Shoal Bay to Port McNeill Part One

May 5, 2016

High Slack tide at our next tidal rapid, Greene Point, was at 1552, so we left Shoal Bay at 1500 under sunny skies.  We transited Greene Point Rapids right at slack water and headed down Chancellor Channel in brisk winds.  Turning into Wellbore Channel we transited Whirlpool Rapids with a 5 knot push behind us.  The original plan was to spend the night at Forward Harbour and then on to Port Harvey the next day.  

Patrick made the call to continue since Sunderland Channel looked OK.  However, when we got to Johnstone Strait the conditions deteriorated with short steep seas and winds steady at 35 knots, gusting to 41 knots.  The seas were accentuated by the ebb tide now strongly flowing against the wind.  The tide rips in this area are well known and we endured the slamming and spray for less than one hour before the winds began to decrease and the seas calmed down.  Somewhere after the seas built up, the portside ball fender went over the side, still attached, and as the waves hit it the fender would appear airborne well above the bow rail.  By the time we reached the Broken Islands the winds were down to 15 knots and the seas were calm.  We pulled into Port Harvey and shut the engines down at 2030, with still plenty of daylight.

The wreckage from the sinking of the barge (with the store and Red Shoe restaurant) is beginning to get cleaned up and George Cambridge has a new float which will have the octagonal tent from North Island Marina as a temporary gathering place as George and Gail rebuild.

The barge has been refloated and a new float for the tent is in place

Since it was Cinco de Mayo, we had chicken enchiladas for dinner and then called it a night, saving the washing of the salt off the boat for the next day.

Even with the rebuilding, there are plenty of scenic views in Port Harvey

May 6, 2016

By sunrise the two other boats in Port Harvey had departed for Port McNeill, everyone trying to get across Cape Caution while there is relatively good weather.  The gales in Johnstone Strait do not extend to Cape Caution and yachts are crossing every day according to AIS.  The sun came out, still breezy, and we washed the salt off Spirit from yesterday’s excitement.  By early afternoon two more yachts had joined Spirit in Port Harvey.

With several more yachts on the dock we had an impromptu potluck on Spirit, with steaks, spot prawns, steamed asparagus, salad and roasted potatoes, followed by ice cream sundaes.  Meanwhile the wind continued to howl from the NW in Johnstone Strait.