British Columbia

Day 6 | Flotilla to Alaska | Bottleneck Inlet to Klewnuggit Inlet

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We were up before sunrise to get underway for a nearly 90nm day. Today we have few weather concerns (whew, that’s nice for a change!), no hazardous currents, and beautiful scenery. And after today, we’re just one day from Alaska! Today’s cruise is particularly scenic. There’s been surprisingly little traffic of any type since the Gulf Islands. Normally we see cruise ships, ferries (BC and Alaska), tugs and barges, fish … Read more

Day 5 | Flotilla to Alaska | Codville Lagoon to Bottleneck Inlet

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After a few 5:00 a.m. departures, today’s “about 7:00 a.m.” departure felt luxurious. So luxurious that most of us, apparently now adjusted to early mornings, were underway well before 7. Today is as close to a lay day as we hope to have in Canada, with fewer than 60 nautical miles to travel in mostly calm water without super strong currents. We still had to pay attention, though. Logs were everywhere. … Read more

Day 4 | Flotilla to Alaska | Blunden Harbour to Codville Lagoon

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This morning feels a bit like deja vu. Didn’t we wake up before the sun yesterday to cruise 80-odd miles? Such is life when transiting BC during COVID. If the weather is safe, we go. The trip around Cape Caution is all about the weather. It’s one of only two places we’re exposed to the full effects of the Pacific Ocean, so even on a calm day we feel some … Read more

Day 3 | Flotilla to Alaska | Kanish Bay to Blunden Harbour

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With Seymour Narrows behind us, the timing of our trip up Johnstone Strait was primarily about maximizing favorable current and miles covered. Thankfully the beginning of the ebb—which runs northwest in Johnstone Strait—was about 5:00 a.m., about the same time it’s light enough to spot logs in the water. Complicating matters was the forecast, which called for winds building to 25-35 knots in the afternoon. Both Environment Canada and the … Read more

Day 2 | Flotilla to Alaska | False Bay to Kanish Bay

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Today was all about timing our arrival at Seymour Narrows. Seymour Narrows is one of the fastest flowing tidal rapids in the world, with current that can exceed 16 knots, so we definitely don’t want to cruise through at the wrong time. We got to sleep in this morning, and didn’t leave False Bay until just after 9:00 a.m. The sun was out and the sky was blue and it … Read more

Day 1 | Flotilla to Alaska!

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We’ve been unusually quiet for the last year. Cancelling trips, refunding money, doing circles around the San Juan Islands while waiting for the COVID crisis to blow over had us a bit down. But we’re finally underway again, and it feels great! A few months ago, several things became clear: any American who wanted to be vaccinated could be fully vaccinated by the end of May, travel and socializing is … Read more

Day 27 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Port Renfrew to Victoria

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We left Port Renfrew at first light this morning. The weather continued to cooperate and though we had some current against us for a good portion of today’s 53nm cruise, we had little fog and very calm water — a wonderful way to spend the last day of flotilla cruising! We arrived in Victoria around 2:00 p.m. and got situated on the docks at Causeway Floats. This is one of … Read more

Day 26 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Effingham Bay to Port Renfrew

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We were up early this morning to start the two-day trek into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The weather, for once, was cooperating. Windy showed gusts in the single digits, Environment Canada predicted light wind building to westerly 5-15 later in the day. The morning light station reports were encouraging, with calm winds and 1 foot chop. Even the current looked like it would cooperate: starting at about 10:15 … Read more