June 27, 2008
After all the stories we heard from several different skippers yesterday, we were prepared for the worst; forced to turn back and wait out a ferocious Straits of Georgia. Yesterday the reports were virtually the same as this morning’s- but the passage was so placid, the winds barely passed the 4 knot point until we were inside Pender Harbor. Yesterday was a different story. One skipper reported that in his 49 passages across the straits, he had not ever seen such chaos. Bill, in a 32’ Nordic Tug was forced back after taking waves over his kayaks atop his pilot house for seven miles. He had a hard time negotiating the waves to make a turn back. This morning Pat checked that everything on the deck was secured, closed the front hatch tight while I double checked everything in the cabin. We dressed for foul weather and wore our heavy-duty life jackets. We did not want to have to worry about changing in mid-storm, should yesterday repeat itself.
It wasn’t long before we were sweltering and peeling off a layer or two! The sun shone brightly, reflecting on the water’s surface. There was not a ripple or swell other than from a passing BC mega-ferry as we started out across the Straits of Georgia.. Not a single sea bird flew over or sat lazily on the water’s surface. The vast expanse was void of anything until we were through Whiskey Golf; an often restricted area used by the BC Coast Guard for testing torpedoes. As time is going by, I am learning to look at the water patterns and interpret what is close up and what to anticipate; checking the knot reading as to the correlation to the two. Very basic, yet it is something I am doing to understand and anticipate so I’m not caught off guard. A sea lion poked its head out and watched for a short while and a small silver, narrow fish jumped out of the water, catching my attention; was it running for its life or simply feeling like a good stretch? I searched the water’s surface behind where the fish had jumped, hoping that I would have an opportunity to see my first pod of orca. No such luck!
It wasn’t until a tug was going southbound that I had something catch my interest. The tug was pulling a log boom that different than I had ever seen before; it looked like an entire forest was in tow! Within an hour a second tug was pulling a smaller forest behind it. Cruising out in the middle of the straits, the immense body of water gave me a sense of what it might be like to sail out on the ocean. The good thing about cruising the interior bodies of water, there is always land- no matter how far away; it is always on your horizon and can be reached soon. The scenery is a series of islands that are densely populated with evergreens and madronas. Sandy beaches are few and far between for each island appears to be built on rugged solid rock formations that look as old as time its self. There are cliff walls that raise just a few feet from the water and others that stand hundred feet tall. The variations between the islands are not significant other than size and configuration. Pat is surprised at how people are expanding out into this last frontier. I have taken several photos and should we return over the years, it would be fun to compare today’s communities with what could become towns and cities of generous proportions.
It took us three hours to transit the straits and reach Welcome Passage. A few mountain tops are clinging to small patches of winter and late spring snow. Should we return this way, I shall be looking to see how much remains if any. There is one peak that when you first notice it, reminds one of a shark’s tooth. By the time we were directly across from it, my second thought was that it could also look like the dorsal fin of an orca. An old lumpy orca that had seen better days; the snowfield across the base of the dorsal fin would identify the pod he was from and the smattering of snow across the lower ridge would be the remaining markings to make him an individual l- one of distinct character.
We continued north up Marisposa Passage to Pender Harbor where there are a multitude of directions one can select to take for good safe mooring or going to tie up at a marina. We chose Garden Bay. It is filled with large homes that speak of a healthy economy in the region. They homes are along much of the coastline and then there are dense pockets of evergreen forests. While paddling our kayaks late this afternoon, we stopped to talk with a couple on Kelpie, a Hans Christian 33 who have a minto in tow. As it turns out, I know Tony from childhood. His mother and I worked together at the same radiology clinic in Burien; my first job at age 15 1/2. We have spent several hours talking to he and his wife this evening. It has been great fun and we anticipate that our journeys will find us meeting again in the next month.
Tomorrow we will get up early again so that we will be arriving at Malibu Rapids well before slack – just for good measure. The weather reports are stating good weather through the weekend. What a wonderful way for my introduction to Princess Louisa Inlet! My camera and I are ready to take in what many proclaim to be the 8th natural wonder of the world.
After all the stories we heard from several different skippers yesterday, we were prepared for the worst; forced to turn back and wait out a ferocious Straits of Georgia. Yesterday the reports were virtually the same as this morning’s- but the passage was so placid, the winds barely passed the 4 knot point until we were inside Pender Harbor. Yesterday was a different story. One skipper reported that in his 49 passages across the straits, he had not ever seen such chaos. Bill, in a 32’ Nordic Tug was forced back after taking waves over his kayaks atop his pilot house for seven miles. He had a hard time negotiating the waves to make a turn back. This morning Pat checked that everything on the deck was secured, closed the front hatch tight while I double checked everything in the cabin. We dressed for foul weather and wore our heavy-duty life jackets. We did not want to have to worry about changing in mid-storm, should yesterday repeat itself.
It wasn’t long before we were sweltering and peeling off a layer or two! The sun shone brightly, reflecting on the water’s surface. There was not a ripple or swell other than from a passing BC mega-ferry as we started out across the Straits of Georgia.. Not a single sea bird flew over or sat lazily on the water’s surface. The vast expanse was void of anything until we were through Whiskey Golf; an often restricted area used by the BC Coast Guard for testing torpedoes. As time is going by, I am learning to look at the water patterns and interpret what is close up and what to anticipate; checking the knot reading as to the correlation to the two. Very basic, yet it is something I am doing to understand and anticipate so I’m not caught off guard. A sea lion poked its head out and watched for a short while and a small silver, narrow fish jumped out of the water, catching my attention; was it running for its life or simply feeling like a good stretch? I searched the water’s surface behind where the fish had jumped, hoping that I would have an opportunity to see my first pod of orca. No such luck!
It wasn’t until a tug was going southbound that I had something catch my interest. The tug was pulling a log boom that different than I had ever seen before; it looked like an entire forest was in tow! Within an hour a second tug was pulling a smaller forest behind it. Cruising out in the middle of the straits, the immense body of water gave me a sense of what it might be like to sail out on the ocean. The good thing about cruising the interior bodies of water, there is always land- no matter how far away; it is always on your horizon and can be reached soon. The scenery is a series of islands that are densely populated with evergreens and madronas. Sandy beaches are few and far between for each island appears to be built on rugged solid rock formations that look as old as time its self. There are cliff walls that raise just a few feet from the water and others that stand hundred feet tall. The variations between the islands are not significant other than size and configuration. Pat is surprised at how people are expanding out into this last frontier. I have taken several photos and should we return over the years, it would be fun to compare today’s communities with what could become towns and cities of generous proportions.
It took us three hours to transit the straits and reach Welcome Passage. A few mountain tops are clinging to small patches of winter and late spring snow. Should we return this way, I shall be looking to see how much remains if any. There is one peak that when you first notice it, reminds one of a shark’s tooth. By the time we were directly across from it, my second thought was that it could also look like the dorsal fin of an orca. An old lumpy orca that had seen better days; the snowfield across the base of the dorsal fin would identify the pod he was from and the smattering of snow across the lower ridge would be the remaining markings to make him an individual l- one of distinct character.
We continued north up Marisposa Passage to Pender Harbor where there are a multitude of directions one can select to take for good safe mooring or going to tie up at a marina. We chose Garden Bay. It is filled with large homes that speak of a healthy economy in the region. They homes are along much of the coastline and then there are dense pockets of evergreen forests. While paddling our kayaks late this afternoon, we stopped to talk with a couple on Kelpie, a Hans Christian 33 who have a minto in tow. As it turns out, I know Tony from childhood. His mother and I worked together at the same radiology clinic in Burien; my first job at age 15 1/2. We have spent several hours talking to he and his wife this evening. It has been great fun and we anticipate that our journeys will find us meeting again in the next month.
Tomorrow we will get up early again so that we will be arriving at Malibu Rapids well before slack – just for good measure. The weather reports are stating good weather through the weekend. What a wonderful way for my introduction to Princess Louisa Inlet! My camera and I are ready to take in what many proclaim to be the 8th natural wonder of the world.
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