Chapter 12 Powell River to Prideaux Haven

We left Westview Marina (Powell River) early in the morning as I did not want to leave at low tide.  This is a marina I would not recommend for any boat over 30ft.

As we turned north a ferry was also leaving and boy does that horn scare the you know what out of you.  We had a small NW wind with ripples with a warm sunshine. The 35 miles to our next destination has probably been our best so far.  As you turn the corner into Desolation Sound the mountains just jump right at you!   WOW.

As we got near to Prideaux Haven I was looking for a very small channel into the anchorage.  It was another lazy "S." I was surprised by how small the anchorage actually was.  There were already 8 boats in here and it seemed crowded.  However, I am told this place can hold many more boats stern tied to the sides.  We also found some folks we had met at Princess Louisa here.  Once anchored Kay and I dumped the dinghy and went to explore. 

We met a couple from Portland, Mike and Heidi.  Later that afternoon they showed up with fresh spotted shrimp for the bbq! One thing I had forgotten to do was to take the tide change into account. 20+ change, so I let out some more chain.  All the while 4 more boats showed up in the anchorage.

Later that evening, Kay and I were sitting on the bow when this older lady starts screaming from her boat "Shut off your generator!"  Huh?  What a witch.  I asked Kay if she was doing laundry and she said no so I went ahead and killed the genny.  Now for those who know my boat, unless you are right at the port stern, you can not hear my genny.  It does smoke a little but nothing that would bother you even if I were at the dock.  Others were running their gennies at the other end of the anchorage and I could hear them above mine! She must be one of those that don't believe running their gensets while on the hook.  They also have a new boat.  Kay got a little upset by it and wanted to tell her where to go.

Later that evening Kay came out on the bow with a hummingbird in her hands.  I was trapped in the sunroom.  After a posing for a few camera shots, it flew away!  As sunset can it was cooling off nicly as it was 84f today.  Warmer tomorrow.

Today June 5th it is hot. 88f by this afternoon.  I took a shrimp pot out and used a bait that looks like dog food nuggets and then you squirt this juice on it that looks like hot sauce! Let it soak for about 6 hours and see if I get lucky.  I am in about 350ft of water, I think.  Wal-Mart list: small cheap depth sounder with a motor cycle battery.....

This is a nice place with peace and quiet and sometimes cranky neighbors. We will come here again, but maybe not July or August.

Our moorage

To the right of the rock is the entrance to this wonderful place.  Nice clear water

Entrance Channel

This yacht entering the bay

Not very wide

Kay love sea life

Oysters, but I would eat them

On our way to Prideaux Haven.  This is looking across Straitss of Georgia with the Vancouver Island snow capped mountains

Lots of rocks out here

Prideau on the right by the small island

Showing club pride

Approaching the entrance

The entrance channel at low tide

Evening time 10:30 PM!!!  Good Night All!

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.

Leaving Princess Louisa on a cloudy rainy day

Malibu Rapids at low tide

The rapids passage are a lot smaller at low tide

Take a hard right.  No room for error

All the rocks on the left were under water when we came here....

The water depth here is about 15feet

Made it!  Off the Powell River

Kay thought the big crack here was interesting

Staring to clear up

Takes a few hours to get out of Jervis Inlet

Our new friends Irene and Mark

This Sail boat has been around the world once and now up the west coast via the Panama Canal

The entrance to Westview harbor at low tide.

No way I can turn around

In some place the boats are 3-4 deep

Hey Charlie!  New Boat for you

right next to the boat