Port mcNiell to Hartley Bay

We took a few days at Port McNeill to refuel, stock up on groceries.  The girls went to Alert Bay to look at totem poles and local native history.  They took the ferry over, while John and I caught up on some maintenance.

We were also waiting for weather to cross Cape Caution.  This is a 40-mile crossing of open ocean and it can get nasty.  It turned out our crossing was awesome!  Smooth crossing.

We stay at Pruth Bay which is very protected and has a marine research center.  There are nice beached on the west side and you get the mighty Pacific crashing into the rocks!  Our path north would be protected until we cross Dixon Entrance in about a week.  The next stop was Shearwater.

We decided to side tie to Pairadice.  Little did we know.  That night we had 40mph+ winds!  I woke up around 5 AM and saw we had dragged about 100 yards and we were still moving.  I started ASDs engines and that woke John up.  We were able to break ASD from Pairadice from each other.  I managed to motor back to the anchorage and set in sticky mud.  Pairadice had issues.  His windlass had stopped working and it still had 50 feet of chain still out.  John had overheated the windlass.  After a tense 20 minutes, he was able to get it back up and he docked at Shearwater.  It scared all of us!

The next day we were off to Khotze (Koots).  This is one of our favorite anchorages as it was our crabbing grounds.  As soon as we set the anchor, pots went out.  The next morning are pots were full.  We now have fresh crab in the freezer.  This place is so beautiful.

The next place is Hartley Bay.  This is a small native village with a government dock.  Moorage and electric is free.  You may have to side tie to a commercial boat, but we got lucky and were able to side tie to Pairadice.  We are disappointed to learn that the fishing here has yet to start.  It was a beautiful day for a cruise.  If all goes well, we will be in Alaska in a about 5 days or so.

Here are a group of pictures.  They are not in order. something happened in the download.

Crab Dinner!

Big and sweet, this one tasted great with steak.

Our friends Pairadice

ASD and Pairadice at anchor in Khutze Inlet

Kay searching for Bigfoot

Nice and warm at 70f

Khutze Bay

ASD Reflections

Shearwater

Calm now but we didn't expect the wind later on.

At anchor in Shearwater

Heading up the "Inside Passage"

You called for a taxi?

Heading out to cross Cape Caution

Light house on Pine Island

Nice and smooth across to Northern B.C.  This crossing was awesome.  Normally we have beam seas,

Port McNiell

Light house just out side of Port McNeill.  Canada loves their light houses.  Wish the U.S. did the same

Alert Bay

Couldn't ask for better seas

These window are from a church on Alert bay, a native community

Kay took this picture.  I thought it was inspiring.

Old cannery on Alert Bay

 

 

 

 

On Our Way!!

With the generator fixed, we headed to Nanaimo.  First we had to clear Canadian Customs.  We have Nexus cards, so all we have to do is call in.  I have a lot of wine and liquor, cigars so I was a little worried. I told them it was all "Ship Stores" and for personnel use.  No big deal.  Report to the dock in Bedwell and if no one shows up by our ETA, we are free to go.  No one showed and off we went.

It was a great run to Nanaimo.  Timed Dodd narrows perfectly.  We anchored up near New castle Island and had dinner at the Dinghy Pub.  Good dinner. Can't let the grass grow under the boat.

Off to Campbell River.  Started a little rough, but not bad.  Wind waves were about 3 feet.  The farther north we continued the smoother it got and turned into a lake.  The current pouring out of Discovery pass and I felt like I was in the Columbia River again.  Pairadice picked a really nice cove, smooth and quiet. We will stay here for a rest day, then time Seymour Rapids (Narrows) and continue to Port McNeill.

Bedwell

Canadian Customs dock.  No one there, off we go.

Nice day.

This is an awesome picture Kay took of the mountains on Vancouver Island.

mmmm I wonder if I could tow my riverboat.

That little opening is Dodd Narrows.  Have to take the boat through that little gap!

Looks small

Nice anchorage at Nanaimo

Nanaimo

Sunset coming later the farther north we go!

Boats at Nanaimo

Little wave action heading to Campbell River.

Vancouver Island mountains

Light house near Comox

Anchorage in Campbell River

Side Tied to our friends Pairadice, John and Tracey

Sitting in Friday Harbor

Woke up in Neah bay to high winds which made it almost impossible to get fuel. The generator also would not start. Otto!!!!  I am not happy with you.  I plotted a course to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. 90 miles, 9 hours.

Going up Juan De Fucia was a little rough.  Short 3 foot waves close together.  ASD would pound the second or third wave.  After about 6 hours this get old.  We reached Port Angeles and the water started to lay down.  By the time I turned toward the islands we had smooth water.  Kathy found the opportunity to take a shower.

I seemed to have guessed right as we hit cattle pass at slack.  We met John and Tracey of the boat Pairadice.  It was nice to see some smiles.

Friday harbor is a cool place and Kay loves it here.  The next day John and Tracey said goodbye.  They where heading north and we would catch up.

Kathy and Kay went into town the next day, while Otto and I had an intimate discussion.  With the help with Cummins Customer Care, we troubleshot the issue to the fuel cutoff solenoid had shorted out because I had soaked it with fuel.  New one on order ($375) and will be here tomorrow (Friday) afternoon.

This is the second time I had to wait for parts at Friday harbor.  Maybe next year we can bypass the San Juans.

Kathy making yummy lemon bars

Sunset in Neah Bay.  Native canoe.

Straits of Juan De Fucia

Olympic Mountains

Are we there yet?

San Juan Islands

Friday Harbor

State Ferry

View from the dock

Talking troubleshooting Otto

Kay is fascinated by sea life

Sunset at Friday Harbor

Sunshine!!!  Kathy and the Admiral

Attempt at a night shot

Enjoying the sun!!!!

Life is good even when you are broke down.

I will NEVER do that again!

I will NEVER EVER cross that bar on an ebb tide.  We crossed an hour after high tide and the USCG called for 4-6 feet building to 8-12 AFTER 9 AM!!  BS.  It came early.  10+ with breakers over the top. I swear we dropped 20 feet out of the sky.  Couldn't turn around.  The only option was forward.  As soon as I hit the gap between the first and second green buoy I started to head north.  Took about an hour to clear the Columbia River influence.  It was uncomfortable for about another 2 hours.  Then we started to get SE winds and following seas.


Then my stomach turned loose.  The Admiral offered to give me a patch for behind the ear.  Did I accept?  Oh no!!  I am a macho man!!!!  The girls took over for the next 3 hours while I laid on the floor flopping like a fish!


Made Neah Bay.  Had to untangle the anchor rode as it "jumped" out of its storage well into the guest bed!  No big deal.


Cranked the Genny.  It turned 1/4 turn and stopped.  Now I am thing new generator.  Crusty to the rescue! (Pairadice) He told me that he had read on TF about the genny sucking up water causing a hydraulic lock.  We discussed the procedure.  2 hours later, I had a running generator and a very big mess to clean up.


Thanks TF and Crusty for the help.


Pics tomorrow.  I am going to bed