Farewell to a Favorite - Greenway Sound Marina

One of our favorite stops on the coast was Greenway Sound Marina.  A great place to meet friends, have a great meal, charge up your batteries, get water, get some supplies, do laundry, go on a hike, take a shower, and maybe even get a haircut. Yes, a haircut.  The red carpeted docks were there to greet you as well always a hearty "hello" from the owners Tom and Ann Taylor.  It "was" one of the best places on the coast.  That's right "was."  Greenway Sound Marina is no more.

I remember first stopping in at "Greenway" back in the early 90's.  We had just caught a large halibut and we needed a place to clean and package it that had plenty of electricity and water.  So we stopped in and we've never really left since - always stopping in year after year.  Back in the heyday of Greenway you had to call Tom on the VHF and make a reservation not only for supper but for moorage too.  You'd come around the point and you would see the place packed with all sorts of yachts - big luxury yachts, world cruising sailboats, trawlers, sailboats, and weekend cruisers.  You'd give Tom a 'shout' on the VHF and he'd always snuggle you in to the perfect spot with a hand.  When you got up to the store/restaurant to register you'd be greeted with a hug and a handshake by Ann and Tom.  Tom would then make your dinner reservation.  There wasn't too much time to chat as Tom was always attending to another boater, and Ann was prepping for dinner. Both Tom and Ann worked hard to deliver that renowned red carpet Greenway service.

Thursday, 7/20/2006, Day 8

            Woke to high clouds, a forecast for better or clearing weather and a return of afternoon northwesterly winds.  We pulled up anchor at 0955 and headed out.  Waters are perfectly calm under a high overcast sky.  We’re on our way to Greenway Sound Marine Resort for the night.  We went down Indian Passage, in to Fife Sound, round Notice Point in to Raleigh Passage, then in to Penphrase Passage, then Sharp Passage in to Sutlej Channel and finally in to Greenway Sound.  We pulled in to Greenway Sound Marine Resort about 1420.

            I hosed down the “Zipper” and the boat.  Then we went to set prawn traps over in Greenway Sound.  It is terribly hot out with very little wind to cool you down.  So motoring out to set prawn traps was some relief from the heat.  We had to re-set one trap because it was too deep and had drifted.  After setting the prawn traps we motored over to the Forest Service trailhead and took a hike to the lake.  The trail is deep in the woods and this too will serve as some relief from the heat.  We hiked to the ‘view point’ but it was overgrown with small alder trees.  Josef and I then took a quick dip in to the lake to cool off and refresh us.  It was deliciously cooling and refreshing.  After the hike, we returned to the marina, took showers and then had a wonderful dinner at the Greenway Sound restaurant.  You just can’t go wrong.  Josef and I really enjoy the New York steak with the Béarnaise dipping sauce. A fresh breeze from the S cooled the boat off later in the evening.

Sunset at Greenway Sound Marina

Come dinner time, the restaurant would be packed with all sorts of folks.  Conversation was easy and friendly.  Always a "Hi, we're from..." or "Oh, where are you off to now..."  Tom was an excellent host mixing wonderful drinks and always attending to any need you had.  Tom always had a great wine or drink recommendation. Waiting for dinner you could sit and look at the hundreds of yacht pennants that adorned the walls or gaze at the beautiful scenery from the restaurant.  When the meal came, it was not only delicious but a feast for your eyes too.  The food always looked delicious.  Ann was very particular that everything was perfect - and it was!  Always the freshest and best ingredients.  Once I had some visitors from Europe with me and they were amazed at the quality of the meal they had in the "wilderness."   I always ordered the Alberta beef New York steak because after a couple of weeks out on the boat all we ate was fish.  Tom seemed to have a connection with the heavens too, because glorious sunsets always seemed to accompany dinner.

Fishing right off the dock at Greenway

Our children enjoyed Greenway too.  They could fish right from the dock and catch big fish.  Once they caught a nice 20lb + ling cod right off the dock.  Or they would catch shiner perch and sell them to the other boaters as rockfish bait.  There was always something to do.  When suppertime came, we adults would enjoy a gourmet dinner, while Ann would make a delicious pizza for the boys to enjoy.  The kitchen staff even delivered to your boat!  The boys didn't mind that mom and dad were gone, they had power to watch a video and enjoy a pizza.  And, after they devoured the pizza they'd come for dessert.  Greenway had ice cream and all sorts of delicious desserts.

Sadly the demise of Greenway came slowly and from different directions.  One, the cost of fuel limited the number of boaters that wanted to travel that far.  Diesel fuel cost went from $0.50 per gallon to over two or even three dollars per gallon. Greenway was over 200 nautical miles from Seattle.  Two,  the economy made it tough to take the time off. Folks had to work versus taking time to travel.  To ease that, Tom kept Greenway technologically up to date adding WiFi and always working to ensure there was cell service.  He made connections with airlines to always offer daily service.  It was also hard getting good help.  Tom recruited the best help, but it was hard for the help to be so isolated.  Finally the bank didn't agree with Tom about a marina in the Canadian wilderness as an investment.  Three, the fishing and fishing regulations had changed.  Once it was easy to catch salmon and bottom fish, but then the stocks declined and the resulting regulations decreased the fishing opportunities.  And four, age.  Tom and Ann were getting older.  The demands of long days cooking and running a high-class restaurant took it's toll on Ann.  The Taylor's tried hard to find an owner that would continue to run Greenway with the quality they created.  That kind of quality is hard to find, and it just didn't work.  So last year Greenway closed.

Ann & Tom Taylor

I have closely worked with Tom and Ann for many years.  The Taylor's have seen my boys grow from youngsters to young men.  They have seen us grow old too.  I stay in touch with Tom, he's still energetic with new ideas as a twenty year old.  I wish I could match his youthful thinking, quick wit, and energy.  He just got a pacemaker installed and now he's back to prime form with a list of new ideas.  The Taylor's have many lifelong friends from all the years they welcomed boaters.  I would dare to say the Taylor's have a huge and extended family.  I am proud to count myself as part of their extended family.  I will miss Greenway Sound Marina.  I personally don't think another coastal marina will ever match what they had.  They were pioneers in the coastal marina business.

Sadly, the remote marina business is declining.  The past years have seen other quality remote marinas decline and close.  Again, costs to run a marina are not cheap, the season is short, and folks just don't want to take the time and cost to travel so far.  When you travel north, make plans to visit these remote marinas and enjoy a night or two and thank them for their commitment.  We try to stop every year at an "up coast" marina.  In some coming blog posts I'll write about some other marinas that we have enjoyed.  If you have some favorites, drop me a comment or an email at: capnnak@gmail.com

Favorite Eats: Cincinnati Chili

As the weather forecast was predicting the first November storm with winds I thought it best to go down to the MV Independence and check things out - make sure the lines are tight, things are stowed away, and whatever else I notice.  The winds blew strong through the marina. You could hear the tell tale sounds of the wind with halyards slapping the masts, and squeaks of fenders as they were pressed against the dock.  Each gust would gently move the MV Independence slightly about in its slip, but I had no worries.  I decided to start the engine and let it run for awhile.  As usual it started right up and that brought a smile to my face.  I slowed the rpms to an idle and put the boat in gear.  The boat surged slightly forward but stopped as the mooring lines held tight.  I commented out loud and to myself, "I'll let you run for a while."  Now I no longer did I hear the sounds of the marina and wind, but the gentle purring of the motor.

While waiting for the engine to warm up, I poured my self a tot of whiskey, sat down, relaxed, and opened the MV Independence log book randomly to a page and began to read.  Like a bible I enjoy reading a past log entry and thinking about past travels and adventures, particularly on a stormy day.  Here's what I read...

5019.9 Monday, 8/25/2003, Day 35

Click on image to enlarge

Left Shoal Bay Marina at 0735.  Skies are heavy and gray as it rained most of the night.  At times heavily.  Now there only some light showers.  Seas are calm.  We made it through the Dent, Gillard, and Yuculta rapids fine, perhaps a bit early but there were no issues.  As usual there was a bunch of other boats going through too.  After the rapids we enjoyed a nice breakfast while continuing our cruise south.  We went through Desolation, passing our planned anchorage – Squirrel Cove at around noon. The boys and I were not in the mood to stop so soon.  The weather was still cold and gray.  Weather Canada was still predicting a SE storm. As we went S the weather seemed to get better.  Light winds were the name of the day.  We went down Thulin Passage, past Lund, and then we were considering staying at Westview/Powell River.  I called to see if the ice rink was open but it wasn’t.  So, we thought about it and then pressed on.  We considered staying in Blind Bay but it didn’t “jive” with the next day's plans of getting through Dodd Narrows at slack.  So we decided to press on to Pender Harbor.  I wasn’t too keen on paying for moorage at a marina so we are trying Bargain Bay which is south of Pender Harbor.  We’re anchored in 35’ at high tide.  Including us, there are 6 boats anchored in the bay.  When entering or exiting Bargain Bay you need to stay close to the East side to avoid a rock.  It’s very peaceful here it's like anchoring in a lake.  We had a nice dinner – Cincinnati Chili out on the aft deck.  Then we sat out and talked long into the evening.

Cincinnati Chili?  I almost forgot how good that is.  We learned about Cincinnati Chili from our good friends Tom & Ann Taylor at Greenway Sound Marina in the Broughtons where it was always on the menu. (Tom was originally from Cincinnati) His wife Ann made an incredibly delicious Cincinnati Chili. Cincinnati Chili is different from most chili recipes in that it some different spices in it and its served atop a pile of spaghetti with a big mound of cheese and onions if you so desire.  Unfortunately Greenway Sound Marina is closed but I'll provide you with a recipe so you can enjoy Cincinnati Chili.

I make two versions of Cincinnati Chili, a boat version - quick and easy, and a home slow cooked version.  Both are good and very hearty and comforting on cold days.  I mean what's not to like you got chili, cheese and pasta.  Here's the quick and easy boat version that we enjoyed that day in Bargain Bay.

• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 t garlic powder (or two cloves of garlic minced)
• 1 can chili con carne with beans
• 1 can diced tomatoes (I like Rotel - tomatoes with green chilis - if I have it)
• 1 T dried oregano
• 1 T cocoa powder
• 2 t ground cinnamon
• 2 t ground allspice
• 1 t ground cumin
• 1 t Worcestershire sauce
• 2 t Tabasco or red pepper sauce
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 2-3 cups cooked spaghetti
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Oyster crackers

 In a large pot over medium high heat add vegetable oil and get it hot.  Add about a quarter of the chopped onions (about 1/4 cup) and cook until onion is soft about 2-3 minutes.  Next add all the spices of cumin, cinnamon, allspice, oregano, and cocoa powder and saute them for about 1 minute with the onions.  Next reduce the heat to low, add the canned chili, canned diced tomatoes, vinegar, Tabasco sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.  Mix well and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes to ensure that all the flavors develop. During this time you can also cook your spaghetti in boiling water with a touch of salt.

Place a good helping of cooked spaghetti in a bowl, ladle the chili over the top and ask, "You want a one top or a two top?"  If the reply is a "one top" put a big mound of grated cheddar cheese on top.  If the reply is a "two top" place diced onions on top of the mound of cheddar cheese.  The final "coup de grace" is a handful of oyster crackers on top.

Tip! What we do now, to avoid always having to take so many spices on board, we mix the dried spices - oregano, garlic powder, allspice, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and cumin - into a small Ziplock bag, label it, and put it aboard in the larder just in case we want Cincinnati Chili when out cruising. 

Hmmm?  As soon as I'm done here at the boat I think I'll go home and enjoy a big pot of Cincinnati Chili.  Just as I finished my tot of whiskey, I checked the engine and it was fully warmed up.  So I shut the engine down, gave the boat a last check, and quickly hurried down the dock through the wind and rain to get some Cincinnati Chili.  I know I'm going to have a "two top." Enjoy.

Which Route Crossing Georgia Strait Is Best For You?

Last summer we took advantage of some very calm weather ahead of predicted stormy weather to come down Georgia Strait. Fuel cost, time, weather, scenery, and available anchorages all weighed in my decision on which "route" to travel down the Strait to Nanaimo. In the 21+ years I've been crossing Georgia Strait I've come to define three major routes that not only I but other boaters use. These are, west side, west Texada, and Malaspina. Each route has its benefits and its demerits. And along with each route there are some minor route changes that you can do. However, which main Georgia Strait route to use depends on where you are going, how much time you have, and the weather.

In my discussion on each cruising route, I will review each route based on the below criteria. Please note that the criteria below are based on my experiences and knowledge and may differ from others with similar knowledge and experience. Remember, you're the captain of your vessel and the below is only offered as advice that you may choose to use or not.

• Distance from Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to a point where you technically out of any weather seas, e.g., Campbell River, or the southern end of Desolation Sound.  Although your numbers of nautical miles may vary, I will report the number of nautical miles from my log book from past trips. 
• Weather seas. The potential for rough seas either northwest or southeast winds where you would experience "moderate" seas of 3'-4' or more. I will rate this from a "1" low risk to "5" high risk. I will further break it down into two sub-areas - Nanaimo to approximately Comox and that latitude across, and from Comox north.
• Anchorages/Moorage. How many safe anchorages or marinas that are along the route and available if you were to experience heavy weather. Safe anchorages for me are where you can reliably be out of the winds and no worry of dragging anchor. I will list the number of anchorages and moorages that I would consider as safe. You may have your own favorite anchorages or marinas.
• Popularity. The number of other boats that travel the same route. This can be both good and bad. I will list this as a "1" low (few boats travel this route) to "5" high (many boaters travel this route).
• Hazards. Shoals, Area WG, ferries, shipping traffic, etc. I will rate this as a "1" low (few hazards) to "5" high (many hazards may be experienced).
• Scenery. Views of shore, mountains, rock formations, and more while traveling. Again a scale will be used from "1" low (no scenic value) to "5" high (lots of scenery). This rating and criteria is pretty subjective and may vary from person to person.
• Amenities. Places where you can stop for repairs or fuel, or provisions. A rating will be used from "1" low (few amenities) to "5" (lots of amenities).

Cruising routes for Georgia Strait. Click on image to enlarge. West Side Georgia Strait Route.
Description:	Follows the eastern shore of Vancouver Island.  Nanaimo to Denman Island (Lambert Channel) to Campbell River (Cape Mudge)
Distance:	73 nm
Weather seas:	southern end: 5  northern end: 5  average: 5
Anchorages:	4 (Schooner Cove, French Creek, Ford Cove, Baynes Sound/Comox)
Popularity:	4
Hazards:	1 (Ferry to Powell River, Shipping Traffic, unless you go into Comox then hazards would be a 4 because of shoals)
Scenery:	1 (May see orca in northern waters)
Amenities:	2 (French Creek, Comox)
Comments:	You’re pretty unprotected on this route and are mercy to the weather seas.  For me, it is a long and boring slog up the island.  However, if Campbell River is your goal then this is the route.  You can skip going up Lambert Channel and save about 5 nm.

West Texada (Sabine Channel) Georgia Strait Route.
Description:	Nanaimo to Bull Passage, then up Sabine Channel along west side of Texada Island and then to Lund
Distance:	57 nm
Weather seas:	southern end: 3  northern end: 4  average: 3.5
Anchorages:	1 (Lasqueti/Jedediah Is.)
Popularity:	1
Hazards:	3 (Area WG, Mystery Reef, Shipping Traffic, Ferry to Powell River)
Scenery:	2 (Jedediah Is.)
Amenities:	1 (Lund)
Comments:	I do travel this route but only in good weather, it saves me a bit of time and we really enjoy Jedediah Marine Park.  Going up the west side of Texada is boring.

Malaspina Strait Georgia Strait Route.
Description:	Nanaimo to Texada, then up Malaspina Strait to Powell River, then to Lund
Distance:	61 nm
Weather seas:	southern end: 3  northern end: 3  average: 3
Anchorages:	5 (Ballet Bay, Blind Bay, Garden Bay, Grief Point, Powell River)
Popularity:	5
Hazards:	3 (Area WG, Boating Traffic, Shipping Traffic, Ferry to Powell River)
Scenery:	3 (Forested shores of Texada, views of mountains)
Amenities:	5 (Garden Bay, Grief Point, Powell River, Lund )
Comments:	We travel this route the most, although I don’t often like the passing wakes from large powerboats.  We have seen bears along the shores of Texada Island.  You don’t feel alone on this route with all the other boats.  And, I’ve ducked into several different spots when I got tired of beating through the waves and swell.

Just SE of Lund

When crossing Georgia Strait I always listen to Comox Coast Guard Radio on WX 3 particularly for the weather “Georgia Strait – North of Nanaimo.”  They will tell me if Area WG (Whiskey Golf) is active and provide weather reports at the below locations to help me choose the best route.  The weather radio forecasts are updated at 4 AM, 10:30 AM, 4 PM, and 9:30 PM.  Automated weather stations are updated each hour.

• Entrance Island – Lighthouse report
•  Merry Island – Lighthouse report
• Chrome Island – Lighthouse report
• Cape Lazo – Lighthouse report
• Cape Mudge – Lighthouse report
• Ballenas Island – Automated report
• Sisters Island – Automated report
• Grief Point – Automated report
• Sentry Shoal – Automated report

So there you have it my analysis of three cruising routes for Georgia Strait.  I hope this information helps you on deciding which route is best for you.  Again, it is based on 21+ years of experience crossing this inland sea which I call the “Monster.”  If you have any comments or suggestions I welcome them.  Happy cruise planning.

Favorite Anchorages - Cullen Harbor, Queen Charlotte Strait

It's rainy, windy, fall mornings like this that have me dreaming of summer cruising both past and future.  As I sip my morning coffee I can imagine myself sitting in the MV Independence at some remote anchorage and watching the rain come down.  The image that many times comes to my mind is the anchorage at Cullen Harbor just at the entrance to Fife Sound at the far northeastern corner of Queen Charlotte Strait.  For all the anchorages between Puget Sound to Alaska this has got to be one of, if not my most favorite anchorage.  Oh so many memories of fishing nearby, playing in the tidal rapids in Booker Passage, exploring the many islands and bays, scuba diving, seeing wildlife - dolphins, whales, seal lions and bears, and meeting friends here.  How many times we said, "Let's just stay another day here."

Click on above to enlarge

Cullen Harbor is a great all weather anchorage.  Depths average around the harbor at 30'.  The bottom holding is good with a hard but pliable clay bottom with kelp that will really allow the flukes of your anchor to dig in.  I've never dragged anchor here.  The harbor has room for about 20 or more boats but I've never seen that many here.  It's especially well protected from any stormy SE winds.  We've hunkered down several times here to escape some pretty nasty blows.  If you want privacy there's a few little nooks you can anchor in.  If you really want privacy or protection you can anchor in nearby Booker Lagoon too.  No wind or swell will enter the lagoon.  And, not too many folks are willing to navigate Booker Passage to get into Booker Lagoon.  Traveling Booker Passage is easy during slack tide and you don't have to worry about any shoal water.  I've scuba dove the entire cut and the shallowest it gets is 40'.  There's four good anchoring areas within the lagoon, the prettiest being the far western bay.

inukshuk

Booker Lagoon offers great gunkholing for those days when the weather "outside" in Queen Charlotte Strait is nasty.  The lagoon gets filled with moon jellys during the summer.  We fully explored the many islands in and around the lagoon erecting inukshuks on them and searching for trinkets and treasures.  Some of the islands made for a great picnic spot or sunny spot to read a book.  We've done crabbing and shrimping in the lagoon too.  For many summers a pair of white-sided dolphins lived in the lagoon entertaining any visiting boater with jumps and tail dances.  We even snorkeled with the dolphins and that was an adventure that will live forever in our minds.  The dolphins would come at you out of nowhere and quickly turn just inches from you.  They would jump over you.  And sometimes would stop and hover close to your mask to get a good look at you.  It was fantastic.

Snorkeling in Booker Passage

If you're a scuba diver or a snorkeler, diving Cullen Harbor and Booker Passage is world class.  There's plenty of exotic underwater wildlife and things to see... Puget Sound King Crab, octopus, rock fish, basket stars, anemones, tube worms, kelp forests, and so much more.  Diving here is not to be forgotten, as it is one of the best dive sites on the west coast.  Many times you will see dive charters from nearby Port McNeill diving Booker Passage during slack tide. (Contact Sun Fun Divers in Port McNeill to book a charter)  When boating make sure to give them wide passage.

There's plenty of good fishing opportunities just outside of Cullen Harbor in Fife Sound.  Note that all of Cullen Harbor, Booker Lagoon, and the islands around Booker Passage are all protected as a Rockfish Conservation Area.  However the steep north and south shores along Fife Sound offer good fishing for ling cod and salmon.  Try trolling the tide rips that form at the entrance to Fife Sound and chances are you'll get coho or pink salmon when in season.  Early mornings trolling very slowly along the rocky steep  walls might even get you a nice sized Chinook salmon.  We've even caught halibut just outside of Cullen Harbor.  Large balls of herring or eulachon or pilchards will enter Cullen Harbor too.  Fish around these and you might get lucky with a big fish - we have.  If you want shrimp and prawns you'll need to travel farther down Fife Sound as the currents just outside of Cullen Harbor are too strong for good shrimping.  Although there's a few shrimp in Booker Lagoon.

Steller's sea lions just off of Screen Island in Fife Sound

For wildlife, many times you can find humpback whales just outside of Cullen Harbor.  Blackfish (small pilot whales) will enter Cullen Harbor to feed.  Just south of Cullen Harbor, across Fife Sound you will see a large rocky island (Screen Is.) that is popular with very large Steller's sea lions.  You can hear them barking and growling on quiet mornings while anchored in Cullen Harbor.  If you motor or kayak by this island you will see them swimming about, or sitting on the rock, or if lucky jumping off the rock and into the water.  The bulls weigh as much as 1,000 pounds and they'll make a huge splash when jumping in.  You can see killer whales in the area too.  One year, late in the season, we were entertained with hundreds of white-sided dolphins.  They were jumping, tail dancing, and splashing about just off of Eden Island.  It was quite the spectacle.  Of course you can always get a chance to see black bears.  If you are lucky you'll see them swimming from island to island looking for food.

Boys going exploring in Cullen Harbor

Finally one of the best features for my adventurous boys were to play in the tidal rapids in Booker Passage.  During large flood spring tides the current will create a large overfall and standing wave of about four feet and a subsequent whirlpool of about 10-15' in diameter.  If you have a dinghy with an 8 HP motor or larger you can safely navigate these tidal rapids.  I wouldn't try the rapids in the MV Independence though.  One year we had all of us in our dinghy and we couldn't make it out through the tidal rapids - the current was just too strong and it was not safe with the waves.  So we retreated to a small rocky island, had a snack, went beach combing, and waited three hours when the current was much less and then we easily made it back to the MV Independence anchored in Cullen Harbor.  But oh how the boys loved the adventure and the thrill, and it made for many long discussions of "how we were stranded and may never make it back."

If you need provisions Echo Bay is an easy 13 nautical miles away.  Port McNeill is about 25 nautical miles away.  You can use Cullen Harbor as a base to explore the many islands and bays around Eden, Mars, and Bonwick Islands just to the south of Cullen Harbor.

For me, Cullen Harbor and Booker Lagoon are small pieces of heaven on earth.  So many wonderful memories occurred in these places.  I think I'll take another sip of coffee, close my eyes, and enjoy the memories a little bit more.  Did I say it's raining, windy, and gray outside?

Want to read more about shrimping or crabbing or fishing?  Or cruising to the Broughtons?  Try visiting these previous blog posts:

• Summer Trip Planning - Catching Shrimp
• Summer Trip Planning - Where and When to Catch Fish
• Destination: The Broughtons
• Summer Trip Planning - Johnstone Strait

Summer Trip Planning - Going Beyond Cape Caution

I know it's fall and the summer cruising season is just over, but this is the time I start planning for next summer's cruising adventures.  There's a whole new experience of wilderness cruising called the "BC Central Coast."  This area stretches from Queen Charlotte Strait in the south to approximately Klemtu in the north.  It is an area that will provide cruising adventures for a lifetime.  There are several spectacular cruising areas within the Central Coast such as Rivers Inlet, Hakai Pass, Ocean Falls, Fjordland and more.  However to get to these dream cruising places you've got to cross Queen Charlotte Sound and go beyond Cape Caution.  This can be a significant cruising challenge for any boater - experienced or not.  You will have to deal with open ocean waves and swell, strong currents, and shoal areas.  Several times I have made this trip without any problem, but a few times the crew was seasick and about ready to mutiny.

Click on chart for larger image

There are two major routes to go beyond Cape Caution, one is to take the more direct route from Port Hardy, and the other is to follow the lee shore and go along the mainland coast.  The route from Port Hardy is shorter, more direct, and has less challenges of current and shoal areas, but is also more open to weather and provides few opportunities for shelter.  Once you leave the Goletas Channel area you are committed to go all the way.   I have done this and have spent several hours in very uncomfortable beam seas as the waves and swell came from the west and I'm traveling north.  I often jokingly say, "The only thing stopping the waves and swell here is Japan." Currently the crew does not like this route at all and will immediately object if I suggest it.  The other route by going along the mainland shore offers you more opportunities for shelter and less beam seas, but you have to deal with currents and shoals.  This is the preferred route that we normally take when going beyond Cape Caution.

Click on above chart for larger image

The planning for the mainland route crossing starts at Blunden Harbor which is a great all weather anchorage with excellent holding.  We've waited out several blows in this harbor.  There's plenty of exploring to do and there's good crabbing too.  To start planning for this crossing, listen to the weather forecast for the Central Coast from MacInnes Island to Pine Island.  You'll want to listen to lightstation weather reports at Pine Island and Egg Island along with the continuous reports from Herbert Island and West Sea Otter.  The lightstation reports and the weather buoy at West Sea Otter will give you an idea of the sea conditions of wave height and swell.  My suggestion is if the wind is anything greater than 15 knots and seas of three foot moderate or more, you're in for a rough and uncomfortable ride.  You will also want to consult the tide and current tables for Nakwakto Rapids.  Do not travel the "mainland route" during any kind of large ebb with winds over 15 knots.  If you do you will experience rough and steep seas particularly by the Jennette Islands, Slingsby Channel, and Egg Island.  I try to time my route during an early morning flood before the typical afternoon westerly and northwesterly winds pick up.  I recognize that I'll have to fight the current for a good long distance, but it will make for better seas and a happier crew.

Alternate route to anchorages

Once you go around the Jennette Islands you will immediately feel the waves and swell from Queen Charlotte Sound if the winds are from the west or northwest.  One year we were happily cruising along fighting a two foot chop and "wham" we went to steep four foot seas or more almost as soon as we passed the light on Jennette Island.  The crew was not happy and we immediately made for one of two good anchoring refuges - Skull Cove or Miles Inlet.  Both of these anchorages offer good protection from weather and offer good holding.  Miles Inlet will provide anchorage for about four boats, whereas Skull Cove will offer anchoring for dozens of boats.  If the seas are particularly rough you can take a alternate route to Skull Cove which will take you out of the rough water sooner.  One year the westerly winds never let up and we never went around Cape Caution instead staying at Skull Cove and exploring the islands of the Murray Labyrinth and going into Seymour and Belize Inlets.  We had good crabbing, good fishing, and lots of exploring.  It turned out to be one of our best trips ever.

Once you get past Cape Caution stay well to port of Egg Island and Dugout Rocks.  At this point in your crossing if there are any kind of westerly winds you will probably be beam to the waves and swell.  Once you pass Dugout Rocks you can put the prevailing westerlies to your port stern quarter and start to ride the waves and swells into Rivers Inlet and stay at Duncanby Landing or farther in to Dawsons Landing, or go on to our favorite anchorage Fury Cove.  If you experience rough beam seas by Egg Island and had enough that, you can always turn into Smith Sound and go exploring there too.  There's plenty of excellent anchorages and things to do there too.

Be prepared.  As far as cruising essentials you will want to make sure you have any spare parts that you might need and make sure your boat is in perfect operating condition. Make sure to top off your fuel and water tanks. The marinas are far and few between beyond Cape Caution.  Make sure you have the paper charts you need; don't just rely on electronic charts. Take the time to study the charts before you go so you'll have a plan if the weather turns sour.  Check with your marine insurance provider - many insurance policies only go as far as Hope Island at the end of Goletas Channel.  You may need to pay for extra insurance or get a waiver. Finally make sure your radar is working - chances are you will need it.  June is typically wet with low clouds. July is typically windy particularly in the afternoons and evenings.  And August is known locally as "Fogust" with strong afternoon winds after the fog lifts.

Cruising beyond Cape Caution provides you some of the world's best cruising opportunities as well as incredible fishing for salmon, halibut, and bottom fish.  The wildlife viewing opportunities are rich too - wolves, bears, whales, dolphins, and more.  And finally if you want that remote scenic anchorage all to yourself there's plenty of them to be found.  Hope this helps.

MV Independence at anchor in Fury Cove

Interested in other "summer trip planning" posts?  You might want to search the MV Independence blog for:

• Summer Trip Planning - Johnstone Strait
• Summer Trip Planning - Canadian Rapids
• Summer Trip Planning - Crossing the Monster
• Destination - The Broughtons

Favorite Anchorages - Turnbull Cove, Grappler Sound

One of my favorite anchorages when visiting the Broughton Archipelago is Turnbull Cove at the far northern end of Grappler Sound.  For me it is one of those anchorages where you can truly sit back and relax.  It's a quiet anchorage where you can hear the rain dripping off of the trees after a rain, the sounds of birds in the woods, quite simply it is a place where you can do some meditation.  However, there's lots to see and do if you are adventurous.

Click on image to enlarge

Calm before the storm in Turnbull Cove

Getting to Turnbull Cove is easy and there are no navigational hazards.  You travel up Grappler Sound, around Watson Point, through the narrows between Watson Island and the mainland, and turn to port into beautiful Turnbull Cove.  Currents will reach up to 5 knots by Watson Point and through the narrows, but there are no rapids.  Turnbull Cove is very protected from any kind of weather.  It can be stormy out in Queen Charlotte Strait and you'll barely notice the winds in Turnbull Cove.  Once we waited out quite a blow here and barely experienced a ripple.  The hard mud bottom has good holding all around.  I like to anchor in the western side of the bay in about 30-40' of water. 

At the far northern end of Turnbull Cove you can hike to Huaskin Lake - look for the collection of pilings and the BC Provincial Parks trail head sign.  It's not much of a trail, a simple straight up trail up the old logging shoot.  You can see the old cables left over from logging.  It's just shy of about a half mile hike - no switchbacks just straight up the hill.  Once you get to the top you will drop down a staircase to Huaskin Lake where there's a rustic dock and picnic table.  A few adventurous types I know have lugged a kayak up to the lake and did some fishing for trout.  You can also go hiking on the many logging roads nearby.

Roaringhole Rapids

A very fun side trip is to go to Roaringhole Rapids which is the entrance to Nepah Lagoon.  Foam from the rapids when ebbing can often be seen as far away as Watson Point.  Once we entered Nepah Lagoon at the end of flood and traveled a mile or so in but I got worried about getting stuck inside of Nepah Lagoon and so we left quickly.  Inside of Nepah Lagoon it seemed like a very wild and pristine place.

Another fun trip is to circumnavigate Watson Island.  It's an easy and scenic trip even by dinghy.  You start by going through beautiful Kenneth Passage with its many small islands, going around Claypole Point which to me seems to jut out like the giant bow of a ship, and then down through Hopetown Passage and Hoy Bay.  Hopetown Passage gets very shallow so you'll have to watch it.  One year we saw a large yacht grounded in Hopetown Passage - not sure what they were thinking by going through it.  After going through Hopetown Passage you make your way back into Grappler Sound.  If you travel on a flood with the exception of Hopetown Passage you'll get pushed all the way.  If the current is ebbing you can also see the rapids by Overflow Basin as you make your way back to Turnbull Cove.

If you're into fishing, shrimping and crabbing, there's plenty around.  We've caught halibut in Grappler Sound, caught lingcod and yelloweye rockfish nearby, got crab in nearby Burly Bay, and shrimping in plenty of different spots around Turnbull Cove and Mackenzie Sound.  We didn't get too many Spot prawns but always got lots of the smaller Coon Stripes.  Note that Kenneth Passage and the entrance to Nepah Lagoon is a rockfish conservation area.  If you're into wildlife watching keep an eye out on shore during low tide there's a good chance you'll see black bears on the beach. Once I counted over 7 black bears at the same time on the beach in Turnbull Cove. If you travel to the head of Mackenzie Sound or into Nimmo Bay you may be able to see a grizzly.   In Kenneth Passage and down Mackenzie Sound there's lots of waterfowl to see.

If you need to re-supply on groceries or fuel, or want to eat out you can visit nearby Sullivan Bay about 7 nautical miles away.  Port McNeill is about 27 nautical miles away.

I hope you visit Turnbull Cove and enjoy it as much as I do.  It is one of my most favorite places on the entire BC coast.

A Few Photo Memories

One of the things about cruising our beautiful coast are the many memories you gain.  Those perfect sunrises and sunsets, the times before and after a storm, peaceful anchorages, wildlife, and more.  If you are lucky, you'll have a camera handy and take a picture that will last a lifetime.  However, other times you won't have a camera handy and the images and the moment will live in your mind forever.  Unfortunately, only you can remember these sights, sounds, smells, and the moment, but still how rich you are to have these memories!

This year was the 21st year of cruising the beautiful BC coast in the MV Independence.  Twenty one years ago there were no digital cameras and those pictures I took then are fading in a box somewhere or becoming lost in my mind.  I never been much of a photo album kind of guy.  Luckily I invested in digital photography many years ago and I can easily retrieve the hundreds of photos I've taken by putting them on a screen saver, making a slide show, or by putting them on my computer desktop.  These photos then bring back to life those moments in my mind.  Oh, what a beautiful coast we have.

I thought I would share a select few of my favorite and best photos.

Indian Passage, Fife Sound

One of my favorite anchorages was a small bight on west side of Baker Island, in the narrow passage between Insect and Baker Islands.  The archipelago is called the Benjamin Group which are located in the Fife Sound area of Queen Charlotte Strait.  We would anchor here and get up early to fish for coho near Penphrase Peninsula in Fife Sound.  One of the short cuts to get to our fishing area was to go down Indian Passage between Davies and Baker Island.  On this morning the sun was just rising over Gilford Island and it was oh so still out. I can remember we got our limits of coho salmon that day.

Foggy morning in Cullen Harbor

One of our most favorite anchorages in the Fife Sound area of Queen Charlotte Strait is Cullen Harbor.  The whole harbor area is a good safe anchorage with excellent holding.  There is so much to do here.  There's excellent fishing for both salmon and bottom fish nearby.  Lots of wildlife - sea lions, whales, dolphins, bears.  You can play in the tidal rapids by Booker Lagoon.  Or explore the many islands and bays.  There is world class scuba diving here.  And the scenery is always changing.  On this morning after a night of rain a low fog was dissipating to reveal this tug anchored nearby.  My boys commented, "It looks like a ghost ship."

Before the storm in Turnbull Cove

Environment Canada had been forecasting a serious low approaching the coast and warned all mariners to find shelter.  Turnbull Cove in Grappler Sound, just off of Wells Passage in the Queen Charlotte Strait area is the perfect "bomb proof" anchorage to wait out a storm.  As the storm approached the proverbial "calm before the storm" was very evident.  As it turned out, all we had was some rain and light winds, but other locales in Queen Charlotte Strait were being pounded by the storm.  We spent our "stormy days" fishing, shrimping, hiking, and just enjoying the scenery.

Sunrise cruising down Spring Passage

Our time in the Broughton archipelago was coming to an end.  We weighed anchor early, just before sunrise - it was still dark out - and started our trek home.  I was the only one up as the crew slept.  As I cruised south past the Fox Group of islands I noticed a pink and magenta glow on the waters before me.  I peered out the side cabin door and behind me to see this beautiful sunrise.  I put my coffee down, set the autopilot, grabbed my camera and enjoyed the sunrise out on the deck.  It had been a successful trip - plenty of fish, crab, and shrimp.  Lots of adventures and good times.  And no problems.  I remember thinking how lucky I am to enjoy and experience all this.

After the storm in Crease Island Cove

Just off of the end of Knight Inlet are the Indian Group of Islands.  Two of the prominent islands are Crease Island to the west and Village Island to the east with at least a dozen small islands in between.  Just off the east end of Crease Island is a popular cove and it is a great anchorage.  We often used this anchorage as a "jumping off" spot when heading back to Port McNeill or when starting our trip back home.  On this occasion, almost all night long a storm raged with wind, rain, thunder and lightning.  When morning came the storm was heading inland and there was the calm that comes afterwards.  You could still hear thunder far off in the distance. Otherwise it was eerily quiet; so quiet you could hear the water dripping off of the trees on shore.

View from Althorp Point.

A little known anchorage is the small one-boat nook just by Althorp Point at the confluence of Wellbore and Sunderland Channels.  Most boaters head into popular Forward Harbor but I prefer this scenic spot.  It's well protected from the westerlies that blow down Johnstone Strait and you can go fishing right by your boat.  On this morning after days of stormy weather up north we woke to see better weather to the south.  When you looked north it still looked like rain and bad weather.  Shortly after this picture was taken we hit the slack at Whirlpool Rapids and traveled through the Yuculta's to anchor in Squirrel Cove. 

Sunset from Jedediah Island

One of our common stops as we cross Georgia Strait is to anchor in the many bays around Lasqueti, Boho, Bull, and Jedediah Islands.  Its a great way to break up the trip from Nanaimo to Desolation Sound.  There's some great gunkholing here.  On this evening we were anchored just off of Jedediah Island in "Little Bull Passage."  If there's any kind of northwest winds you can't anchor here, but you can if a southeast wind is blowing.  So many times we have experienced unforgettable sunsets here. One of the funny things about this anchorage is that in the evening the feral goats living on Jedediah come down out of the woods and graze.  You can hear them bleating.

These are just a few of the many years of memories gained from cruising the beautiful Salish sea.  We are so lucky to be able to have some of the best cruising grounds on the planet.

If you want to learn more about these photos and others you can visit my Panoramio photo site by going to: http://www.panoramio.com/user/nakwakto00.  Here you will find not only the above photos but the Google Earth location of each too.  Enjoy.

Favorite Eats - Bangers, Bubbles and Squeak

The former Front St. Ale House in Friday Harbor

For many years our cruising tradition when coming home from the BC central coast was after checking through customs was a trip to the Front Street Ale House in Friday Harbor for supper.  This was always a favorite of mine and the crew.  It had some of the best English style pub fare south of the border - the Canadian border.  Add to that their small on-site micro brewery brewed up some of the best beers.  The Hefeweizen beer tasted exactly like what I would drink in Bavaria, Germany.  Unfortunately the Front Street Ale House has closed and a new restaurant has taken its place.

My traditional meal that I enjoyed repeatedly was the "Bangers, Bubbles and Squeak".  This was English pub fare at its finest.  Bangers are simply English sausages which are akin to German Bratwurst, but the pork is ground finer and the pork is mixed with breadcrumbs and water.  The term "banger" comes from when heated, the water in them turns to steam, expands and explodes.  They also differ from bratwurst in the seasonings used, having more mace, ginger, and sage.  "Bubbles and Squeak" is the mix of cabbage, onions, and mashed potatoes.  It gets the name "bubbles and squeak" because of the sounds as you cook it in the pan.  Of course to serve "bangers, bubbles and squeak" you have to smother it all with a rich brown, onion gravy.

Not to be outdone or disappointed at the loss of the Front Street Ale House, I proceeded to work hard to produce a "boat version" of "bangers, bubbles and squeak" that would not require a lot of preparation or a lot of ingredients.  To satisfy as a boat version, it's got to be easy to prepare - not more than 5 or 6 ingredients; take less than 15-20 minutes to prepare; not use an oven or any special tools or techniques; and not use more than two pans.  Finally, and most importantly it's got to taste good and meet or exceed what you can get in a restaurant.  I set about to make the perfect "boat version" of "bangers, bubbles and squeak."  Here's the recipe:


Bangers, Bubbles and Squeak

Ingredients:

• 1 T vegetable oil
• 4 banger sausages
• 2 T dried or dehydrated onions
• 1 C dark beer or ale
• 2 T butter
• 1 C coleslaw mix - just cabbage mix not mayonnaise or other ingredients that are with coleslaw.
• 2 C instant mashed potatoes
• 1 pkg brown gravy mix

Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a frying pan that has at least 2" sides.  Fry bangers for 3-4 minutes each side or until the each side of the banger is browned - about 6-8 minutes total.  Sprinkle dried onions in the pan and add the beer.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about another 5-6 minutes. This will ensure the bangers are fully cooked and add a great flavor to them.  When cooked, remove sausages from pan and keep warm, but do not discard liquid.  Pour liquid into a small bowl, you should have about 1/4 C of rich brown onion-beer liquid.

Prepare the instant mashed potatoes per the directions and set aside.

In the pan that the bangers were cooked over medium-heat add the butter and add the cole slaw mix and saute cabbage for 3-5 minutes.  Add prepared mashed potatoes to pan and mix well.  Cook cabbage and potato mix for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If mix gets too thick add milk to thin.

Boil 3/4 C water, pour into a bowl and add instant brown gravy mix as well as reserved liquid from cooking bangers and prepare instant gravy per package instructions.

Place bubbles and squeak on the plate, along with bangers, and top with gravy.  Season with salt and pepper to taste if necessary.  Enjoy.

I apologize for the heavy use of packaged mash potatoes and packaged brown gravy mix, but if you want to put the extra effort into making real mashed potatoes and real brown gravy on your boat - more power to you.  When I'm on shore I do go the extra effort to making real mashed potatoes and real brown gravy.

Labor Day Weekend Cruise

Friday, September 2, 2011.
I left work early and quickly headed down to the boat.  Again I wanted to get out of town.  The past few cruises were so enjoyable that I could not get enough of being out on the boat.  Once again, I would cruise out on the Independence by myself and have Kim and the dogs meet up with me later.  This gives me a chance to get some nice and quiet alone time on the boat, and Kim some time to adventure on the Zipper.  It is a win/win for all.

I left my slip at 1345 to cruise to Jarrell's Cove.  Labor Day weekend in Olympia means Harbor Days.  Harbor Days means tugboat races and lots of visiting boaters.  The weather forecast was for sunny, warm weather so I suspected the waters would be busy.  Sure enough cruising out of Olympia I was greeted by many pleasure boaters and tugboats coming into the Olympia Harbor.  The tide was rising high and I could take the "shortcut" out of Olympia which meant making a straight line from the Olympia #5 daymark to Hunter Point passing well to port of the Olympia Shoal.  The rising tide also meant that I would cruise through the channel between Hope and Squaxin Islands versus staying west of Hope Island.  This provided me with a bit of a navigational challenge to avoid the shoals the extend west of Squaxin Island towards Hope Island.  The winds were light from the north presenting me with only rippled seas and just enough to keep me cool.  Once past Hope Island I cruised up Pickering Passage, beneath the Hartstene Island bridge, past Walkers Landing and into Jarrell's Cove.  It is a cruising route that I am well familiar with.  I got into Jarrell's Cove at about 1600 and once again found an open state park mooring buoy far into the cove.  I tied up to the buoy at 1617.  Once again the mooring buoys are popular but the docks are not - both the outer and inner docks were almost empty.

Jarrell's Cove State Park "inner" dock

I am not only waiting for Kim and the dogs to show up but also some good friends - in the "Explorer" to show up too.  As I cruised up to Jarrell's Cove I texted them and Kim my status, and they too replied with texts letting me know their status too.  The "Explorer" arrived about 90 minutes later and found the last available mooring buoy.  Kim and the dogs in the Zipper arrived just about 1800 and brought supper from town along with some other groceries.  The Labor Day weekend was on.


Saturday, September 3, 2011.

Nice Red Rock crabs!

Woke to a glorious morning clear and cool.  The temperature must have dipped down into the high 40's because it was definitely a bit cool when I took the dogs to the beach in the morning.  I was glad for the sun to come up and warm the boat up.  The "Explorer" invited all of us over for breakfast.  They've got a great boat and the dogs enjoyed it too.  We chatted for a long while reminiscing about times past and about life now.  The idea was floated to go crabbing.  So we loaded up the Zipper and set some crab pots just off of the south tip of Stretch Island.  We returned later to pull up six very nice sized red rock crab!  We decided to re-set the crab pots for the night and will return in the morning to get more.

We were all tired and retreated to our respective boats for supper and the evening and bid the "Explorer" good night.  Although I did return to deliver an appetizer of smoked salmon cream cheese crackers to the "Explorer" as a token of appreciation for the crabbing idea.  I grilled some curry chicken thighs for supper, but once again we decided to have a light supper of appetizers instead.  Kim and I talked late into the evening and I watched the moon dip below the trees.  Once that happened I said, "the moon has went to bed and so am I."

Sunday, September 4, 2011.
If I thought it was cold yesterday morning, this morning was even colder.  I was supposed to pick up the skipper of the "Explorer" at 0730 to pull the crab pots, but I waited until at least the sun came up.  Even then it was cold.  We coldly cruised over to the crab pots noticing that the water was warmer than the air as we pulled the pots up.  Unfortunately we came up empty with both pots.  We moved to a new location and reset them vowing to pick them up later that afternoon when it was warmer.  When we returned we treated the "Explorer" to our famous breakfast of corned beef hash aboard the Independence.  Again, we took our time enjoying breakfast and talking late into the morning.  We then took a long walk with the dogs through the park enjoying the tall trees and cool shade.  It was going to be another hot day.

MV Explorer at Jarrell's Cove

The "Explorer" had guests come by car from out of town.  However one of the crew from the "Explorer" wanted an escape from their guests and we obliged by taking the Zipper over to Fair Harbor.  The dogs and I waited in the Zipper while the gals did some shopping at the store.  Fair Harbor was a busy place with boats coming and going.  The small harbor was packed with boats.  When the ladies finally emerged from the store they were all smiles - they got some nice clothes and other items.  On the way back to Jarrell's Cove we took our time and stopped to pull up the crab pots.  This time we got six more nice red rock crab.  However, we did not re-set the pots instead we pulled them aboard the Zipper and returned to our anchorage.  Again we thanked the "Explorer" for the crabbing and bid them "good night."  Tonight I grilled some pork chops with a red pepper marinade and they were excellent.  Once again we stayed up with Kim picking crab and me watching the moon set below the horizon.

Monday, September 5, 2011.
Happy Labor Day!  Once again the morning was very cold and I could not wait for the sun to rise over the trees to warm the boat up.  After a morning walk with the dogs through the park we came back to the boat and made crab cakes from yesterday's crab.  They were absolutely delicious.  We decided to share some of our crab cakes with the "Explorer."   Again a fun morning of light conversation that was filled with laughter and enjoyment.  The folks from the "Explorer" are absolutely great people.  We hope to do more cruising with them.  Finally we bid them adieu and prepared to leave.  We untied from the buoy at 1135 and made for home.  We cruised once again down Pickering Passage, down Peale Passage and into Budd Inlet.  We sat up on the flying bridge for most of the cruise home until I just got too hot.  Again the boating crowds that came to Olympia for Harbor Days are now leaving and return to their home ports so the waterways were full of boats.  Also leaving Olympia Harbor were two tall ships the Lady Washington and another.  We got into our slip at 1430.  What a great, fun, and relaxing weekend.
Stats: 31.1 nm, average speed 5.7 knots, 5:30 hrs. cruising, ending engine hours 6208.7.

Independence Corned Beef Hash

• 2 T vegetable oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 3-4 medium sized Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 t dried parsley
• 1 t Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1 can corned beef
• 1 T Bick's Red Pepper Relish
• 2-3 eggs, beaten

Heat a frying pan with vegetable oil over medium high heat and fry onions until soft about 3-4 minutes, next add potatoes, dried parsley, and Montreal Steak Seasoning, mix well and cover and cook until potatoes are barely done about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Next add canned corned beef and Bick's Red Pepper relish and mix well and cook for about 5 minutes until corned beef just starts to crisp. Finally make a well in the bottom of the pan and add the beaten eggs.  Cook eggs until just starting to set and then mix eggs into hash.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese and hot sauce if desired.