I was sitting in the cockpit with my coffee this morning enjoying the peaceful scene, listening to the forest birds and watching a Steller’s jay pecking at rock weed at the end of a log when I realized that Ron was patiently waiting for me to finish my quiet moment so he could get Snug underway. My cup was empty, so off we went, passing the watchful eagle and the otters splashing and snorting and jumping up the bank when…
We woke this morning to light wind and misty rain; the clouds were hanging over the land and we couldn’t see far. The tide was low so we got suited up and rowed over to where Ron had seen the sandhill cranes yesterday morning. They were down on the lagoon but moving toward their nest when, using our best stealth strategies, we approached and peered through our binoculars. They are very well camouflaged, and that, combined with the moisture in…
Ron went ashore early this morning when the tide was low to photograph the fish weir, and then went around the point into the lagoon to check for the sandhill crane. He could hardly believe his eyes when he spotted not only two adult cranes, but two young ones foraging out on the dry lagoon. We rowed back later so I could try to get a glimpse of the cranes, but they were nowhere in sight. The tide was covering most…
The tide was low this morning and we were preparing to row over and walk into the lagoon to try to spot the crane, when it came flying back across the bay, announcing itself with its unmistakable call. It landed on the shore where we had been walking yesterday and Ron rowed in to try to sneak up for a photo, but it flew again before he could get anywhere near close enough for a good shot. We pulled up…
The sun was rising over Porcher Island when we got underway at six this morning, with some fog in Edye Passage. Our intention was to skirt the west shore of the island and go back into Kitkatla Inlet via Freeman Passage 18 km to the south. A southeast wind was forecast to come up at noon and we wanted to get off Hecate Strait before then. All went according to plan and we had a great motor-sail in gentle swells…
Sunshine! We had a perfectly lovely day today, beginning with a calm night and blue sky upon an early rising. Then a wonderful paddle out of Welcome Harbour, into Secret Cove and along the islets and islands to the north on the edge of Hecate Strait. This is the kind of paddling we love—through narrow guts between rocks, in and out of hidden bays, feeling the swell of the ocean under the kayaks. We nosed into a little beach on…
Having had little sleep last night due to noises caused by strong, gusting winds, we slept in (well, I did, anyway) and got a late start today. Eventually we launched the kayaks and paddled through a gut to where there is a trail to Oval Bay on the outside of Porcher Island. Someone is constructing board walks along the trail and it was easy going. Oval Bay is a long crescent beach (3 miles), mostly gravel, open to Hecate Strait….
Chatham Sound was completely different when we left Rupert this morning—no wind, no waves. We fuelled up and ran down to have a look at the moorage facility at Rushbrooke (another dock a few minutes walk from town) for future reference, then out of Prince Rupert Harbour and over to Porcher Island. Conditions were great to have a tour of the north coast of Porcher, so we circled in and out of Humpback Bay, the site of an old fish…
We had another town day today, grocery shopping—to stock up on fresh fruit and veg, mostly—and more walking and exploring. The rain wasn’t quite as persistent as yesterday so we took a camera with us this time. There is a beautiful little sunken garden behind City Hall, very nicely maintained and in full bloom. When we passed through yesterday, a wedding party was there—the garden provides a lovely backdrop for photos of a special day but those girls must have…
We spent the day dodging rain showers, exploring and doing chores (Ron replaced the sounder that had quit working much to his satisfaction). We visited the excellent Museum of Northern BC—an impressive big house overlooking the harbour with lots of First Nations artifacts and cultural information. There is also a curious little boat—the Kaza Maru—with an interesting story on display in the waterfront park . A Japanese fisherman went out fishing for the day in September 1985 and never returned. In…