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| Heading south: Chapple Inlet to Sointula |
Our stay in Chapple Inlet after our long daytime sail across Hecate Strait turned into a 3-night stay due to gales. We SHOULD have high-tailed it south the next day, but we were too tired from the preceding 92-mile trip. So we got stuck in Chapple bouncing around while gales blew outside. It wasn't comfortable.
After 3 nights, with a gentle forecast, we took off south. But we quickly ran into fuel starvation issues: the rambunctious Hecate crossing (and perhaps the two days bouncing at anchor) must have stirred up junk in the fuel tanks (OR we had received some bad fuel... more likely the former). We changed the primary filter and started off again. Within an hour, the problems were back. We were able to motor at reduced revs and speed, so continued on to the (lovely) anchorage at Meyer's Narrows. We changed the filter again, and kept our fingers crossed.
Next day, we headed to Klemtu, intent to get fuel and water (we had been given the heads up that there was no water at the docks at Shearwater... due to a big leak in their lines) and perhaps change the filter again.
We wondered if we would have to get our fuel and tanks "polished" in Shearwater (pricey and time consuming... something better to do in Vancouver). As it turned out, we had no further fuel starvation issues, and that day we went all the way from Meyer's to Wigham Cove, surprising our cruising friends Wayne and Lee on SV Chanter, who kindly made dinner and provided wine for us.
We spent a couple days with Chanter then went to Shearwater to stock up. Indeed, there was no potable water at the docks (but they did find the source of the leak while we were there... they have some excavating to do) -- we topped up our tanks using jerry cans from a potable water tap ashore. Provisions were scarce at Shearwater as they now only stock up every 2 weeks (to save money on shipping?), but Michelle took the shuttle (free for us "elders") to Bella Bella and its store was well-stocked (weekly) and everyone was very welcoming. Laundry was done and David purchased SIX new primary filter cartridges just in case...).
We left Shearwater and joined Chanter for 3 nights at Rait Narrows then at Forit Bay. It was great to be cruising with friends (almost all of our time since May we were alone).
Soon it was time to head south. There was a weather window to go around Cape Caution the next day, so we did a long trip (mostly motor, though we did have a rambunctious, nail-biting sail between swells crashing on rocks for the final 2 hours) from Forit Bay all the way to Millbrook Cove in Smith Sound, setting us up for going around Cape Caution next morning. To our surprise, friends on SV Darwin Sound (who also live in Whistler) followed us in to Millbrook.
We left early the next morning, with a "relatively gentle" motor/motor-sail past Cape Caution (relative because it is usually quite rolly on this passage). Of course, David was worried the rolly trip would stir up more junk in the tanks. But the trip went fine, with a little fog thrown in; we arrived in Port Alexander, only a few miles north of Port Hardy by 1pm'ish. Al and Irene from Darwin Sound joined us for dinner on Pelagia. Port Alexander was new to us, and a little too windy for our liking, but it wasn't a bad night (new anchorages with wind tend to stress David...).
Next day, we headed down to our regular favourite, Sointula, where we spent 3 relaxing days/nights.
We were back on the south coast (albeit, at its northern end).
After 3 nights, with a gentle forecast, we took off south. But we quickly ran into fuel starvation issues: the rambunctious Hecate crossing (and perhaps the two days bouncing at anchor) must have stirred up junk in the fuel tanks (OR we had received some bad fuel... more likely the former). We changed the primary filter and started off again. Within an hour, the problems were back. We were able to motor at reduced revs and speed, so continued on to the (lovely) anchorage at Meyer's Narrows. We changed the filter again, and kept our fingers crossed.
Next day, we headed to Klemtu, intent to get fuel and water (we had been given the heads up that there was no water at the docks at Shearwater... due to a big leak in their lines) and perhaps change the filter again.
We wondered if we would have to get our fuel and tanks "polished" in Shearwater (pricey and time consuming... something better to do in Vancouver). As it turned out, we had no further fuel starvation issues, and that day we went all the way from Meyer's to Wigham Cove, surprising our cruising friends Wayne and Lee on SV Chanter, who kindly made dinner and provided wine for us.
We spent a couple days with Chanter then went to Shearwater to stock up. Indeed, there was no potable water at the docks (but they did find the source of the leak while we were there... they have some excavating to do) -- we topped up our tanks using jerry cans from a potable water tap ashore. Provisions were scarce at Shearwater as they now only stock up every 2 weeks (to save money on shipping?), but Michelle took the shuttle (free for us "elders") to Bella Bella and its store was well-stocked (weekly) and everyone was very welcoming. Laundry was done and David purchased SIX new primary filter cartridges just in case...).
We left Shearwater and joined Chanter for 3 nights at Rait Narrows then at Forit Bay. It was great to be cruising with friends (almost all of our time since May we were alone).
Soon it was time to head south. There was a weather window to go around Cape Caution the next day, so we did a long trip (mostly motor, though we did have a rambunctious, nail-biting sail between swells crashing on rocks for the final 2 hours) from Forit Bay all the way to Millbrook Cove in Smith Sound, setting us up for going around Cape Caution next morning. To our surprise, friends on SV Darwin Sound (who also live in Whistler) followed us in to Millbrook.
We left early the next morning, with a "relatively gentle" motor/motor-sail past Cape Caution (relative because it is usually quite rolly on this passage). Of course, David was worried the rolly trip would stir up more junk in the tanks. But the trip went fine, with a little fog thrown in; we arrived in Port Alexander, only a few miles north of Port Hardy by 1pm'ish. Al and Irene from Darwin Sound joined us for dinner on Pelagia. Port Alexander was new to us, and a little too windy for our liking, but it wasn't a bad night (new anchorages with wind tend to stress David...).
Next day, we headed down to our regular favourite, Sointula, where we spent 3 relaxing days/nights.
We were back on the south coast (albeit, at its northern end).
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