Prideaux Haven to Dent Island

We spent 2 nights at anchor in Eveleigh Anchorage in Prideaux Haven, under mostly sunny skies and light winds.  After launching the tender we all went for several nature rides, one at extreme low tide and one in the evening at high tide.  Saturday was Cinco de Mayo so we fixed chicken Enchiladas for dinner and watched “The Iron Lady” in the evening, supplemented by popcorn and margaritas.

Sunday morning we pulled the anchor at 0630 to ensure “Spirit” arrived at Yaculta Rapids shortly before low slack current.  “Serena” was just leaving Squirrel Cove as we passed by and both vessels transited Yaculta Rapids and Gillard Passage with maximum currents of less than 4 knots.  By 1100 both vessels were tied to the dock at Dent Island.  With the extreme low tides we ended up with only 2 feet of water under the keel.  We are the only guests this evening at Dent Island.  Bill and Ruth took the Jetboat to Campbell River for sightseeing and on the way back the boat broke down and they were stranded in Campbell River for the evening.

The weather forecast for Queen Charlotte Sound (Cape Caution) does not look favorable for the next few days, so we will just stay here and be pampered for another day until Bill and Ruth return.

After boat chores, laundry, a session in the fitness center and a soak in the hot tub we gathered in the lodge with McCaffrey’s for appetizers and dinner where Miriam and Patrick shared the tenderloin of beef and a poached Dungeness crab which was preceded by seared scallops and a mixed green salad.

The next day, after the return of the Cravens from Campbell River, we took the jetboat, now repaired on a wild ride in the rapids, including a ride around the whirlpools in Dent’s Devils Hole and the overfalls in Arran Rapids.  Seeing the power of the water at maximum flood tide made us really appreciate the importance of hitting slack tide exactly.  We saw one bear, a large group of Pacific Whiteside Dolphins, Stellar Sea Lions and then watched an eagle snatch a rock cod off the table at Dent Island.  After enjoying another great dinner, with menu choices such as rack of lamb we reluctantly called it a night before our early departure the next morning.

We depart for Port McNeill at 0530 in the morning at high slack tide and will meet up with McCaffrey’s on “Serena” there before crossing Queen Charlotte Sound, probably on Thursday.