On Sunday, August 11, we went through Whirlpool rapids, up Chancellor Channel and then Loughborough Inlet. We were headed for Beaver Cove but we spotted a waterfall right next to a log boom so we braked (I brake for whales and waterfalls), turned hard to port and anchored in front of the falls with a stern tie to shore. We love waterfalls. The log boom was dancing around with the wind and currents and so were we. At one point we had to put out our fenders to keep from rubbing up against it. More than once we had the thought, “if that boom breaks, we’re toast.” But the boom was what made the anchoring possible, protecting us from waves and currents.

On Monday we left our waterfall and, bypassing Beaver Cove altogether, we stopped at Sidney Bay. Acting on intel gleaned from a fellow boater, we bought a bunch of prawns there and then we motored further up the inlet to a tiny, unnamed cove adjacent to Heydon Bay. We had fresh prawns for dinner! We stayed there a couple of days while I caught some nice rock cod. It was peaceful getting off the main drag, aka hwy 66. We only saw one other boat the whole time.

August 8, 2019. We left Port Neville and travelled up Sunderland Channel to anchor behind a small islet called Murray Island. There were seals, a loon and an eagle, so it seemed nice and private. It turned out to be not so great as the wind came up and the waves came up and both came whipping around both sides of that little island and we were rockin’ and rollin’ all night long. Or most of the night anyway. So next morning we pulled anchor and went around the corner to Forward Harbor.

We stayed at Forward Harbor for one night on our way north but did not take the time to hike the trail from there to Bessborough Bay. This time we hiked the trail; bears be damned, I gotta move (we didn’t see any). This necessitated staying two days in Forward Harbor because we had to then wait for a favorable tide to transit Whirlpool Rapids just outside Forward Harbor down Wellbore Channel. Forward Harbor is beautiful, but it’s like the Holiday Inn on Route 66. It’s on the main thoroughfare of the northern route to and from the Broughtons. (Johnstone Strait is the freeway.) Forward Harbor is strategically placed between Whirlpool Rapids on one side and where Sunderland Channel meets Johnstone Strait on the other. Both are potentially dangerous and need careful timing for transit. There were about a dozen DIFFERENT boats both nights we were there, so we were glad to leave.

Thursday, August 8. We went from Growler Cove to Port Harvey on Tuesday, then here yesterday. We will be heading up Sunderland Channel today so we’ll probably lose Good Ol’ Roger for awhile.

Port Harvey and Port Neville used to be booming communities where fishermen and loggers partied hearty. Now there isn’t much of anything. Many abandoned buildings and docks in various stages of disrepair. There is still an active logging camp in Port Harvey. Port Harvey is between East and West Cracroft Islands while Port Neville is on the mainland.

Before the fishermen and loggers arrived, the First Nation people lived here. There is a river at the mouth of this inlet so they had plenty of salmon, and bear of course. Being the mainland, there are both black bear and grizzlies. Grizzlies can swim but apparently don’t, so they are seen mainly on the mainland.

What the Indians left behind, and the main reason we stopped here, are some petroglyphs carved into the stone just below high tide at Robbers Nob.

Because they were difficult to see, I “painted” the grooves with water to make them stand out more clearly.

Friday, August 2. We are anchored in a narrow nook between two of the Pearse Islands. They are a group of small islets between Cormorant Island and Hanson Island off of Weynton Passage. Most of this island group is a nature preserve. As soon as we came in here we were surrounded by baby seals. Every time the tide goes out, mamas and babies come up on the rocks to nurse. The rest of the time they ride on mom’s back or jump around on top of each other. It’s seal nursery. What a riot!

As soon as the tide comes up so I can get through the gap, I plan to take the kayak out for a spin. Need to warm up for the 360 race that I registered for this Sunday. https://alertbay360.com

Monday, July 29. We have had no cell service for 20 days. Roger just doesn’t go into the Broughtons, only one bar around the edges.

We had the most wonderful day yesterday. We left Carrie Bay, after watching the bear in the morning. We headed out into Queen Charlotte Strait and had about 9 kts on a broad reach. So we put out the sails, turned off the engine and sailed right through a whole pod of humpback whales. They were breaching and diving all around us. It was glorious. We sailed on through Weyton Passage at just the right time and motored on into Alert Bay.

Alert Bay, Port McNeill and Sointula are the main provisioning ports for the Broughtons. Of the three, we really like Alert Bay. But the store here doesn’t have much organic selection, so we took a ferry to Port McNeill this morning and got groceries and flowers.

This Sunday there is a 360 race around the island. Human-powered craft only. I am going to enter in my kayak. It’s about 8 miles around the island. Not too bad except that there are some wicked currents around here. We plan to go visit the Pearse Islands, just east of here, for a few days and then come back for the 360 race on Sunday.

Saturday, July 27. We left Moore Bay through a very narrow pass between the mainland and Gregory Island into Shawl Bay and then Penphrase Passage. We stopped for lunch at Proctor Bay to visit Billy Proctor’s museum and to hike the trail between Proctor Bay and Echo Bay. Billy Proctor is 84 years old and has lived here all his life and has collected a lot of stuff: old fishing gear, antique bottles, logging equipment and native artifacts.

After chatting with Billy and hiking the trail, we trolled for salmon down Cramer Passage. I’m sure you will be surprised that we didn’t catch any salmon. We did catch a beautiful Kelp Greenling. We also traveled down the passage along with a humpback whale. They come up for breath about 4 or 5 times, then they do a deep dive. Their back curves up above the surface (humpback) and then they dive. If you are lucky, the tail comes out of the water. Then you won’t see them again for about five minutes.

Finally we pulled up in Carrie Bay, off of Retreat Passage, for the night. Next morning we saw another black bear on the beach, turning over rocks and scrounging for food.

Wednesday, July 24. Furry Eyeful Alert. This is a very beautiful bay with lots of nooks and crannies for boats to anchor without ever seeing each other. There is a rustic campground on the north end where we stopped for lunch on our way up to Wakeman Sound. We decided to stop again on our way back down, this time on the south end. There is a drying rock in the middle of this bay that is always crammed with seals sunning themselves at low tide. From a distance they look like slugs.  Sea slugs.

We stayed here for three days. I toured in my kayak on the first day and caught some rock cod. Then it rained like hell for the next two days. I’ve never seen so much rain in one day. Alan says that he has but it was during the monsoons in SE Asia.