09/03 - 09/18 - Desolation Sound 2005

We can only come up for a week, lets see first week or second. a middle weekend get together is in order. the first week group can make it their last stop and the second weekend group can make it their first stop. Gorge harbor would be a great place for all the reasons mentioned before and because its half way between the left coast and the right coast launches. So no matter where you launch from you could make gorge on the way to or from there. its really a good spot . we will most likely launch from lund on a saturday morning and i think be there by dark? any one think different.
 
OK, Tom has proposed Gorge Harbor, Cortes Island, for the middle weekend. I second the proposal. Gorge Harbor is entered through the Gorge N50° 04.99' W125° 00.95'. The public float is on the north shore near the west end of the harbor but has little space. The Gorge Harbor Marina has 1800 feet of mooring and an upscale restaurant. I would still vote for the public float / anchoring, but I could be persuaded if everyone else felt that paying the $$$ and enjoying the amenities was worthwhile. Saturday/Sunday rendevous. Any dissenting votes?

starcrafttom":c3tlsxku said:
We can only come up for a week, lets see first week or second. a middle weekend get together is in order. the first week group can make it their last stop and the second weekend group can make it their first stop. Gorge harbor would be a great place for all the reasons mentioned before and because its half way between the left coast and the right coast launches. So no matter where you launch from you could make gorge on the way to or from there. its really a good spot . we will most likely launch from lund on a saturday morning and i think be there by dark? any one think different.
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Tom,
Should be no problem to go from Lund to Gorge Harbour in the evening. (unless there was really unlucky weather).

Pat
The public dock can get kinda busy with working boats and locals. Last september we found room for us but the rest of the dock was pretty full. We ended up moving over to the marina because it is about a 20-25 minute walk from the public dock to the marina and we wanted to use the facilities. As well the wind was gusting up to about 30knots in the harbour and we didn't like the idea of anchoring in that.

Ron
 
Thanks, Del - I printed these out. I didn't realize the Desolation Sound Marine Park was only one of several marine parks in the Sound...what are the best destinations in the area, places you would want to be sure to spend a night, if you only had a week?


trudell":131y83mq said:
Sounds like the gang are getting things all together for the September trip to Desolation Sound.
Since part of Desolation Sound is a Marine Park run by the Province of BC, the following link may be interesting and has some info and maps that might be useful

http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/desolation.htm#top

Hope to see some of you this fall.
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Pat, we have only been to Desolation Sound once, a few years ago on a friends boat, but enjoyed it immensely and want to get back again soon.

We visited the store at Refuge Cove for supplies and anchored in Roscoe Bay and in Desolation Marine Park (Prideau Haven). Watch at Roscoe Bay as there is a shallow entrance and at a really low tide... there is no way in or out until the water comes back!!

At the top of the linked page I posted earlier on Desolation Sound Marine Park (part of the BC Parks website), there are more links based on alphabetical listings of the other Marine Parks around Desolation Sound. There is more info on Roscoe Bay, Teakerne Arm and Walsh Cove.

Maybe others with more experience in Desolation Sound can come up with other great spots to visit on a short time frame.
 
Pat,
The neat thing about Desolation Sound is all those parks and anchorages are within easy cruising distance of each other. When we were up there last September we just cruised slowly and had no trouble anchoring at a different park area each night. You could think of it as the San Juans 30+ years ago, with most destinations within an easy cruise of each other. Of course, just like cruising the San Juans, if you get tempted by destinations outside of the area, (like going to Princess Louisa, Broughtons etc.) allow your self more time.
Cheers
Ron
 
And we are tempted by Princess Louisa! I want to make a few runs north from Blaine before the Desolation trip, just to get a feel for what the trip to Vancouver is like, maybe another time go as far as Jervais Inlet to poke around. Unfortunately, these will have to be three day weekends, so going into Princess Louisa as a destination is probably out of the question...


Ron on Meander":2msv729n said:
Pat,
Of course, just like cruising the San Juans, if you get tempted by destinations outside of the area, (like going to Princess Louisa, Broughtons etc.) allow your self more time.
Cheers
Ron
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Pat,
We'd love to hook up with you for a cruise when you are in the Vancouver area. Hopefully Meander 25 with be in the water by then. I can probably point out a few spots to cruise to on the east side of the Strait.
You are right about getting to Princess Louisa on a long weekend from Blaine. A few years ago we came back from Lund to Vancouver in a single day. This was in my Maxum 24ft, cruising about 25 MPH. It took us 5.5 - 6 hours. The distance would be approximately the same as the distance to Princess Louisa and in the CD it would probably be close to 8 hrs one way. Doable but probably not all that enjoyable unless the conditions were near perfect.
Ron
 
Ron - we will definitely keep you posted of our plans, we would love to hook up with you. We are probably talking about trips during June, July and August. We will be launching at either Blaine or Bellingham. Our first trip will probably be to False Creek Marina...


Ron on Meander":16nnh4rl said:
Pat,
We'd love to hook up with you for a cruise when you are in the Vancouver area. Hopefully Meander 25 with be in the water by then. I can probably point out a few spots to cruise to on the east side of the Strait.

Ron
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Pat,
Another thought about Princess Louisa combined with the Desolation cruise.
I know you have probably made up your mind about going to Campbell River to launch, but if you did really want to do both, consider launching at Egmont. Its still just one ferry ride and is 33 miles from Princess Louisa and 40 miles from Lund. So from Egmont, Princess Louisa is even possible to do in a day trip as long as the weather co-operates.
Ron
 
:?: Hello All
This waiting is driving me nuts.
It will still be about two months tell my new 25 Clara is started
I took so long to get the $$$$$$$ lined up.
I plan on a shake down in Aug. in the North Sound and then if
I feel ready going on the Desolation Sound trip.
I got the Desolation Sound cruising guide by Wolferstan and
Evergreen Pacific Cruising Atlas from Queen Charlotte Sound to
Olympia. Could anyone suggest any other maps or guides which
may be good. Note they need to be for sale through West Marine
on line as they are hard to get in Montana.
Thanks
John
 
OK, I really recommend Exploring the South Coast of British Columbia by Don and Reanne Douglass. And doesn't internet ordering work in Montana? :wink: :wink:
You can buy this from or through Amazon.com, new for $32.97, used for $26.38.
john schuler":1f6snpmf said:
:?: Hello All
This waiting is driving me nuts.
It will still be about two months tell my new 25 Clara is started
I took so long to get the $$$$$$$ lined up.
I plan on a shake down in Aug. in the North Sound and then if
I feel ready going on the Desolation Sound trip.
I got the Desolation Sound cruising guide by Wolferstan and
Evergreen Pacific Cruising Atlas from Queen Charlotte Sound to
Olympia. Could anyone suggest any other maps or guides which
may be good. Note they need to be for sale through West Marine
on line as they are hard to get in Montana.
Thanks
John
Click to expand...
 
Thank you both.

I ordered both books.

A help on local information will come in handy when I get
over there. I"ve allready had more fun with the C-Dory than I

had with the 1966 corvette I sold to pay for it.

Thanks again.
John Schuler
 
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