Our alarm went off just before 4:30am this morning…enough time to check the weather, get a few sips of coffee, and figure out if we were going to need to change the plan. Again.
A gorgeous, calm morning so far!
The forecast, however, showed an increase in wind, plus a strong wind warning (SE 15-20kts and 15-25kts) south and north of Nanaimo, but also said it should diminish in the afternoon. Looking at all the models, plus all the hourly light station reports, it seemed like it might behoove us to get past Dodd Narrows and see for ourselves. We could always opt to stay in Nanaimo, or push on with another couple of duck-out spots up our sleeve.
We hit Dodd Narrows right at slack (6:35am) with very little traffic (one bonus for going early).
Conditions near Nanaimo were mostly settled (10-12kts SE, slight 1ft chop from the stern).
As we neared the Ballenas Islands, both wind and waves increased a little (SE 13-18 kts, 2-3 ft waves on the stern) but was still completely comfortable.
We happily continued on, ducking back behind Denman Island and north through Baynes Sound, avoiding the cable ferry that runs across from Vancouver Island to Denman Island. (Watch for the green light on shore at the ferry landing on either side…pretty logical.)
We are now docked in Comox, and going up for an early at the Blackfin Pub. Thanks to them for getting all ten of us in for dinner on a Friday night!
The landscaping/flowerscaping along the road into the marina is just gorgeous!
The weather is continuing to be a challenge for planning, and our original idea of going up to Kanish Bay tomorrow is being ditched in favor of, sigh, another marina. We’ll pop up to Campbell River tomorrow (early), hoping to beat the increasing winds, so we don’t have too much nasty chop from a headwind over the following current. At this point, we’re just going day by day, but keeping an eye on a favorable window at Cape Caution that we hope works out for us! Everyone is having fun, so that’s what matters most!