08/12 - 08/14 - Powell River BC, Canadian CBGT

Ron on Meander · Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:40 pm Post subject:

Hear Yea! Hear Yea! Hear Yea!
The date for the Powell River BC C-Brat Get Together, here after known as the PRCBGT has been set.
Set aside the dates of August, 12,13 and 14th to sip, sup and sight sea. To commune with nature, communicate with C-Brat friends and become one with the C-Dory force. (We are going to Star Wars tonight) Laughing

More details will be added in the coming weeks and months, but some possibilities include:
A golf tournament. (well mini golf actually!)
Fishing derby
Trail walks
Museum visit
Pot luck
Barbecued dinner
Boat naming ceremony. (hopefully the right reverend Pat will officiate)
Lots of social time
Perfect weather. (This area is called the Sunshine Coast of BC after all.)

OK that last one is just hoping, and may come true but some of the rest are guaranteed to be on the agenda. As I mentioned the details will be firmed up as we go along.

In the meantime Bill or Mike could you please add the PRCBGT to the list of officially sanctioned C-Brat events. Thank You.
Cheers
Ron & Anne

Two Bears · Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:28 pm Post subject:

We can't get free in Idaho until Monday August 8th, and perhaps later, so no time to launch in Bellingham/ Blaine and spending a few days to boat up which was our plan before the gathering was announced. I am thinking of taking the Horseshoe -Langsdale ferry and launch at Garden Valley.

I just looked at the ferry fares - For truck & trailer length of 57 feet & 1 passenger it would be basic $53 + $6.90/foot over 20 feet or 37 feet x $6.90 = $250 + $16 passenger = about $320. Have I done that right? I assume that is round trip.

In any case, your on our radar and hope to be there.

hardee · Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 10:35 pm Post subject:

Chuck,

Might try looking up the BC ferry and go up on the Vancouver Island side, and boat across. My Round trip (45 ft overall length), each way last summer was just at $110 CDN for the ride over from Tswassen to Nanaimo. Then drive up and launch in Comox for a straight across the strait, or Campbell River and hop-scotch down through some of the islands.

Just a thought, and hope to get to see you there.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Ron on Meander · Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 3:03 am Post subject:

Chuck,
Unfortunately you have the numbers for the ferry right. Fortunately I have negotiated with the Canadian government for a special deal for C-Brats that attend the PRCBGT. For this event they will take an American dollar and give $1.43 Canadian! Its a very special deal for the PRCBGT attendees from the US. That means the $320 cost would be reduced down to about $250 US. Still costly but much more palatable than $320 don't you think? And yes, if you launch at Garden Bay it would be for the round trip. And Garden Bay is about an hour or two from Powell River by C-Dory. And it gives you the opportunity to head up to Princess Louisa Inlet with Harvey on your return trip. Wow, that's a real no extra cost bonus of choosing to attend the PRCBGT. And C-Brats from Canada don't loose heart. I also have agreements in place from local businesses to take your dollars at par. Wow what a deal. Looking forward to seeing you in PR.
Cheers
Ron and Anne

hardee · Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2016 5:18 am Post subject:

Chuck and Ron,

I got sidetracked and forgot to mention in my last post that that $110 price was CDN and was on special days, for Vancouver Island tourism development. I believe it was Wed and Sat at special times. I don't know if that is limited to certain months or if that works year around. (And I didn't check it yet in 2016), but it is sure worth using that service on their schedule.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Two Bears · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2016 12:47 am Post subject:

Well, what can I say? Apparently I have a few problems == "old-timers" disease?
1) I forgot the exchange rate. When we visited the Gulf Islands last May after the Friday Harbor gathering it was about par. Things are apparently changing.
2) I can't seem to add. My truck - trailer length is 47 feet, not 57. Oh well, just pocket change (I wish!).

So that makes it $53 + (27 x $6.90) + $16 x .70% exchange = about $178 US. Quite a difference.

How are the gas prices holding up on the exchange rate? -- Going thru the roof, or holding with the lower prices in the US? I remember a trip to maritime provinces I took in 2002 when the rate was very favorable to US - and the place crawled with US plates.

Chuck

Lost Petrel · Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2016 9:19 am Post subject:

Wondering about extended parking at Garden Bay. It is looking like it will be cutting it close to get to the gathering if launching at the my usual, Anacortes. We would consider driving in and taking the ferry if we knew we could get extended parking for the truck and trailer, as we will be heading to the Broughtons afterwards.

bridma · Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 4:54 pm Post subject:

Is there a sign up sheet coming?

Martin.

drbridge · Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 9:56 pm Post subject:

We have not made it to a CBGT yet. I think we are going to make it to this one. Timing is perfect and this is a place we wanted to go anyways. We will start at Sequim Bay and make our way North Via the San Juans and the Gulf Islands. Looking forward to meeting more C-Brats.

Doug & Susan

cgypsy · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 7:49 pm Post subject:

My cruising plans aren't decided yet, but the Powell River gathering appeals to me. It is a short hop over from Comox and a great start to a Princess Louisa cruise.

Jazzmanic · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 8:40 pm Post subject:

Looking at the map, I see that it's a short but BIG hop across the Georgia Strait to Powell River. I know I went through this last year when planning our Desolation Sound trip but, is there a GOOD boat launch in Comox? I'm emphasizing GOOD because in my opinion, the boat launch at Pacific Playgrounds left a lot to be desired. I'm talking a concrete ramp with a dock running alongside. Also, how long does it take to cross the strait in decent water?

Also, I see people are mentioning taking the one ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, driving up to Pender Harbour and cruising by water up to Powell River. We got caught in some pretty sloppy stuff in the waters between Texada Island and the mainland on the way up to Princess Louisa so I'm not too anxious to run that long again. Obviously water conditions vary day by day if not hour by hour.

Just looking at my options in considering this CBGT. Thanks Ron for putting this together.

hardee · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:27 pm Post subject:

Lot's of thing to consider aren't there. Of the 5 ramps I used on Vancouver Island last summer, I would rate Pacific Playground as in the top half, at of the 5 possible. Though I didn't like having the dock on the rivers side of the truck, (the port side on the boat), mostly because I'm not used to that side and I had to move my fenders, Pacific Playground did have a wash down hose. The channel in and out is narrow, and could be difficult in wind or wave conditions. They did have some GOOD ice cream after I got the boat washed down.

If you are thinking of going up to Telegraph Cove, I could offer some suggestions too.

Peter, I'm with you on the slog up Georgia Strait from Vancouver up to Texada. Learned about my boat (and me) on that trip.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

cgypsy · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:29 pm Post subject:

The trip from Comox to Powell River is 20 nm so it will be less than 2 hours.

The boat launch at Comox is good, it is double wide cement with a walkway down one side, BUT you really need to watch the tides as you do with all the boat launches around here. The Comox boat launch is one of the best in the area. They charge around $11 per day to park in their parking lot.

BC Ferries may have a special rate in the summer for boat trailers to Vancouver Island. If not, the price for both ferries to Powell River is about the same or slightly less than the one ferry to Vancouver Island.

If you only take one ferry to Gibsons it is much cheaper than the ferry to Vancouver Island.

Anyone taking the ferry to Gibsons should buy an "Experience Card" from BC Ferries and there is about a 10% discount on the Gibsons/Powell River ferries.

I've heard it can be pretty windy between Grief Point and Saltery Bay. I've never gone there so I don't know.

You wharf at Westview (Powell River) is nice and is located in town so it is easy to walk along Marine Ave and find lots of little shops and restaurants etc. If you want to go to the mall, it is a little further and up a steep hill.

cgypsy · Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:40 pm Post subject:

If people are thinking about Princess Louisa after the gathering, the obvious starting point would be Egmont. Take the ferry to Langdale (Gibsons) and then drive to the end of the road. You would need to go between Texada Island and the mainland, but your truck and trailer would be waiting for you on your return from Princess Louisa.

Another option might be to put in at French Creek. They have a nice launch and then you can stop at Lasquiti or Jedidiah and you would be going up the Straight on a diagonal to the tip of north tip of Texada Island and across to Powell River. It is much further, but Lasquiti and Jedidiah are worth the visit.

Then on the return you would go between Texada and the mainland to Saltery Bay, up Princess Louisa, and down to the south tip of Texada and then back to French Creek.

That is a much longer trip, but there are lots of places along the way to stop if the weather doesn't co-operate.

Ron on Meander · Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 11:32 pm Post subject:

Wow great to see this much interest in the PRCBGT! I've been off line for a couple of days but I'll endeavour to answer some of the questions and probably create others.
1) launching from on the Sechelt peninsula. (Thats the chunk of land you drive along after you've taken the Horseshoe Bay ferry) I checked out a number of ramps and in my opinion only Backeddy Resort at Egmont 604-883-2296 and Pender Harbour Resort at Garden Bay 877-883-2424 may meet the needs of launching and parking longer term. Perhaps Ian & Jackie from Sea Sprite who's home port is Garden Bay could offer better suggestions. Neither ramp will meet Peter's standards. Backeddy is gravel and I think that Pender Harbour Resort has pavement. Both are one lane. Backeddy did not seem to have secured parking but Pender Harbour Resort may. I do not know the costs for either. (I did see a sign at Backeddy that said $10 in and out for launch.)

For anyone who is willing to take the two ferries all the way to Powell River I do know the launch is two lane concrete with a dock on both sides. I've launched Meander in all but extreme low tides with no problem. Parking and launching is free for all C-Brats. Parking would be at my house only a short drive from the Marina.

2) Gas prices. Well us Canadians are real happy that the price of our gas has fallen quite a lot in the last year. Current price in PR is $1.05 C a litre. $2.83 US per US gal.

3) Great tips from Island Explorer. Hopefully we will get to meet you in Aug.

4) Weather. What can I say. Out of probably 100 crossing of Georgia Strait that I have done in Meander and my other boats, probably 60 have been a non event. IE calm conditions. 30 in seas less than 3 feet. 8 at 3+ and 2 that we have said how did we end up out in these conditions.
All anyone can say about the weather and water conditions are that they are variable, they will change and sometimes quickly. Please check the weather conditions, be prepared to change your plans and be sure to stay with in your own personal comfort zone.
That said however, just think of all the C-Dorys that have cruised from Washington to Alaska, around Vancouver Island, and have visited every point in between. These are very capable boats.

5) Quite a few people have mentioned tying in a cruise to Princess Louisa with the PRCBGT. This is a great idea. And, I'm pretty confident we can get a C-Dory flotilla arranged. LOL

In the coming weeks and months I will add some posts with sample cruising routes and times to give some ideas to folks who might be interested in some suggestions. In the mean time BC C-Brats keep on offering local knowledge.

Tyboo Mike has added the PRCBGT to the calendar so we are official.
Very Happy

Cheers
Ron