Transit to Baranof Island

 Spirit Log May 23-31

 

May 23, 2021

 

After joining in for the on-line church service from BelPres we spent the rest of the day re-provisioning and getting some additional spare LED running light bulbs, which seem to be failing after 10+ years in service.  We had a nice visit with the Doug and Karen Dance from the Selene 53 “Peregrine”, which arrived in Ketchikan from Bremerton yesterday.

 

With the larger number of pleasure boats transiting to Alaska this year, the harbors are filling and Peregrine was tied up to the drive-down float, normally not allowed, but the harbormaster found a place for everyone.  We were glad we had a reserved slip at Ketchikan Moorage despite the extra cost.

 

May 24, 2021

 

Spirit departed Ketchikan at 0950 under mostly sunny skies and a 10-15 knot NW wind.  Proceeding up Tongass Narrows, we crossed the entrance of the Behm Canal and into Clarence Strait.  Heading up Clarence Strait we passed the small community of Meyers Chuck and turned into Ernest Sound.  By 1715 we were anchored in Santa Anna Inlet, one of our favorite anchorages.  There were already two other boats anchored at the head of the inlet, but there is room for dozens.

 

By 1830 we had set 4 prawn pots and then settled down for a dinner of Chicken Marsala, steamed asparagus and homemade bread (courtesy of Teri).

 

May 25, 2021

 

The morning check of the prawn pots yielded a combined total of 120 prawns, 1 ½ limits for the day, giving us a chance to harvest more in the evening.  By noon the predicted rain had started along with some brink winds from the SE.

 

We had been having some erratic stabilizer performance, so while at anchor we recalibrated the gyro and gain, using directions sent by email from Jason at Wesmar.  Testing at anchor, the problem appears to be solved.

 

The remainder of the day the weather oscillated between partly sunny and hailstorms, rather interesting.

 

The afternoon pull of the pots yielded only another 80 prawns for a total of 200 today.  Two other Selene’s came into the bay, “Peregrine” and “Rendezvous”.  We shared happy hour with the Montgomery’s from Rendezvous, including freshly cooked spot prawns from the afternoon pull.

 

May 26, 2021

 

Patrick and Harry checked the prawn pots beginning at 0730 and were rewarded with moderate amounts of spot prawns, until the last pull, which contained a large (7 foot across octopus) and a starfish.  The prawns in that pot were largely just empty shells.  After some tugging and pulling, we managed to extricate the octopus and consign it to Davey Jones Locker rather than eat it, as we had done in the past.  In any event we had no container on the tender in which we could have successfully trapped the cunning creature.

 

By 0900 we had pulled the anchor from a good set in Santa Anna Inlet and headed up Seward Passage, stopping to look at a Humpback Whale feeding along the shore, and then into Zimovia Pass and on to Wrangell.  Stabilizer testing showed we had solved the problem by recalibrating the console.

 

Along the way Teri baked another loaf of bread in the makeshift dutch oven (a oven safe stockpot), this time flavored with garlic and herbs.  We have now baked four loaves of bread on board Spirit since we got the recipe in Bullhead Cove from Rendezvous.

 

Spirit was moored safely to the transient float in Heritage Harbor by 1410 under now sunny skies and warm temperatures.  After mooring, a quick trip to the market and hardware stores replenished our supplies.  That evening we gathered with Montgomery’s from Rendezvous for a good meal at the Stikine Inn, open Wednesday through Sunday this time of year for dinner from 4-8 PM.  We understand they go on to the summer schedule this coming weekend.  We highly recommend either the pork chop with a bourbon glaze (huge) or the ½ pound Black and Blue Waygu burger.

 

Spirit has now covered 885 NM since leaving Anacortes.

 

May 27, 2021

 

Successfully transiting Wrangell Narrows to our next destination allowed us to delay our departure from Heritage Harbor, Wrangell until 1100.  Our strategy is usually to time the trip so we arrive at Green Point at high slack tide, riding the last of the flood north and then the beginning of the ebb tide, passing by Petersburg and then out into Frederick Sound, again taking advantage of the ebb tide.

 

We entered Wrangell Narrows at Point Alexandra at 1400 and exited at the north entrance buoy at 1605.  At times we were seeing speeds of 11 knots over the bottom with the favorable currents.  We then headed to Thomas Bay, crossing the entrance bar (the terminal moraine from the Patterson and Baird glaciers) at 1700 and anchoring in Ruth Island Cove at 1840, just off of Patterson Creek.  Rendezvous rafted alongside and we enjoyed potluck appetizers and some spot prawn salad for dinner.  

 

We covered nearly 60 NM today.

 

May 28, 2021

 

The weather deteriorated overnight, and we woke to rain and low clouds, but little wind.  The rain stopped as we released Rendezvous from our raft-up and pulled the anchor at 0800 and followed Rendezvous back out of Thomas Bay, setting course for Pybus Bay and Cannery Cove.  Frederick Sound had SE winds up to 15 knots and 2-3 foot following seas, making for an easy passage.  

 

We were distressed to see a sizable group of Sea Otters in a kelp patch off the tip of San Juan (the Alaska version) Island at the entrance to Pybus Bay.  This does not bode well for crabbing and prawning in the future.  Spirit anchored in Cannery Cove at 1445 after a second attempt to obtain a good set in the soft mud bottom as the wind gusted to 21 knots.  After setting the anchor, crab traps were placed and we spent the balance of the afternoon and evening relaxing on Spirit as we swung around the anchor in wind and rain.  Rendezvous anchored several hundred yards away.

 

We called the Pybus Point Lodge (on VHF 72) about dinner, but on their chaotic first days of operation they could not accommodate us, so perhaps the next time we stop we can enjoy what is reputed to be excellent food.  Instead Teri prepared some delicious tuna cakes from a Martha Stewart recipe, served over a green salad accompanied by steamed asparagus.

 

 Spirit has now covered 997 NM since leaving Anacortes.

 

May 29, 2021

 

The crab pots were checked in the morning in rain.  There were lots of crab, but many were softshell, nonetheless, we managed to find six legal hardshell crab.  We also observed sea otters around our crab pots, which does not bode well for the future for crabbing.  By 0815 we were underway for our next destination, Red Bluff Bay on Baranof Island. Contrary to the weather reports, there was little wind, but a confused 4-5 foot swell coming both from Frederick Sound and Chatham Strait.  By the time we passed Yasha Island the swell was only on the port bow from Chatham Strait.

 

We entered Red Bluff Bay not knowing how many vessels would be at the anchorage at the head of the bay and were pleasantly surprised to find it empty, so we had our choice of spots.  There were two brown bears on the beach when we arrived.  We could also see the river delta has continued to encroach on the anchorage.

 

Crab pots were set and then we made a run out to the prawning location to set the prawn pots, using both our inflatable and Teri’s Mink.  The rain continued all night.

 

The 41 NM run now puts us over the 1000 NM mark for this trip.

 

May 30, 2021

 

The crab pots yielded only one legal crab overnight and the morning pull of the prawn pots was disappointing, very few and small prawns.  We have seen a lot of pleasure traffic in Red Bluff Bay on AIS and since most people know where to prawn, we think it has been depleted early in the season.

 

To avoid fighting the ebb current in Chatham Strait, we delayed our departure until 1035 and headed north to our next destination, Takatz Bay, also on Baranof Island.  The anchor was set at 1355 after a short 26 NM run.  Takatz Bay was also empty.  The rain continued all day, sometimes hard.

 

Crab pots were placed, even though we have never found crabs in Takatz Bay.  The water temperature was pretty low, a chilly 39 degrees.

 

May 31, 2021

 

The sound of rain, sometimes very heavy, continued all night.  Harry and Teri pulled the pots and caught only massive amounts of slimy grass completely covering both the traps and the lines.  Hopefully our next destination will be more productive.  We have noticed so many pleasure craft targets on AIS in the popular anchorages that we will probably modify our routing to avoid the crowds.

 

We will have burgers and potato salad for Memorial Day when we arrive at our next anchorage, another relatively short run.  We will have not cell phone service between that anchorage and our planned arrival in Sitka on June 4.

Alaska 2021 Behm Canal

 Behm Canal

Spirit and crew spent a four-night interlude in Ketchikan, mooring for the first time at Ketchikan Moorage, a private marina with room for 4-8 boats located north of Cruise Berth Four.  There was plenty of maintenance to do, changing main engine and generator oil, replacing an anchor light, installing a new VHF radio on the flybridge, servicing the watermaker and so on.  We also needed to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables that we were not able to take through Canada on our transit.

We had a victory dinner at the Oceanview Restaurant, a combination Mexican and Italian menu, with a very good Shrimp Piccata, among other things.  Miriam took her first independent field trip without Patrick along, to Walmart, driving a scooter with one hand.

The weather was a mixture of rain, wind and sunshine, always cool.

 May 18-22, 2021

We departed Ketchikan Moorage at 0758, two minutes ahead of plan in brisk 15-20 knot winds from the north, proceeding up Tongass Narrows, through Clover Pass and into the Behm Canal, stopping for the night at Marguerite Bay in Traitors Cove.  We anchored in 60 feet of water just off the USFS float at 1210.  We could have conceivably tied to the float, there was plenty of water depth, but we would have hung out significantly. There is also a USFS buoy, but the rusty shackle did not look adequate for Spirit, except perhaps as a stern tie.

 

Setting four prawn pots in Traitors Cove, we let them soak for 4 hours, returning to the pots just as several Humpback whales were breaching and feeding in the cove, giving us some additional entertainment.  The four hour soak only yielded 9 large spot prawns, so we left two pots down overnight.

 

May 19, 2021

 

Returning in the morning, one pot had only 26 and the other pot only 2.  Nonetheless, we now had enough for a nice dinner.

 

Spot Prawns from Saks Cove

Departing at 0915 we continued clockwise around the Behm Canal, diverting to Shrimp Bay and Klu Bay for an exploratory view of the twin waterfalls and the USFS buoy in Klu Bay.  Continuing our journey, passing by the abandoned and derelict Bell Island Hot Springs we turned the corner and anchored in Fitzgibbon Cove.  Harry and Teri headed in the Mink to Saks Cove to set the prawn pots while Miriam and Patrick relaxed on board and did maintenance to ready Spirit for the next day’s voyage.

 

Spirit has now covered 712 NM.

 

May 20, 2021

 

After a peaceful night at anchor in Fitzgibbon Cove, we checked the crab pots and were able to harvest nearly our combined limit of Dungeness Crab, 11 in total.  Harry and Teri then took the Mink down to Saks Cove while Patrick and Miriam raised the anchor and brought Spirit down and stood by while the prawn pots were pulled.  There was not a huge amount of prawns, but the ones we did get were very large, enough for several more meals.

Continuing down Behm Canal, we took a chance and went into Rudyerd Inlet and Punchbowl Cove, with the spectacular 3640 foot high granite wall along one side.  The buoy was occupied, so we anchored in 120 feet of water off the creek flowing out of Punchbowl Lake.

 

Cliffs in Punchbowl Cove

Setting two prawn pots, Harry and Teri then explored Rudyerd Inlet to the end, some 10 miles further in.  Meanwhile, the boat occupying the buoy left, so Patrick moved Spirit to the buoy for the night.  The weather was still pleasant, so we cooked steaks on the grill, along with salad, asparagus and baked potatoes.

 

May 21, 2021

 

The weather remained settled overnight, but the sunny skies were replaced with high clouds, still with little wind.  The UnCruise Ship “Wilderness Explorer” arrived late in the morning, anchoring where we had been anchored.  Presumably after lunch, the passengers disembarked into kayaks, paddleboards and zodiacs.  We spent the morning processing crab and prawns for the freezer.  Miriam was able to pick the crab meat from the bodies of the crabs, while Patrick focused on the legs.

 

About 1600 we were treated to a brown bear walking along the beach, which provided good entertainment for both us and the cruise ship passengers.

 

Brown Bear in Punchbowl Cove

 

The “Wilderness Explorer” left at 1800, leaving us alone in Punchbowl Cove except for a small group of kayakers camping on the beach near the creek draining Punchbowl Lake.  We wondered how they would deal with the brown bears, since they asked to tie up their food kayak to our stern, but never showed up.  By sunset, a light rain washed down the boat as we enjoyed crab and prawn cocktails and finished some of our leftover meals.

Our Prawn and Crab Cocktails

 

May 22, 2021

 

Rain overnight, sometimes heavy, provided a nice background noise to our peaceful night at the buoy.  Morning brought more rain and the ceiling was low, so the top of Punchbowl cove was obscured.  Departing at 0805 we motored down Rudyerd Inlet and continued our clockwise transit of the Behm Canal.  The low ceiling turned into fog as we passed by New Eddystone Rock, but then cleared near Smeaton Island.

 

New Eddystone Rock in the fog

Exiting Behm Canal near Twin Islands we joined the parade of vessels headed to Ketchikan.  The wind abated and after retrieving the Mink we moored at Ketchikan Moorage next to the Westport 112 “Snowbored”.  With intermittent heavy rain showers we took both the Mink and our tender to the fuel dock, filled the watertanks and relaxed for the evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alaska 2021 Day 5-8

 May 11, 2021

 

With the extra distance run yesterday, we were able to delay our departure from Codville Lagoon until 0700. The sun was shining and the reflections of the rock walls in the water made it look like totem poles laid on their side.  Exiting the narrow entrance into the lagoon, the rock charted on some charts was clearly visible, making it important to favor the south side of the channel on entry and exit.

 

Heading straight across Fitz Hugh Sound into Lama Passage, we soon passed the town of Bella Bella, where we had cell phone reception for about one hour as we headed into Seaforth Channel.  The seas were relatively calm in Milbanke Sound as we approached Ivory Island Lighthouse, so we headed out into Milbanke Sound and around into Finlayson Channel rather than the calmer alternative of Reid Passage, a longer route by about 8 NM.

 

Dodging a lot of logs in the water we were still making good time, so rather than arrive in Bottleneck Inlet early in the day, in consultation with the crew of Rendezvous, we altered the plan and headed directly for Princess Royal Channel.  The tidal currents in Princess Royal Channel were favorable until reaching the intersection with Heikish Narrows, and then were adverse by up to two knots for the remainder of the journey.  Arriving at Green Spit in Khutze Inlet at 1700, having covered 82 NM, we anchored on the spit just as the rain began.

 

After a delicious southwest chicken salad, we watched another movie and prepared for another long day completing our transit of Princess Royal Channel and then entering Grenville Channel.

 

We have now covered about 460 NM, with less than 200 NM left before arriving in Ketchikan on Friday.

 

 

May 12, 2021

 

After a windy and rainy night anchored on Green Spit at the entrance to Khutze Inlet, we awoke to partly cloudy skies and calm winds.  Departing at 0703 we headed further up Princess Royal Channel and swung by the abandoned cannery site of Butedale.  Most of the buildings have been torn down and there is a newer looking dock several hundred feet long.  There was no sign of activity and the site looked much as it did when we passed in 2019.

 

Continuing our journey up Princess Royal Channel we passed around Gribbell Island towards Grenville Channel.  Heading into Grenville Channel the wind picked up out of the NW and the chop built as we picked up a nice boost from the northbound flood tide, hitting more than 10 knots across the bottom.  At Klewnuggit Inlet, the tidal currents change and we bucked the south flowing flood tide until we reached a new (to us) anchorage at Kumealon Island Anchorage.

 

The anchorage is small and there is room for only a few vessels, especially since there were two crab pots right in the middle of the preferred anchorage locations.  Nonetheless, both Spirit and Rendezvous found places to set the anchor in 15 knot NW winds and mostly sunny skies and settled in for the final push to US waters tomorrow.

 

May 13, 2021

 

We set our departure for 0600 and beat that by 5 minutes.  Re-entering Grenville Channel under partly cloudy skies and calm winds we continued north, expecting a boost from the last of the ebb tide.  The surface  outflow from the Skeena River overpowered the ebb tide in several places around Kennedy Island.  Clearing the top of Grenville Channel we entered Chatham Strait and set a course for Green Island lighthouse.  The swell from offshore was 2-3 feet until in the lee of Dundas Island, then it was nearly flat calm until reaching Green Island, where we started to pick up the swell coming in Dixon Entrance.

 

When we had cell service, we checked in with US Customs and Border Protection, who advised us to use the CBP Roam App on our smartphones to clear.  CPB also approved our stop in Foggy Bay, which the believed should be empty based on call from other vessels to use Foggy Bay.  Our AIS however showed it was full.

 

The App is straightforward to use, scanning in our travel documents and entering the ship information and arrival details.  The only frustration was that the App would not actually send the data to CPB until our phones showed we were across the border.  Cell phone service is spotty across Dixon Entrance which added to the frustration.  Finally, the data was accepted and a few minutes later we received our clearance number and were free to stop anywhere, not just Foggy Bay.

 

Entering Foggy Bay inner anchorage, our AIS was correct, there were already 7 vessels, six of them a Grand Banks flotilla from NW Explorations.  We tried several spots to anchor, but with the tidal range overnight we felt the clearances were inadequate, so we departed and ended up in Bullhead Cove, just six NM further up the mainland.  Bullhead Cove turned out to be a great anchorage, with a straightforward entrance, well sheltered from southerly winds and good holding in 50-60 feet of water.   Since both  Rendezvous and Spirit were cleared, we could now raft up and enjoyed a potluck meal together as we planned the final push into Ketchikan.   

May 14, 2021

We had been informed that there was now only one fuel dock in Ketchikan and waits for fuel could be hours.  We also knew when the flotilla in Foggy Bay was leaving based on their radio traffic, so we made sure we were going to be well ahead of those boats.  The plan worked, sort of.  We were passed by a large yacht who arrived at the fuel dock ahead of us, so we waited about one hour, hovering off the dock waiting for our turn.

 

After taking on 590 gallons of diesel fuel we headed to our destination, Ketchikan Moorage, a small private facility on Tongass Narrows halfway between downtown and Bar Harbor.  We enjoyed a celebration dinner at Oceanview Restaurant, a combination Mexican and Italian place just a few blocks away.  We had arranged a rental car which made it easier for Miriam to get around town.  Ketchikan has experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases recently and many of the restaurants have reverted to takeout only until the outbreak is under control.  One small cruise ship also bypassed Ketchikan yesterday due to the outbreak.  We will stay masked up while we are here.

 

Spirit has travelled 638 nautical miles since leaving Anacortes, putting 73.5 hours on the main engine and 55 hours on the generator.

 

We will spend several days in Ketchikan doing maintenance before heading to the Behm Canal and Misty Fjords.

Alalska 2021 Day 4

 Spirit Log Day 4

 

May 10, 2021

 

We planned a 0600 departure from Allison Harbour to cross Cape Caution before the afternoon westerlies piped up.  Arising at 0530, we were greeted by dense fog, but light winds.  Departing at slow speed with the automatic fog signal blowing every 2 minutes, we inched out the entrance.  The fog began to lift and we discovered clear skies over the Strait of Georgia.  The swell was running at 1.6 meters, or about 5 feet, with a 2 foot wind chop from the west.  We cleared Cape Caution at 0745 and passed behind Egg Island at 0835.  Not the best sea conditions, but far from the worst.

 

Making good time, especially as the seas calmed entering Fitz Hugh sound, we passed by our initial anchorage location, Green Island.  Proceeding up Fitz Hugh we entered Codville Lagoon and anchored under sunny skies at 1500, having covered another 73 NM today.

 

With the early arrival, we relaxed and enjoyed a movie night, watching “First Man” and snacking on popcorn.

 

 

Alaska 2021 Day 2-3

 May 8, 2021

Spirit Log Day 2

 

As expected, the winds abated after sundown and shifted back to northwest.  About 0330 the winds died completely, but the residual low swell caused the fishing boat to start banging against the fenders, waking us up.  Seeing nothing amiss it was back to bed until about 0700.

 

Our day today takes us through Seymour Narrows to Thurston Bay.  We need to hit high slack current at Seymour Narrows, so the 48 NM run to the narrows allowed us to delay our departure until 0900, under overcast skies and almost no wind in Tribune Bay.  Rendezvous is following us about ½ mile astern.

 

Overnight our anchor light failed, so we will have to replace when we get to Ketchikan.  Turns out that even LED lights have finite lifespans.  The light is located at the top of the mast in a difficult location and we will have to wait until Ketchikan to replace it, since Patrick discovered that there was no spare on board.

 

The Strait of Georgia was calm with light winds as we headed further northwest to Campbell River, just this side of Seymour Narrows.  The last of the flood tide flowing south through Discovery Passage slowed us down to less than 4 knots at times.  Even so, we arrived at 1600, 37 minutes ahead of high slack, our target.  The current was very manageable so we proceeded through the narrows and entered Johnstone Strait headed for our evening destination, Thurston Bay.  There was virtually no marine traffic the entire day.

 

We anchored Spirit at 1840 in light rain and calm seas, after a voyage of 69 NM.  After a dinner of roasted pork tenderloin scalloped potatoes and salad, we all retired early for the 0600 departure for our next stop, Allison Harbour.  We have covered nearly 185 NM since leaving Anacortes on May 6.

 

Spirit Log Day 3

 

Dawn arrived all too early for a tired crew, but the calm water and gentle sound of rain on the decks provided a soothing environment for sleep.  Setting the alarm for 0530, we were underway at 0545, some 15 minutes behind Rendezvous.  Riding the ebb tide up a calm Johnstone Strait in rain, dodging barges also riding the ebb tide, we turned into Blackney Pass and into Blackfish Sound.  Alas, no Orca’s to be seen, just an adverse current of 4 knots for several miles until we entered Queen Charlotte Strait.  By this time, the afternoon westerlies began to build and the ebb current created some short steep seas as we crossed over to the British Columbia Mainland side of the straits.  Passing Numas Islands the wind increased to 20-25 knots, the sun came out and we put a lot of spray over Spirit.  Threading our way behind points and islands to minimize the waves we finally decided to explore a different approach into Allison Harbour.  We could see several small passenger boats anchored behind some islands at the entrance and were pleasantly surprised by a nice potential anchorage for future trips.  The anchor was set in Allison Harbor ¼ mile behind Rendezvous at 1755, having logged 102.93 NM today, for a trip total of 289 NM, essentially halfway to Ketchikan.

 

 

 

Alaska 2021 Day 0 and Day 1

Spirit Log – Day 0 to 1

 

May 6, 2021

 

The first stage of our 2021 Alaska Journey was a positioning cruise to Roche Harbor in order to be close to the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) marine reporting terminal at Van Isle Marina, Sidney.  Arriving at Roche Harbor we met up with the Selene 55 Rendezvous who are also headed to Alaska.  The cruise provided a good opportunity to test out the towing bridle for the Johnson’s 18 foot aluminum fishing boat.  We departed Anacortes Marina for the fuel dock at 0745 and after taking on 460 gallons of fuel departed Cap Sante at 0830.  Underway we tested out the towing bridle and the procedures for deploying and retrieving the fishing boat.

 

The towing bride worked fine but was more effective when we shortened the overall length by about 20 feet to 130 feet.

 

Arriving at Roche Harbor Marina at 1145, after a short 27.5 NM journey, our assigned slip was Slip 1 on the main guest dock, close for Miriam to get up to McMillin’s Restaurant where we were scheduled for a sendoff dinner with the crew from Rendezvous.  Dinner and adult beverages were excellent, but the summer prices were a shock compared to just weeks ago during the Selene Owner’s Rendezvous.  Likewise, the moorage prices between winter and summer went from $88 to $203 for the same boat.

	Following dinner we watched the traditional summertime Colors Ceremony as the sun slipped below the horizon in a blaze of light.

Later that evening Patrick finished scanning passports into the ArriveCan app, required for entry in Canada, along with our proposed quarantine plan for the mandatory 14 day period.  The app accepted the entries and we received a 0800 appointment at Van Isle Marina for the next morning.

 

May 7

 

Our departure from Roche Harbor was uneventful, but early, at 0545.  Heading the ten miles to Van Isle Marina we called in as we crossed the border and CBSA confirmed our time of 0800.  Arriving at the CBSA float we found a small sailboat with nobody aboard blocking most of the float.  There were also no CBSA officers.  We managed to place Spirit mostly on the dock, with about 20 feet of the stern hanging out into the fairway.  Fortunately there was little traffic, and the only way on and off was by climbing over the side rail.  The CBSA officers arrived about 0825, since they start work at 0800, but at the Victoria Airport.  The inspectors were courteous and professional and after a series of questions about alcohol, fruits and vegetables, cash, cannabis products and firearms, they performed a brief on-board inspection while we waited in the cockpit, leaving the boat neat.  By 0845, just twenty minutes later, we were on our way north, with the officers even helping with our lines.  Overall, this was a pleasant surprise after reading other crossing reports.

 

Since the process took less time than we expected, in consultation with the crew of Rendezvous, who were cleared shortly after us, we decided to try for slack water at Dodd Narrows, which shortened the distance to our first stop by a few miles.  We actually rode the last of the favorable current through the narrows, hitting speeds of 13 knots over the ground.

 

Entering the Straits of Georgia and threading our way between the bulk carriers waiting to load/unload east of Protection Island we found very favorable wind and sea conditions at we skirted the western boundary of the acoustic range WG (Whiskey Golf) which was not active this day.  Passing Ballenas Islands the normal brisk winds spilling over Vancouver Island near Qualicum Beach, reaching 33 knots and the associated beam seas for the last ten mile run into Tribune Bay on Hornby Island coated Spirit with salt.  As we approached the anchorage, the wind and seas abated and we anchored in 30 feet of water at 1844, having covered a total of 88 NM since leaving Roche Harbor.  Rendezvous anchored shortly after us.

 

The somewhat exhausted crew enjoyed Chicken Piccata prepared by Teri Johnson before retiring for the evening.