Alaskan Sea-Duction: Chapter 11 Princess Louisa Inlet to Powell River

We were 10 minutes late to the rapids on a low slack, so I was a little worried. But after I saw a few sail boats going through, no worries. The rapids calms, but shallower ay 24ft. As we came out there was a parking lot of boats waiting to get in.

I was a little worried as I had not heard any weather reports in three days. We had 35 miles to go before I could get a report and maybe a cell signal to let family and friends we were OK. The cruise out turned to sunny weather and a little breeze. This would be a 65 mile run. As we approached Captain Island, the cell phone started to go crazy. Well back to civilization. We ran down Jarvis Inlet to Malaspina Inlet. I called Westview Marina and requested dock space. I would be there around 5:30 pm. He told me to just find a spot and we would settle up the next day. he then stated that it was "OK" to side tie to someone else. mmmm That statement worried me. As we travelled up Malaspina Straits the wind increased with wind waves hitting us mid port beam. The farther we got north the worse it got. by the time we saw the marina, we had turned so we would have following seas, but the wind was howling at 35mph. The entrance to the marina was facing south. This means the wind waves pound the entrance. Great this is going to be fun.

The entrance is narrow and there is a pilling with a black square! OK what does that mean? Danger? Inside a harbor? The channel down the docks was also tight with rock breakwater on one side and the end of the dock on the other. No way two boats could pass each other. Kay had set out fenders on both sides. The wind was pushing us down the pathway as we looked for a space. Dock 5, but was on the downwind side great. Maybe I could just bow in and get lucky. Nope! The wind blew me across the slip to the other slip where, for the first time, I hit another boat! It was an aluminum boat, so no damage to him. I am now in panic mode! I think I just put a hole in my boat, I applied power to keep myself off the rocks! Wrong! I now had the bow into the wind and some guys came out on the dock. I ran the bow straight to them. Kay gave the line to one of the guys and he did a quick wrap. I turned hard to stbd and applied stbd engine. After a few tries I was able to get the stern over to the dock. Once this guy had a line, I disengaged everything and hopped off the boat to grab the mid-ship line. All three of us had a difficult time getting the boat next to the dock, but we did, finally.

I was upset and embarrassed. I was expecting a gapping hole in the side of the boat. Just a scratch and a gel coat chip just under the rub rail. Boy I was lucky and no damage to the boat I hit. The next morning at low tide there is only 10.5 feet under the boat and the channel is half the width it was when we came in. I would not recommend this marina for larger boats, not because of the docks or staff, but the way the main channel is squeezed in by the water sea wall. Very very poor engineering. We are staying here for two nights so we can provision and take care of some computer business. Then off north to Desolation Sound and Prideau Haven, Van Donop Inlet and then figure out which rapids we will go through to make it to Port McNeil.