Saturday, May 19, 2018

Finally, finally, finally headed North

After three planned weeks in the boat yard in Anacortes followed by three unplanned weeks in the yard in Sidney, BC, we are finally under way to Alaska.  It feels so good to actually be traveling.  Wendy and I seem to sure like moving more than staying in one place; we share the energy.
Last night's anchorage by Buccaneer Beach on Thornby Island brought a beautiful sunset that just did not want to go away.  Our plan was to pull anchor and leave at 6:30 this morning, but Wendy could not sleep, so she encouraged her sleepy partner to get going at about 6:00.  It was a good choice, because we had great tailwind currents all day.  The plan was to stop at Campbell River, but the tidal currents pushed us along to pass Campbell River and make Seymour Narrows for the 2:53 slack tide.  Seymour Narrows is a huge tidal rapid that even large cruise ships respect and only pass at or near slack.  I would love to see the rapids at full flow, just not from a boat, so I check the tide book and three different electronic charts to make sure that I have the timing right.

Our anchorage is Otter Cove on the west side of Discovery Passage.  No otters, but three seals splashing around and checking us out.  Wendy tried her new camera with the 600 telescope lens; if only the seals and the bald eagle would cooperate. 
We've had a light southerly wind all day, but this evening it's picked up and veered to the west.  I hope it does not continue to increase, since we want blast off early again tomorrow and ride the currents in the morning through Johnston Strait to Port McNeill. But with strong NW winds against the currents, the strait gets angry.  The forecast is for light winds in the morning, so we will see.



In the morning, our anchor had grown a seaweed beard.

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