First time ever in a C-Dory

Hunkydory · Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:31 pm Post subject: First time ever in a C-Dory

Where as I have little interest in boat gidgets and widjets and lean toward the anti-social, my interest in exploring and the hearing of others doing the same or at least taking there C-Dory to a seldom seen place is very high. Something Wild Blue Jim said on another thread definitely caught my eye and attention. What He said was "very few boaters among us have ever gone to where no other boater has been before". And with this I agree entirely. What I'm wondering----is whom among us has gone or think they have gone with with there C-Dory where no other C-Dory has been before or perhaps even since. I know the answer to this would be interesting to me and perhaps to others too.

Jay

DaveS · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:12 am Post subject: Re: First time ever in a C-Dory

Dora~Jean · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:21 am Post subject:

Great idea for a thread Jay! Should generate lots of good stories...

I believe I did when I went to Johnson's Lee on the backside of Santa Rosa Island 2 years ago and overnighted on the hook. It is entirely exposed to the 'Japan' side of the ocean, about 80 miles from the marina. We went there to see if there were any remains of the WWII radar installation and compound they had there as a first line coastal defense site. We saw two other boats, about 70+ feet long.

Here is a commercial video link showing location and other facts about the island (thanks Islander Ron):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1n1dkoEgmMs

At just about nightfall some big NW winds kicked up, we estimated them to be 50-60 mph at least, with spindrift. Wind was coming from shore about 100 yds away, generating 4 ft waves in that short fetch, ripped out all the seaweed in the area that 'used' to surround our boat. We also watched those two big cruisers nearby drag anchor for about 1/2 mile before they started their engines and headed away.

By midnight the wind died down, we went to bed, our CD25 with our Delta 22lb anchor, 30 ft of 1/4" chain and 7:1 scope in 27ft of water handled it well, didn't drag even 5 ft. I was concerned at the time, not particularly afraid, but didn't know if the conditions were going to get worse from a windshift away from shore, it didn't thankfully. Quite the memories, haven't been back since! Here's one of the pictures of us anchored while we're on shore exploring. The rest can be seen here.

thataway · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject:

In the 60's there were still quite a number of the left over military Buildings in the Johnson's Lee area of Santa Rosa. It can get mighty rough up there. We would take each "new to us" cruising boat up there and stand offshore for two or three days, to see what broke before we set out on a voyage.

Thanks for the great photos of this area!

Hunkydory · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

Dave S

Good one Laughing

The reason I stay away if possible from all those gidjets and widjets in the shop type areas and the accompanying tools to try to make them do what you want is the terrible hazards involved. There's been much more blood flung around these type areas then the ones I prefer. Wink

Steve

Unlike Bob, I've never personally seen the area you described and your photos have depicted so well. Really enjoyed your story and photos they made me much more appreciative of that area. Bet that was a challenge getting the dingy back to the C-Dory. At least you had some good patches of sea weed to kinda help mellow things out during the wind storm.

All

El and Bill could fill in several hundred pages of good first time stories and in-fact already have on there website. Is still one of our favorite web places to return to and enjoy.

Hope there's some more willing to share here.

Jay

starcrafttom · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject:

Iam new to the cruiseing thing and spend most of my time in the sound or sanjauns with only a few trips to B.C. Barkly sound is the most out of the way place I have been but heard about it from other sea brats. Same goes for Princess Loueisa inlet. As far as first in a cdory I made it all the way to crab bar on the snohomish. That is a first in a cdory but it was short lived as there were four more dorys right behind me. They sohould know not to follow me by now.

Dora~Jean · Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 1:16 am Post subject:

Hunkydory wrote:

Dora~Jean · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject:

Ron of Islander found this commercial video of Santa Rosa Island, shows where it is and a few facts about it. I did the trip going in two days, one day and night there, then one day back. I also added this link to my first post on this trip. Interesting.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1n1dkoEgmMs

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:09 pm Post subject:

Not to be contrary to the theme in this thread, but it doesn't matter to me if I've gone where no one else has ever gone, nor ever gone in a C-Dory.

What matters is that I've never gone there before and it's a new experience for me.

Simple as that for a simple guy too old to blaze new trails!

Joe. Thumbs Up

Hunkydory · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:28 am Post subject:

Joe---For some reason I kinda doubt you blazed many wilderness type trails in your younger days either Laughing

and if there was ever any Scots-Irish in the past gene pool it must be way diluted now. Gotta agree with the "what matters is the never gone there before and its a new experience for me part" being the most important.

Don't know if in our travels with the C-Dory we have ever taken it where no other c-dory has ever been or not. Do know that thousands of boats came down in one year during the Yukon-Alaska gold rush days in the late 1800's the same section of the Yukon River we ran up and down in 2003 and still count it as one of our top three experiences in our c-dory. The other two being two trips to Terrors Ford Inlet and this years being able to reach and explore Sister Lake. A very difficult to access salt water chuck accessible only from the outer Alaska Coast through a narrow extreme tidal entry maze.

What made these experiences special and unique to us was the challenges involved and the isolated wilderness beauty with its assorted wildlife to see.

I realize our type cruises go way beyond enjoyment for many, but really thought just exploring in a boat that is perfectly made for just that would draw more into at least exploring to the degree they are comfortable and then sharing it with us here and in the process may have created great experiences similar to "DoranJean" to share in this thread.

It would seem that we are again in the minority and the majority of c-brats feel the same as you evidenced by the lack of experiences shared. Now if it is the case that being first don't matter I'm fine with that, because like I said I have no idea if the Hunkydory has ever been anywhere no other c-dory has been or not. How about just a true interesting c-dory boating experience involving some type of exploring that was new to you.

Again being the c-dory boat is the perfect boat for this type of experience the stories shared are sorely lacking from the group as a whole and I thought this thread may be a way to rectify it.

Jay

C-Hawk · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:49 am Post subject:

Dora~Jean · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 3:14 am Post subject:

Ahh shucks Roger, oh well ...but do you have proof? Just kidding. Great places I plan to visit as well, been to some of those by 26ft trailerable sailboat but not in my CD.

I like what Jay said and Joe wrote:

C-Hawk · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:56 am Post subject:

Steve-
I agree- It's just nice to get out in the boat and go to new places.
I hope to be doing that soon in a new boat.

Roger

john schuler · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:49 am Post subject: Toba Inlet BC

Went there in 2006 with CAVU. Most likley not many C-Dorys have been there. Any others been there?
CoolSmile

john

B~C · Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:09 am Post subject:

I'll play, although we didn't actually go there, we did drive by, but I'll wager that not many C-Dorys have been there....ended up, unknowingly, floating past the nude beach on Suavies Island when it was in full bloom...it was not a pretty sight

Damn,you're getting a new boat Roger? what kind? I thought you had yours all fixed up