Circumnavigating Vancouver Island

Thanks Marty. I'm looking forward to another fun summer!

If anyone on here has tips, favorite towns/anchorages, or other info to share, I'd appreciate it.
 
With the C Dory, the weather you worry about the most on the outside is from the South. The prevailing winds are Northwesterly--and there can be some serious chop in some of the passes on entrances to sounds--as anywhere in the PNW, with wind against current. Our our circumnavgiation of Vancouver Island, we had only one day with serious weather from the South, were we sat out a day traveling. Granted we were in a larger, ocean crossing boat-, but we were looking at the weather from all sized boats and what was moving each day. Once inside of the sounds, the fetch is low enough that you should be able to move every day.

There are some really great places there--and much less traffic than on the inside, or even up in AK. We did pickup guests and a few supplies on the West side.

Enjoy the great trip!
 
If you need any details for the Barkley Sound/Broken group just let me know. Been paddling/boating the region for 13 years once or twice per year.

Greg
 
I have been around most of Vancouver Island by kayak and will hopefully be sharing some info with Sam at the Friday Harbour Gathering. I guess I should remember to bring my Wild Coast books and map book!
 
OH so Cool.

Marty, Thanks for posting this.

Sam, What a great trip. This has been one of my dream trips since i was about 7 years old. Will be watching this one close. If the time was right, I would be most interested in buddy boating this one.

Enjoy, Be Safe, and keep the pix and posts coming. (Looking forward to another talk at the Snoqualamie Brewery.)

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
 
An update...I'm in Port Hardy right now, day 11 of this trip. Fabulous weather so far (for the most part) and it's been a fun trip north.

The real adventure will begin this evening or tomorrow morning (or whenever the weather cooperates, really) when I head out of Port Hardy to round Cape Scott.

The boat is running perfectly (knock on wood) and the weather is looking good!
 
He has made great progress already. I signed up for email updates. You can also subscribe to updates via RSS readers.
BTW, there is a paddler trying to set an unassisted speed record around the Island any day now. I will try to find the link when I get home.
 
Sam,

Looks good so far. Thanks for sharing the blog. Have been following and will continue, with great interest. Keep adding the pix, and reports, it takes me away from the w*%k thing for a while, and that is appreciated as a great break.

Stay safe.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
 
That tracking feature is one of my favorite features about SPOT. It allows for very up to the minute (actually 10min updates) of where you are. I know it does not replace an EPIRB (and there is tons of comments about that in other places on C-Brats about that) but for a way for family or friends to know where you are and when, it is a valuable tool.

Will be keeping track, along with many others here, I'm sure.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

Forks_and_Friday_Harbor_2009_158.thumb.jpg
 
Waypoint #49 Track in progress.

After a long pause with no new track position reported after #50 went back and looked at #50 again.

Waypoint #50 Check in / OK

So all is good and that passage is complete. So now he maybe anchored for the day, or for lunch. Looking close at the satellite view it does not appear there is a dock in the area :lol:

Sam. Have a great time and thanks again, so much, for sharing.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
It looks like Sam is at the mouth of Browning Inlet for the night. Not bad to do Bull Harbour to Winter Harbour in 5 hours this morning. Took me 3 paddling days and 3 weather days to make that stretch by kayak.
 
Yesterday was the perfect day to round Cape Scott. Low swell, no wind, calm seas.

The Van Isle 360 sailboat race is underway. I passed them on my way to Bull Harbour, then again on my way to Quatsino Sound. Great conditions for me mean horrible conditions for sailing.

Saw a bear and two cubs on the beach yesterday where I anchored. I'll be in Quatsino Sound for the next several days, then looking to head to Klashkish Inlet and around Brooks Peninsula towards the end of the week if the weather cooperates.

More blog posts when connectivity is good...

Sam
 
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