Day 9 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Codville Lagoon to Shearwater

We pulled our prawn and crab traps this morning in Codville Lagoon and, here’s what we got: five small coon-stripe prawns in the prawn trap, and in one of the crab traps, a whole bunch of green sea urchins! If you aren’t going to catch what you’re aiming for, it’s at least fun to catch something new to learn about! We did some research on the sea urchins/uni and watched … Read more

Day 13 | Alaska Flotilla Leg 4 | Shearwater to Pruth Bay

Forecast: Wind light becoming northwest 10 to 20 knots in the afternoon (Environment Canada Central Coast). Mostly sunny, high around 75. We didn’t have all that far to travel today (about 40nm), but we still wanted to get an early start. We were done with chores at Shearwater, and Pruth Bay—which we’d skipped on the way north—is a more fun place to spend time. We left Shearwater in thick fog, … Read more

Day 13 | Flotilla to Alaska | Shearwater to Rescue Bay

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

Day 12 | Flotilla to Alaska | Ocean Falls to Shearwater

Cruising on the Central Coast is mostly about anchoring, so the occasional visit to a marina is usually accompanied by a flurry of chores. No other marina or town on the Central Coast offers the convenience and capability of Shearwater. Within just a few steps of the top of the dock is a surprisingly well stocked grocery and liquor store, coffee shop, pub and restaurant, excellent laundromat, chandlery, and boat … Read more

Day 12 | Flotilla to Alaska | Ocean Falls to Shearwater

The flotilla arrived at Shearwater Resort by about 10:00 a.m., which was great since it left the rest of the day for chores. Shearwater is always a busy stop for us on our way up and down the Inside Passage. We can shop for groceries, do laundry, fill up with fuel and water, eat out, and if anyone needs parts or mechanical help there’s a travel lift, full boatyard, and … Read more

Day 11 | Flotilla to Alaska | Ocean Falls to Shearwater

Today the forecast was rain, rain, and more rain. The winds were forecast to pick up (to 20-30 knots) by about noon, so we headed out of Ocean Falls and Cousins Inlet a little earlier than we’d planned (8:30 a.m. or so). Boating is not all about humpback whales, fresh crab, and beautiful vistas. Occasionally real life calls…laundry, grocery shopping, catching up on business stuff. Today was that day. We … Read more