. Yup, we were doing a pretty good imitation of a rocking horse ! It wasn't too unlike parts of our journey down the coast in 2011. And so it continued…

It's now 2330 hrs. I drew first watch (2100-0000) and I'm happy to report the wind and seas have started to calm down. If they stay calm we'll be able to call off the formal anchor watches and all get some sleep. I gotta say though, there's nothing like a little unplanned chaos to draw a crew together. Hurray for good friends and sailors to boot!

PS. The photo is from our current journey… of another beautiful anchorage at sunset.

Hope all your journeys end well and your anchors stay 'set'. CJ

Time to move on…


To another wonderful location. Von Donop inlet lies further up the west coast of Cortez Island. It should take us 2 or 5 hrs. To get there, depending on whether we motor or sail. It's nice to have a choice especially in these times of unsettled weather. It has a very narrow entrance, followed by a dastardly underwater rock on the port side (that's the left side for you land lubbers :-) of the passage. In the old days (when I was much younger) there was a fallen tree that had landed on the starboard (right) side and lay pointing towards the underwater rock. We shall see if it's still there when we arrive.

One of the elements that guides our destination choices is whether or not the shore is dog-friendly and by that I mean; does it have easy and safe places to land an inflatable dinghy? Are there some trails of areas a dog can 'use' for business and for exercise? These are important points if we want Maddie to keep enjoying the trip (and, therefore, future trips). So far so good.

Wishing you all tangle free trails and sunshine. CJ

PS: likely poor connectivity over the next week or so as we venture to less civilized anchorages. No news is good news TTFN

Gorge Harbour Marina…


What a beautiful place… but first, a little history. Our first visit was many years ago, when Kathy's parents were still camping. We arrived by boat (in dear SV Shannon) and they arrived in truck and camper. The reason I mention this is that we (and SV Shannon) were the first guests to arrive by water at the newly renovated, landscaped and reopened marina and resort. The (then) new owners had done a great job and the place was beautiful. It was so new the docks weren't attached to land yet and we had to make the short hop by dinghy. It was all very exciting and photos were taken of the owners kids sitting on Shannon at their new docks.

Over the years since we had heard the Marina was sold, the lovely restaurant was closed (it still is) and all had fallen in to disrepair. I am happy to report. The new (new) owners have done a wonderful job of returning the resort and property to its splendiforous self. Even the pool and hot tub are open and, yes, the docks are attached to land :-). As well, the store is well stocked and there are washrooms, showers and a laundry room available to guests

We are here to visit old friends and have decided to stay an extra couple of days. Even sailors like to be spoiled from time to time 😀. Best wishes always… CJ

PS: the huge motorboat is called 'After Eight'. it's a family yacht and we've seen it in a few places. If you look very carefully and closely, you will see Shannon's Spirit on the dock closer to you. You can find her by looking for the green and white striped cockpit cover.

Sat. Friday 14

The day after one of the worst Friday the 13th (s) internationally speaking.

However, while we wait to learn of the future … our sailing vacation continues.

We have had a very pleasant stay at Prideaux Haven. None of the anchorages are crowded and most folks are very nice. We've had sunshine every day and the water is warm enough for swimming. We have even managed to keep Maddie entertained and exercised. She surprised us yesterday though. She and Kathy had completed a short hike and Kathy whistled for me to come and pick them up. As I rounded the point Maddie caught sight of the dinghy, leaped into the water and swam out to meet me. Quite a shock but neat to see. I hoisted her into the dinghy and we carried on to shore to collect Kath.

We weigh (sp?) anchor today ; provided the boat that anchored too close to us yesterday while we were away foraging (even though there was an almost empty bay to choose a suitable location in) hasn't dropped his anchor chain over ours, and head for Refuge Cove. Sure hope the garbage scow is open. We've done pretty well policing our garbage but it still builds up over time. Garbage and good water are two constant challenges on trips like this.
Must go now. Time to ferry M to shore for a short 'walk' before we begin our travels today. Wishing you all a good day and peace on earth. CJ

Connectivity…


The problem with connectivity is that in these beautiful Desolation Sound anchorages… there isn't any. At least there isn't any consistently. We can answer all kinds of emails, hit send and watch them zoom right into our Outbox. They sit there until the boat swings on its anchor to some invisible spot we cannot predict and, as it continues to swing with the tide or the wind, we sometimes have a brief moment of connectivity. Emails fly out and others fly in and poof! We re back in touch (for that moment). Some times if I stretch my hand holding the phone up as high as possible and circumnavigate the deck, I can get two bars; and sometimes I don't. Other times I give up and set it down and a couple minutes later I look and there's a new email. 😜

I tell you this in the hopes you will understand any delays in hearing back from us. We came to enjoy the peaceful, quiet beauty and serenity of these anchorages and to do so we must let go of the 24/7 connectivity of that other life.

A quick story…. Decades ago when I used to sail with my parents we came to Desolation Sound for summer vacations. The one, most favourite anchorage, was Laura Cove (not named after my baby sister as I had once thought :-). My mom and dad were great sailors and boaters and really enjoyed being tucked in to Laura Cove and we spent many happy days there. One of the things my dad liked to do was to climb up the bank, grab hold of an ancient rope that was hanging from a tree and swing out from shore, then let go and crash into the water. It was quite the spectacle and one of the father/daughter dares I always lost (rope swinging wasn't in my skill set… but it sure was in his).

We are currently in Melanie Cobe, adjacent to Laura Cove and we took a dinghy ride to see how things were next door. Today's photo is that same swinging rope (possibly renewed at some time) on the same tree, over the same rocks that my dad used to test his mettle. There you go dad; it's still there.

That's it for today. Hope you are enjoying your day and finding some peace and tranquility. TTFN CJ

Emerald sea



Relaxing in an emerald green sea..


is one of the many reasons we love to get away on the boat. Roscoe Bay provides us with the clear emerald water, meeting a few friends (old and new) and the opportunity to relax, swim, hike, snooze, and relax with a good book. We're not too far away from other great anchorages either. We head to somewhere new tomorrow (Sunday) destination to be determined. TTFN. CJ

Emerald sea



Roscoe Bay. Ta Da!!


Second try worked. We have arrived in Roscoe Bay without incident. 😁. All going well we will be here for a few days. It's a beautiful spot; not to be rushed.

A very nice man & a very brave woman…


Saved the day.

Yesterday was not our best day. Sure, we've had a few that didn't live up to our expectations… but yesterday takes the cake so far.

The dastardly high winds were finally abating and we felt confident it was time to leave beautiful Grace Harbour and carry on with our itinerary. Roscoe Bay was selected as our next destination. We were looking forward to a swim in Black Lake and the quiet ambience provided by the shallow entrance requiring careful planning to arrive at a high enough tide.

Up early and ready to go - tick. Motor out into Malaspina Inlet - tick. Finding literally no wind, carry on under power and head for Roscoe Bay (approximately 12 nautical miles away) - tick.

All was going well; it was a beautiful morning and we were very pleased with ourselves for getting up and getting going. We were motoring along at a steady pace of 5 knots and so close to our destination we could see the entrance and two sailboats coming out of the Bay (actually two solo sailors we had met in Grace Harbour the day before). They passed by us heading west and we continued on our course.

And then…. everything changed.

I expect the worst fear of every sailor is sinking your boat or worse, falling off it. No, we didn't fall off or sink. We did, however, hit something. The water was flat. There were no floating logs in our path, but we hit something submerged. I was at the helm and I heard and felt … a 'thunk' and then the vibration started. What a sinking feeling those two occurrences can cause. There's only so much you can do; put the engine into neutral and coast; check for any water coming in; gently go back into gear and try forward and reverse to try and rid the prop of whatever has grabbed on to it; hoist the sail even though there is no wind in case it does come up and allow you to get going.

Realizing we were effectively dead in the water I turned the boat around intending to motor slowly to Refuge Cove (about 10 miles west of us) but I quickly realized the vibration was too violent and the potential risk to the drive shaft etc quite clear. I shut the engine down and we drifted.

Having run out of self-help ideas except maybe trying to tow our 34' sailboat with an inflatable dinghy and a 4HP outboard, I tried calling one of the sailboats that had passed us as we were putting up our mainsail; and lo and behold a 'very nice man' answered our call.

After hearing our story Bill quickly agreed to give us a tow to Refuge Cove while we attempted to locate a diver in the area to clear our prop; and so the fun began.

Towing a boat doesn't actually mean towing as we know it. It requires significant lashing of the two boats side by side so that the towee (with no brakes) doesn't ram the tower at any given time. Thank goodness it was a warm, windless day with flat water.

Bill saved us from a bleak future and delivered us handily to the dock in Refuge Cove. He would not accept payment for his time or his fuel but we were able to force a bottle of good red wine into his hand, along with a promise to pay his kindness forward at every opportunity.

Enter the brave woman. After many calls to potential links with a diver, we realized there were none to be had… unbelievable. The closest possibility was in Campbell River! I won't bore you with details of all we called without success but suffice to say our independent nature took hold and Kathy (the very brave woman) stepped up and became the hero of the day. She dug out her snorkel and her mask and donned her neoprene vest. She found her under water camera and over she went, into the fairly chilly water. With the help of a boat hook Kathy was able to clear away the long pieces of cedar bark that had spun themselves around our prop and shaft. She was and is, amazing. We tested the engine…forward and reverse; no more vibration…phew! Vacation back 'on'.

I can't tell you how relieved we both are. This could have been a show stopper. Thanks to a very nice man and a very brave woman we are back on vacation. I continue to be amazed and grateful for the wonderful people in my life… our dear friends and the strangers we meet along the way.

I hope you also share life with good friends and kind strangers. Adios Amigos. The adventure continues. CJ

Hanging out in Grace Harbour…

This place called Grace Harbour is something very special. Yes, we were ducking some major North west winds but are we ever glad we chose to visit this hidyhole. From 'to die for' scenery, brilliant tropical green waters, one of the highest populations of jellyfish in the world, trails that lead to a small lake, friendly fellow boaters and a mama bear and her cub… this place seems to have it all. We may move to Roscoe Bay tomorrow or stay here. It all depends on Mother Nature and she's playing her cards close to her chest… so we shall just have to wait and see.

Hope your days are flowing smoothly and your winds are steady. Always. CJ