Howe Sound This Weekend!

[Pat Anderson]

Well, I am excited here, I just called Hilton Harbor, Daydream will be in the water tonight and we'll go in the gate with the code after closing, put the dinghy on top and then mosey on over to P Dock at Squalicum, where hopefully there will be space (if not, back to the Hilton Harbor dock!). Then tomorrow some time around 8:00 a.m., if the stars align, we will be heading north for Howe Sound with C-Cakes and possibly Anna Leigh! We'll be in following mode, so not sure what destinations Barry has in mind. And it will be short - have to get back by Sunday night. But a weekend on the water is better than none by a mile!

 

[20dauntless]

We spent a fair bit of time in Howe Sound last summer. We stayed at Gibsons (nice town), Plumper Cove (good park with lots of walking available), Porteau Cove (mostly a campground with a single mooring buoy, nice view though), Squamish (not many amenities, but we went up and skied on the glacier at Whistler), and Snug Cove (nice marina, we were on the public docks and got lots of wakes from ferries). There is plenty to do in Howe Sound and it should be a good trip!

 

[starcrafttom]

Susan has been after me to visit howe sound for a year. We sill head up that way in july for a day or so. Please report back with the high lights and watch the wind. which route are you taking??

 

[Alyssa Jean]

Unfortunetly I will be unable to go. I just got an invite for some more on the job training on check-out skipper on Saturday. Also, I just received an email from the Merchant Marine Processing Hdqtrs in VA and they said my license was mailed on the 4th.

 

[Pat Anderson]

Well, we'll be departing from B'ham, so shoot out Hale Passage, aim to the west of Point Roberts, and then probably just up the mainland all the way, staying well out off Roberts Bank...but Barry is the leader of this dealie-bob, so whichever way he wants to go, we'll be close behind!

Susan has been after me to visit howe sound for a year. We sill head up that way in july for a day or so. Please report back with the high lights and watch the wind. which route are you taking??

 

[Pat Anderson]

Fun weekend! We met Barry and Patti on C-Cakes a Squalicum at the Visitor Dock, up to the Bayside for a nice dinner. Barry made us a motorwell table, really slick - it folds back for access to the swim step.





We cleared customs at White Rock, and headed straight for Bowen Island, in to the Union Steam Ship Company Marina at Snug Cove. Tight fit, a bit breezy, not one of my finest moments, I'll just leave it at that. Nice place though.



Lunch at Snug Cove, decided not too many places to anchor in Howe Sound, thought we would head for Belcarra Park in Indian Arm, so over to Horseshoe Bay for fuel, then under Lion's Gate Bride, into Vancouver Harbor. Going by Stanley Park, we radioed Barry and Patti, did they want to check out Coal Harbor? They did - and we decided to stay there instead. Very cool (and pricey!) - big marina, right in the heart of downtown Vancouver. Drinks and dinner on the cockpit, a little walk, nice breakfast the next morning!



Then on to to explore Indian Arm - this is a beautiful cruise, I only regret that we did not have more time (my perpetual regret). Got a nice shot of C-Cakes running in Indian Arm.



Back to Hilton Harbor and home!

 

[Pat Anderson]

Some more pix of C-Cakes in Vancouver.

Small boat, large bridge - C-Cakes under Lions Gate Bridge.


Approaching Vancouver Cruise Terminal


C-Cakes and Vancouver Skyline


C-Cakes in Slip at Coal Harbor


C-Cakes in Slip at Coal Harbor with Vancouver Skyline

 

[Jazzmanic]

Hey Pat & Patty (and Barry and Patti),

Caryn and I were just there a couple of weeks ago and thought about bringing the boat up that way. In fact, we were walking right near Coal Harbour marina where you stayed.

So would you recommend a Vancouver cruise? How long does it take to get from White Rock to Snug Cove? How was the Strait of Georgia, calm I presume. And are all the guest slips "tight" at Snug Cove? Do tell...

 

[Pat Anderson]

A Vancouver cruise, including Indian Arm and Howe Sound or Bowen Island, is highly recommended!

White Rock to Snug Cove? I was not paying close attention, maybe Patty can say. We left from Bellingham, and so White Rock was just a stop on the way, plus we were just bouncing around waiting for Barry and Patti to go into White Rock as well, since they have NEXUS but were directed to report in person. I will say maybe three hours? We ran pretty easy going up, maybe 13 - 15 knots. Time depends on speed of course. It seems to me on the return trip, we left Burrard Inlet at about 12:30 p.m. and arrived at Bellingham at about 5:15 p.m., including the customs clearance at Point Roberts. We had a hard 6:00 p.m. deadline to get into Hilton Harbor to get our boat out of the water, so we were pushing it pretty hard, running 18 - 21 knots when the water let us, down to 14 knots where it was a little lumpier. The Strait was not lay down glassy but it was pretty darn good compared to what it CAN be!

Coal Harbor is not a tight fit! Wide alleys (or whatever you call them) and wide slips, meant for big boats!

The one thing I can say is, this would have been better if we had a couple of more days, and if we did not have a hard deadline to get back. Same old story! But we enjoyed our time with Barry and Patti and had a good time!

Hey Pat & Patty (and Barry and Patti),

Caryn and I were just there a couple of weeks ago and thought about bringing the boat up that way. In fact, we were walking right near Coal Harbour marina where you stayed.

So would you recommend a Vancouver cruise? How long does it take to get from White Rock to Snug Cove? How was the Strait of Georgia, calm I presume. And are all the guest slips "tight" at Snug Cove? Do tell...

 

[El and Bill]

Sure glad you all had a great trip. More time comes with retirement - meantime you're sure having a great time - good on you.

 

[Ron on Meander]

Pat,
You are almost making me homesick! Almost, not quite, OK not for quite a bit longer anyway. Those pictures are of our home stomping grounds for almost 20 years. Lots of places to see and go. If you missed going up false creek, (its entrance is about a mile to the south of the Lions Gate Bridge) then thats another great area to explore. You can actually anchor in False Creek for up to 14 days. You can dinghy to docks on Granville Island and check out the public market, arts, and performers. There is also a welcome dock and docking info available in False Creek. As far as anchoring in Howe sound, there is a marine park at Plumper Cove near Gibsons which has mooring bouys and a public dock as well as limited anchoring sites. Gambier Island has three bays with anchoring sites within and the bay the furthest to the NE has a marine park that has anchorages, a few trails but not much else. Howe sound itself is fjord like and has very little (no well protected) anchorages at all. It has great scenery though. Glad to see you had a good, if quite trip.
Ron

 

[Pat Anderson]

Ron - we did not have a chance to go up False Creek - is Granville Island brewery still there? That would be a natural stop for us! While we were eating lunch at Snug Cove, we identified the Plumper Cove site as the most likely anchorage nearby, but opted to head for Vancouver Harbor and Indian Arm. Didn't make Indian Arm until the following day, Coal Harbor just sucked us in! Good thing, too, since at Belcarra Park we tried deploying our anchor with our new Lewmar V700, and discovered the rode and chain we had with the Sprint 600 are too big for the V700, we need to drop down to 1/4" chain and 1/2" rode with the new windlass.

Sounds like you are having a fabulous trip, we have enjoyed the narrative and pix, keep it coming! And we'll be sure to toast your adventures at the Nanaimo CBGT, sorry you guys will miss it!

Pat,
You are almost making me homesick! Almost, not quite, OK not for quite a bit longer anyway. Those pictures are of our home stomping grounds for almost 20 years. Lots of places to see and go. If you missed going up false creek, (its entrance is about a mile to the south of the Lions Gate Bridge) then thats another great area to explore. You can actually anchor in False Creek for up to 14 days. You can dinghy to docks on Granville Island and check out the public market, arts, and performers. There is also a welcome dock and docking info available in False Creek. As far as anchoring in Howe sound, there is a marine park at Plumper Cove near Gibsons which has mooring bouys and a public dock as well as limited anchoring sites. Gambier Island has three bays with anchoring sites within and the bay the furthest to the NE has a marine park that has anchorages, a few trails but not much else. Howe sound itself is fjord like and has very little (no well protected) anchorages at all. It has great scenery though. Glad to see you had a good, if quite trip.
Ron