Alaska 2014 - Vancouver to Dent Island

May 17, 2014

With no early departure scheduled, we slept in until 0700 and then, after coffee and a trip to “Urban Fare” for pastries, lounged in the cockpit in the sun and had the pastry snacks.  After a while, we got up the energy to prepare shrimp and avocado omelets chased down with Bloody Mary’s while watching the pedestrians heading to the ferries and the dragon boats both training in the estuary and providing tours for the two cruise ships in port.

At 1300 all four of us headed to Granville Island using the water taxi so we could shop and also search for more fresh oysters.  The oysters were found at “The Lobsterman” and we brought back several dozen which we shucked and had as an appetizer before going to “Provence Bistro” for a meal of “small plates” that we shared.  The menu included escargot, stuffed Piquillo peppers, meatballs, calamari, mushrooms and gnocchi, all good.  Returning to Spirit, we had a reprise game of”Mexican Train” before finally calling it a night.

Our fresh oysters from The Lobsterman

May 18, 2014

Pat Benson on the Selene 53 “Wild Blue” had recommended some frozen croissants from Urban Fare called “Vancouver Croissants”.  Patrick had purchased a box of plain and a box of chocolate croissants, and we tested them by letting them rise overnight per the directions.  By the time we got up on Sunday morning they had fully risen and became the centerpiece of breakfast in the cockpit.  They were as good as advertised!

At 1000 we said goodbye to Ted and Lisa Marx, who will take the afternoon train back to Edmonds and headed out of False Creek.  The weather was mostly sunny, with just rippled seas and light winds.  After threading our way through the numerous freighters anchored in English Bay we headed past Bowen Island at the entrance to Howe Sound.  As we passed White Islets we saw a number of both mature and juvenile bald eagles and sea lions on the rocks.  Continuing towards Pender Harbor we passed Mary Island lighthouse and cruised through Welcome Passage past Smuggler Cove.  Smuggler Cove looked nearly full of sailboats as we passed the entrance, where we had anchored on our trip north in 2007.  We did not even use the stabilizers as we continued to Pender Harbor and our favorite anchorage spot in Gerrans Bay.  Arriving at 1600 at the entrance to Pender Harbor, we brought the tender alongside and by 1630 were anchored in 40 feet of water.  Tightening the stabilizer housing bolts also apparently slowed the small leak in the seals, which is great news.

Weaving between the freighters departing English Bay

Birds on White Islets

Mary Island Lighthouse near Welcome Passage

After all the good food the last several days we just kicked back and had leftover ribs and potato salad for a late dinner as the sun dipped below the hills to the west of the anchorage.

Today we covered another 48 nautical miles and have now gone 133 nautical miles since Anacortes.

May 19, 2014

We had rain overnight, loud enough to wake us up, but that changed to light rain by dawn and just clouds by the time we pulled the anchor at 0730 and headed up Malaspina Strait.  The spot prawn fishery is in full swing with lots of pots in the water.

BC Spot Prawner with a crowd of hopeful seagulls

By 1030 we were abeam Grief Point, aptly named based on prior years storms, but today just rippled seas, partly sunny skies and pleasant temperatures.  Marine traffic was light, except for the number of boats fishing.  We diverted slightly to Powell River to see what shape the derelict concrete ships that form the breakwater were in, but little visible change from two years ago.

The concrete ship breakwater at Powell River continues to deteriorate

Entering Thulin Passage at 1230 we debated which anchorage would best suit us to make slack tide at Gillard Passage at 0944 the next morning, without having to get up before dawn.  Toba Wildernest Resort won out, since we had never been there before and all the other places were already familiar to us.  Proceeding up Waddington Channel past the oyster farms and across to Toba Wildernest, we finally docked at 1550.  Kyle and Andrea Hunter, who own the Resort and their daughter Rowan were on the dock to take lines.  The views of the BC Coastal Range from Toba Wildernest were spectacular, even shrouded in clouds.  After a tour of their facility, including the unique hydro power facility, we returned to Spirit to soak in the scenery after a 62 nautical mile day, with our total mileage now at 194.

Toba Wildernest has great scenery

At Toba Wildernest with the BC Coastal Range in the background

May 20, 2014

Departing at 0630 under sunny skies we motored down Pryce Channel, Raza Passage and then Calm Channel.  Arriving early at Yuculta Rapids, with the current against us, we slowed down and waited 30 minutes until the current slackened a little.  We still arrived at Dent Island Lodge nearly one hour ahead of plan and were the only vessel.  Justin Farr, the general manager, took our lines and after settling in, Patrick prepared the Grady White for a fishing expedition.

The cook will not arrive until this afternoon, so we will cook our own dinner on-board, menu to be determined.

The Grady White handled the eddies and whirlpools nicely as Patrick headed back to Lewis Channel, where “Springs” (Chinook Salmon) had been plentiful the previous week.  Lack of maintenance on the downriggers (our fault) caught up to Patrick as a corroded wire broke, leaving 12 pounds of lead in 200 feet of water at the bottom of the channel.  Returning to Dent Island empty handed, new synthetic cables were purchased to avoid a repeat performance.

We have now traveled 204 nautical miles.