Cruise Reports

Day 21 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Ucluelet to Joe’s Bay

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Today’s cruise was short — 11nm from Ucluelet over to the Joe’s Bay anchorage (tucked between Dodd and Turtle Island, next to Walsh Island). As we exited Ucluelet Inlet and transited into Newcombe Channel, we were met with calm water and very little wind. We anchored in this beautiful anchorage and folks spent the afternoon kayaking, fishing, exploring, and relaxing. We met later for happy hour on the raft. Folks … Read more

Days 19-20 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Hot Springs Cove to Ucluelet

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Today’s 45nm cruise from Hot Springs Cove to Ucluelet takes us back out into the ocean. The Environment Canada forecast was for a southeast wind 5-15kts, and Windy showed light winds in the morning, building to southeast 10-15 knots along our route, accompanied by a lazy 5-6 foot swell. Why are we skipping Clayoquot Sound? The short answer is timing. We waited for weather in Port McNeill, at Brooks Peninsula, … Read more

Day 18 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Friendly Cove to Hot Springs Cove

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Overnight the wind dropped and the swell (Friendly Cove gets some swell) died off. The 4:40 a.m. light station reports sounded promising (single digit winds, one foot chop or rippled), so at about 7:00 a.m. we got underway for the four hour trip from Nootka Sound to Clayoquot Sound. The morning light was particularly pretty: Sea conditions were perfect: a gentle swell, no wind waves, little current. As we neared … Read more

Days 16-17 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Bligh Island to Friendly Cove

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This morning before leaving Bligh Cove, we took a few aerial photos since the light was so pretty. After breakfast we cruised the 6-7nm over to Friendly Cove, some of us snaking our way through the smaller passages between islands to kill time and add scenery. We anchored in Friendly Cove, rejoining the two boats that skipped Bligh Island yesterday for more time at Friendly Cove. After hiking and lighthouse … Read more

Day 15 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Hisnit Inlet to Bligh Island

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Environment Canada predicted southeast 15-25 knot winds today and Windy looked worse. Not our day to round Estevan Point. We decided to move about 15nm to Bligh Cove, in the middle of Bligh Island at the head of Ewin Inlet. Along the way, we stopped at Resolution Cove. Here, in 1778, Captain Cook became the first Briton to land in what is now British Columbia. Once anchored, the crew cut … Read more

Day 14 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Tahsis to Hisnit Inlet

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Our pace over the next several days is dictated by weather at Estevan Point, one of the major headlands on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The only must-see Nootka Sound destination for our group is Friendly Cove, about 20nm from Tahsis. If the weather was perfect today, we could even leave Tahsis, stop for a few hours at Friendly Cove, and continue around Estevan Point in the afternoon. Alas, … Read more

Day 13 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Nuchatlitz to Tahsis

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With just 2.5 hours to travel today we didn’t rush out of Nuchatlitz this morning, which turned out to be extremely beneficial. Last night at about 1:30 a.m. (and again at 4:30 a.m.), we heard wolves howling over on shore in what sounded like a new meal celebration, but it was too dark to see anything. Laura went out into the cockpit of Airship and recorded what we were hearing … Read more

Day 12 | West Side of Vancouver Island Flotilla | Walters Cove to Nuchatlitz

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We left Walters Cove about 6:30 a.m. for the 24nm run from Kyuquot Sound to Esperanza Inlet. This route leads around Tatchu Point, and while it’s not as significant a headland as Brooks Peninsula, Cape Scott, or Estevan Point, it still deserves respect. Environment Canada called for 15-25 knots of northwesterly wind and 1-2 meter seas. Windy showed the wind would come, but not until later in the day, hence … Read more