Back home in Vancouver

We had a good sailing trip down from Desolation Sound to Vancouver. Sailed over half the way with winds behind us (with an overnight at Garden Bay, Pender Harbour). Not bad for Summer sailing around here. We had to get back quickly/early due to a death in the family.

After nearly a week back in Vancouver, we took off on Pelagia to clear our heads. This past weekend, we spent 3 nights anchored over at Port Graves (Howe Sound). Thursday night there were only 4 boats (take that, Desolation Sound), and both Thursday and Friday the weather was sunny and the water 22 degrees C. Of course, things filled up by Saturday (perhaps 35 boats -- but there was LOTS more room*).  We finally were successful with our HF SSB radio, checking into the Great Northern Boaters Net (HAM, 3870.0 kHz, LSB, 8 am PDT) three times. Our first amateur radio QSO!

To top it all off, we sailed all the way home from Port Graves to Vancouver -- albeit a somewhat tough wind-on-the nose slog. Shoulders are sore from all the tacking and grinding. (Anyone want to sell a couple of electric winches cheap? No? I didn't think so....)




* Why is it that every new boat coming in has to crowd/jam in with the rest of the boats? The 35-or-so boats were mostly crammed in to the end, leaving the other half of the anchorage essentially empty! Ahh, the "herd mentality"...

When Desolation Sound is no longer "desolate"...

August in Desolation Sound -- it is CROWDED!

57+ boats in Tenedos NW anchorage....

This morning, there were 80 boats in the Tenedos anchorages (57+ in the main nook). About 2/3rds of these were from the USA. Most anchorages down in the Gulf Islands don't get anywhere close to this crowded (except, perhaps, for Montague Harbour and Sidney Spit).

Add to the crowds in the anchorage, the generators, the "let's tow the kids with the dinghy" and/or "how about wakeboarding" and we decided it was time to leave.

Mid-July through August is crazy time in Desolation Sound. With luck, adventure, and creativity, one can find quieter anchorages -- but perhaps it is better to go in June or September.

But the water was warm (Tenedos was 24 degrees C) and the sun was shining!

UPDATE 2015: We finally returned to Desolation Sound in September,  2015.  See our blog post about this (November 20, 2015): 

Mt. Llanover Hike & Roscoe Bay Anchorage (Desolation Sound)

View over Desolation Sound from top of Mt. Llanover

Location of Mt. Llanover & Roscoe Bay

Mt. Llanover (view from Desolation Sound)

Mt. Llanover (view from Lewis Channel/Teakerne Arm)

Anchorage: Roscoe Bay
Entrance into Roscoe Bay requires crossing a bar that dries at approximately zero feet/metres. (Pelagia draws 6 feet, and we like to go in on a rising tide with at least an 8 foot tide level.)

Trail Start: North shore, middle of Roscoe Bay (at stream, by old fruit trees). Look for bulletin board (board describes trails in area, and also provides a detailed and interesting life history of the jellyfish in Roscoe Bay).

Rating: Moderately strenuous for 1.5-2 hours to top @ 683 metres. Trail is in good condition and is obvious. In July 2012, there were only a few fallen logs across the trail, all easy to cross. Trail mostly uphill with few flat sections. Good shoes required (we prefer our hiking boots, but good trail runners will work -- trail is mostly dry).

Amenities (water, toilets, etc): Water: (i) Water hose on north shore of Roscoe Bay (water comes from source different/isolated from stream at trailhead or others on trail). (ii) Stream water (should be treated). (iii) water from Black Lake (treat). There is no decent water on the trail in Summer season. Toilets: BC Parks outhouse over at Black Lake trail; none on the Llanover trail.

Features: Great views from top.  There are no views until the top. There is a cairn with prayer flags, and a bottle stuffed with messages. Continue for another 50m to the viewpoint. Good cell coverage at viewpoint.

At end of hike: Hike down is quite easy and faster. At the end, one has choice of a swim in Roscoe Bay (20-24 deg C in July) or dinghy over to short trail to Black Lake for a fresh-water swim.


UPDATE 2015: We returned to Desolation Sound in September 2015 (see our blog post). Trail up to Mt. Llanover was in good condition and required about the same amount of time (within 5 minutes).

UPDATE 2017: Logging has significantly impacted the trail to Mt. Llanover, destroying a section and making the trail more difficult (see our 2017 blog post). We required over 5 hours to complete the trail up and down (compared to usual 3-3.6 hrs). 

Desolation Sound arrival

Well, the sun went away for a few days. But with that came SE winds, giving us a great sail all the way from Pender Harbour to Cortes Bay (Cortes Island). Such an easy sail, with Waggy the autopilot handling the steering most of the way.

After some drizzly days in anchorages in:  Cortes Bay, Grace Harbour then Laura Cove, the sun came back out and we've had good times swimming, hiking (including our "annual" hike up Llanover Mountain) and relaxing,  especially in Roscoe Bay.

We are currently at Taku Resort in  Drew Harbour, Heriot Bay, on Quadra Island.

Update to Cruz-Pro RH-60 Tachometer added

Note added here about calibrating the Cruz Pro RH-60 Tachometer

Sunny weather, and the water is warm up here!

We are currently in Pender Harbour, up on the Sunshine Coast. Stopped first at Smuggler's Cove, then came to Pender. Managed a nice little sail from Smuggler's to Pender Harbour.

"Sunshine Coast" has been the correct term. We've been hot, with all the hatches open and fans going. Swimming (salt water) has been great. 22-24 degrees Celsius (72-75 deg F for those challenged by, well, the world's standard).

Of course, with the first swim of the year comes scrubbing of hulls (what!? barnacles!?) and changing of zincs. Challenging my aging lungs.

Probably do some biking today, and head towards (or to) Desolation Sound tomorrow.

Happy Canada Day!

Yucky weather (or yucky forecasts) over the past week have conspired each morning to keep us here in Vancouver, with Pelagia at the dock. (OK, we were out for 3 nights a week ago.)

July 1st was Canada Day: We realized we haven't been in Vancouver on July 1st for a very long time (not since at least 2006... perhaps longer, but I didn't check my logbook). Each year, we've been away, out on the boat (for example, 1 year ago we were in Queen Charlotte City, in Haida Gwai).

This July 1 turned out to be a pretty nice day. We went for a very enjoyable bike ride on the dikes surrounding Richmond (taking the Canada Line to get to Richmond), through Steveston Village (which was a happening spot with its annual July 1 "Salmon Festival" celebration). Arriving back (via skytrain) in Vancouver, the city was packed with visitors -- hundreds of thousands (yes, really) of people dressed in Canada red and white.

Arriving back at our apartment, we felt in need of  a Canada Day celebratory drink -- limes, triple sec and tequila were secured and a pitcher of margaritas quickly made up. When we regained consciousness...*  well, after a short nap (due to either, or both, the bike ride and the margs), we decided to walk down to Pelagia to have dinner on the boat and then watch the fireworks from chairs on our dock.

It was a great show. And we had a much-better-than-expected Canada Day. Happy 145th Canada!

(As forecast, we woke up to rain this morning... it is still raining.)


* If you're Canadian (and not too young), "When I regained consciousness..." should ring a bell (Dave Broadfoot).