Kevin Morris 
Red Bluff Bay to Warm Springs Bay is about 21nm, straight up Chatham Strait. As we mentioned yesterday, Chatham Strait can be challenging, and even 10-15 knots of wind can make for a bumpy ride. But we emerged from Red Bluff Bay to find another calm and glassy day on Chatham. Safe Harbour and Airship (and Jester, because he’s an early bird) headed out just before 7:00 a.m. The dock … Read more
We awoke to the sun peeking through the clouds and light wind, perfect for the 40 mile run to Red Bluff Bay. This trip—through Frederick Sound, around Pt. Gardner, and across Chatham Strait—can be bumpy and miserable when the wind is blowing. We had no wind, no chop, calm seas. Often we see many whales in this area, but not today. A few boats saw a few spouts, but nothing … Read more
We decided to spend three nights in Petersburg. Part of the reason was practical: we arrived late in the afternoon, will depart in the morning, and will spend a full day out at Le Conte Glacier. This barely gives enough time to get groceries, fix any boat problems, do laundry, or explore Petersburg. Plus we really like Petersburg; it’s a charming, proud small town. So the day after arriving in … Read more
Another gorgeous morning! Blue skies and very little wind made the cruise up from Khutze Bay to Lowe Inlet a very pleasant day. Today is another longish cruise (~54nm) through beautiful inside channels. Sunshine improves the view. We spotted a big black bear on shore as we transited Graham Reach. At first it looked like the bear was going to hightail it into the woods before we could get much … Read more
We awoke to blue sky, light wind, and the promise of magnificent views. The day did not disappoint. Given the long(ish) distance we have to cover today (55nm) and our desire to enjoy the views and not feel rushed, we began leaving about 8:00 a.m. As we motored north towards Fiordland we were occasionally accompanied by Dall’s porpoises surfing bow wakes, which is always such a treat. We made a detour … Read more
With chores completed and a good weather forecast, we headed out of Shearwater around 8:30 a.m. The course to Rescue Bay runs west in Seaforth Channel, almost to the ocean, and then through narrow Reid Passage to Perceval Narrows. When the westerly is blowing, Seaforth Channel can be awful, and with swells crashing on nearby rocks, getting into Reid Passage can be frightening. Today the weather cooperated. The route passes … Read more
We awoke to very different weather than we’ve had: overcast, temps in the high 40s, and light mist. The wind was also blowing, still from the northwest but at 15-25 knots, building to 25-35 knots. Given the wind, we chose the “inside” route around the east side of Gilford Island to get to Pierre’s. This is a little longer than the “outside” route, but it minimizes time spent in Knight … Read more
We’ve been patiently waiting for the Strait of Georgia to cooperate for several days now, and we’re finally ready to move into a position to seize the good weather that’s forecast for Thursday and Friday. Our plan is to put the Strait of Georgia behind us on Thursday, by running all the way from Nanaimo to Campbell River. Then, on Friday, we’ll (hopefully) hit the morning turn-to-ebb at Seymour Narrows … Read more