2018 Inside Passage South

When I looked at low tide, right next to the entrance by the Telegraph Harbour Marina, it looked to only be about a foot deep. We went thru with the Kayaks closer to high tide, and only went as far as where the cut opens up into more of a bay. There looked to be a drying "swamp" on the one side, that only had about 3-6" of water over the bar to it. Colby
 
5/26. Piece of cake coming thru Dodd Narrows today. Got up early so that we could be at the Narrows by about 8:15a. My Ports and Passes book showed slack for 8:48a. There was already a log boom tow waiting to enter there so I called him to let him know I’d just follow him thru. I think he must have been waiting for more flow against him to maintain his logs. I decided to pass him around 8:45 and the current had already reversed and was probably around 3 or 4 kts when I entered the Narrows. A sail boat had passed us aobout 5 mins earlier and I figured there was no need for me to follow the tow. Plenty of room for meeting other pleasure craft in the Narrows! Got a slip in Nanaimo on the H dock just under the Wharfinger office. Enjoyed walking around thru a few stores, the Harbour walkway and park. Had to have a Nanaimo Bar, and some ice cream. Lunch at Pennies had enuf leftovers for supper. Lots of high schoolers around today in the park for graduation fun. Looked to be a few weddings going on also. And plenty of street musicians along with some homeless. Also reloaded some software on my computer. For anyone not familiar with this area seems like all the marina showers cost. Usually a loonie for 2 or 3 minutes. Even Friday Harbor required a few quarters.
 
Dodd Narrows (for all you who have not been through before) is a piece of cake. I have been through many times within in 90 mins of slack. That is a 3 hour window. I know other boaters who power through regardless of timing. That being said, do consult your tide & current tables and act within your safety and comfort zone. I'm just letting you know that it is not the end of the world if you arrive a few minutes early or late.
I always skip tying up downtown Nanaimo and go over to Newcastle Island a few minutes away and dock. Much cheaper, great showers, great walks, no power though. The dinghy dock pub is only a stone's throw away.

Enjoy your travels.

Martin.
 
Thanks Martin. We did come through Dodd Narrows again today, this time about 45 minutes before slack. We came through with about a 3 to 4 kt push. Still no problem. Got back to Ladysmith and loaded the boat back out. We're staying on it tonight, then a hotel in Sidney tomorrow night. :) We enjoyed being on the H dock in Nanaimo, and the showers were nice. Topped the boats water tank off there yesterday, and only needed maybe about 7 gallons and then another 4 in the small 6 gal container we use for drinking. I should be able to get thru the next several weeks with out needing anymore water. As I compute the gas prices here in Canada, the idea of trailering between Desolation Sound and the Broughtons is looking more cost effective. But we'll see. I'll try to get some photos uploaded to the album tomorrow at the hotel, if the internet is good. I'm still trying to get this laptop back up to speed as well. We did take the pickup down to Victoria today to walk around town a bit. Stopped at Chemainus along the way. Beautiful little town full of murals. And I loved the cedar smell from the lumbermill! Learned from one of the store keepers that they are the supplier of clear Artubus wood to Asia. Anyway, lots of logs getting towed around in the area between there and Nanaimo! Another thing about this area in general (all of the places we've been in the last week or so,) there is no shortage of ice cream shops! lol. :mrgreen: Colby
 
Really enjoying your log. Takes us back to the years we cruised the area in our sailboat. Someday we'll tell you the tale of Pat's Nanaimo adventure.

Hank and Pat
Meri Aura
 
Colby, Enjoy reading your posts. We met you at Lake Powell a few springs ago. We are headed to Barkley Sound on June 9. We plan to jump the ferry at Anacortes and launch from Port Alberni. Later in June we may trailer up to Campbell River and finish our trip in Desolation Sound. If you are still around maybe we can connect. Ken and Harriet
 
Sounds like you hit all the right places in the Gulf Islands! If you had looked in the pavilion at Conover Cove for the driftwood plaques, you would have found two Daydream plaques!

I second Martin's comments - Newcastle Island is where we stay when we visit Nanaimo, not the marina. Then we (used to) dinghy over to the dinghy dock in Nanaimo to visit town. I say "used to" since we sold our dinghy and little outboard and now have a two person Sea Eagle kayak, too far to paddle! One morning about 5:30 a.m. on a summer cruise in 2012, I got one of my favorite photos from Newcastle Island, a B.C. Ferry out on the Strait!

BC_Ferry_from_Newcastle_Island_5_a_m.sized.jpg
 
Pat, you should enter that pic in any photo competitions. You might win something. I wonder if you could do a deal with BC Ferries in exchange for some free travel or gift vouchers?

Martin.
 
Hi Ken. Yes I remember you guys. I’d like to get to a Lake Powel gathering sometime! I think my plans now are to launch at Campbell River late tomorrow afternoon and spend a week in Desolation Sound. Then trailer north to Telegraph Cove or Port McNeil and spend a week in the Broughtons. If this schedule holds then I’d be getting the ferry back to Tsaswassen on Monday June 18th for a 5 day drive home. That’s just a week less than I originally planned but I’m also skipping the Straight between Nanaimo and Desolation and Jonestone Straight.
 
Pat, actually I did look for some more C-Brat plaques in that Conover Cove pavilion, but so many like looking for single needle in a big pin cushion! Lol. The 2006 group one was the only one I saw. Colby
 
I put a NOMAD carved sign in there. I knew exactly where it was. Still there 2 years later. 3 years later, gone. Weird eh!

Martin.
 
Today was pretty laid back. Secured the boat and trailer and drove down to Sidney. Spent some time today relaxing poolside at the hotel, and walking around town, and savoring the local food. Tomorrow I'll take Rosanne to the airport, then back north to pick up the boat and head up to Campbell River. Plans are now to spend a full week in Desolation Sound, (May 30-June 5) then trailer the boat up to Telegraph Cove or Port McNeal and spend another week in the Broughtons, (June 7 - 15) before loading out and heading home. Suggestion for the T-Shirt printers in the area. Sure would be nice to find t-shirts that show the Gulf Islands, rather than just Sidney, Victoria, or the individual islands! Rosanne found one close to what would be nice, but she wanted a woman's shirt rather than a mans. :roll: Colby
 
5/29. Dropped Rosanne off at the Victoria airport then drove back to Ladysmith to pick up the boat then onto Campbell River. Launched the boat and decided to stay at the Fisherman’s Wharf marina as it’s pretty windy today. Too late to park the rig at CR’s Storage. And speaking with the owner or manager on the phone she said she’d be the only one there in the morning so would not be able to give me a ride back to the marina. The ramp lot charges $5/night for parking and for a week at CR the price is about the same. Throw on a taxi ride it’s more. Also having the rig right at the ramp will make it easier when I return as well. I didn’t see a hose hookup at the ramp so I used my own ag sprayer with Saltaway to rinse the trailer brakes. Which reminds me Ladysmith does have a very nice and reasonably priced big rig car wash with outboard flush attachments just a block away from the Fisherman’s Wharf marina there. Colby
 
Just did some math. The gas prices today, 155.9/l in and around Victoria, 147.9/l in Ladysmith, 145.9 in Campbell River and 144.9 in Comox area. I bought fuel in Comox and doing the math paid $5.50/gal in Canadian. Also after buying the fuel I saw they had marine gas and asked what that was. Attendant said mid grade at 142.9. Maybe I should have filled the boat with that! Next time! I’m also assuming gas here is non-ethanol!
 
In Canada some gas has ethanol blended in and some does not. Certain Gas Stations like Husky and Mohawk advertise that they use ethanol blend in their gas. Others may add ethanol on a seasonal basis, mostly in winter, as a gasoline antifreeze. Best to ask before you fill.
 
5/30. Beautiful day today with pretty much flat water. But the Discovery Passage was flowing pretty good, opposite of the direction I was going. First stop today was at Cortes Bay. Scenic, but sadly the Government Dock there seemed to be filled with permanent tie ups! Both Yacht outlying docks were empty and looked to be much better. However according to all the books, private for members. Next stop was Mink Island Cove. Very small cove that I didn’t feel comfortable anchoring in. Planned on then heading to Pendrell Cove but got sidetracked looking at my charts and decided to head for Prideaux Haven. Good choice. Officially Desolation Sound and beautiful area. First anchored in the far west end about a hundred yards from the drying reef. But didn’t have complete swinging room with a 4/1 scope of anchor rode out. Then tried anchoring with a stern tie to the north wall where several tie chains existed. But didn’t like the current of incoming tide and westerlie wind against the side of the boat. Ended up putting out about 150 feet of rode a little farther away from the drying reef, which gave me a 3/1 scope at high tide. Not sure that would be enough but the anchor was certainly set! I really am more comfortable tied to docks... Inflated the Hobee Kayak and peddled around the area. 6 other boats in the cove over night. Colby
 
5/31 Went all of 3 nm today across to Roscoe Cove. There is an inner and outer cove separated by a reef that gets very shallow or drys at very low tides. Beautiful little cove with only one other boat when I came in. We are joined tonight by a sailboat. Spent the day relaxing, hiking and kayaking. And trying to figure out where to stage later to see Butte Inlet, as if I do the entire length it is 37 miles long.
 
6/1. Today left Roscoe Cove to find the worse sea conditions on my trip. Not terrible, but an uncomfortable 2 ft washing machine chop! First went to Squirrel Cove to check it out. Store just getting set up for the season. And no charts. (Wagoneers lists that they sell charts at the Squirrel Cove store.) I've got my chart plotter and a planning chart, but the planning chart just isn't given me much data for really figuring out where to go. And the chartplotter is to small also. Thinking about adding some fuel, but their gas pump is out for maintenance until next Tuesday. Back across the chop into Refuge Cove. Plenty of dock space, and fuel is 169/L. They are also getting their store set up for the season and everything else is pretty much shut down. But they did have quite a few charts to chose from. Most the day spent rocking on the dock with rolling water coming in from the outside channel. However, as of now, 4:29p, things seemed to have calmed down. Just had a 42ft Nordic Tug pull in in front of me, and he said it's calmed down out there now. I hope it stays that way, as tomorrow morning I'd like to head up to Teakerne Arm. Then after talking to the storekeep here, think I'll head up Tobin Inlet rather than Butte. Little closer and not as far up the arm. I'll probably hold off on fuel till I get back, and then only need to put enough on to get back to Campbell River.

In all honesty, while this area is quite beautiful, I have the same beauty, in fresh water, close to home at Isle Royal and the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. And to some extent in Door County on Lake Michigan. I would like to see more towns like this one (Refuge) and sure I will see more community while in the Broughtons next week. This is definitely worth the trip out west with my boat, but think I'd like to spend more time in the San Juans next time I'm in the area. Would also love to see more wildlife, and perhaps might find some bear when I go up Toba Inlet. The people I do touch base with have been quite friendly and helpful. But think that goes without saying in the boating community such as this. I'll see if I can start uploading a few more photos to the embedded photo album. Wish I could ramload as I have quite a few now. :wink: Colby
 
If Refuge and Squirrel Cove are just getting stores set up--then, you will probably find the same thing in the Broughtons. Check the web sites of some of the major places like Pierres in Echo Bay, and see what they have to offer this time of the year. I note that Pierres doesn't start the festivities until about June 30. (The resorts sort of compete to see who has the best meals etc. Sullivan Bay is year around, due to the large floating home population there. They should always have supplies.

Did you get the Don Douglas/ Renee Hemmingway Douglas guide to the North Coast of BC? Even though it is a bit dated now, it is probably the best guide to the area around B C. There is a separate guide to Alaska and the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
 
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