We took two nice days to laze around Bull Harbor and Roller Bay recovering from our overnight sojourn. The rocks on Roller Bay’s long and steep beach are truly remarkable. Most are nearly spherical and they are graded by the energy of the Northwest Pacific winter storms into small pebbles near low tide and ranging up to small boulders in the exponentially steep ‘beach’ above the expansive bay. Within this gradation by size, the rocks are also collected into large (10m x 10m) sections of identical stones. Sometimes all 2 cm in diameter. Sometimes all flattened on both sides. And beyond the rocks were some lovely tidepools.
We left Port Hardy with the northwest wind still blowing and reached and ran across Queen Charlotte Strait returning to the BC coast a few miles south of where we had passed on our northward trip a month or so ago. We had planned to link up with Thomas who was returning from Ketchikan after finishing the R2AK, racing singlehanded some 600+ nautical miles from Port Townsend to Ketchikan, AK. Congrats, Thomas! But, Thomas, who had sailed back south to Port McNeil, some 10 nautical miles from Port Hardy, decided to leave the boat for a bit and bus back to Seattle so he could join in some family activities. Perhaps these will bring him and his daughter back up to Desolation and we may see him and our friends, Tom and Robin, after we join forces with Scott, Annie, Liam, Cora and Mazey (the wonder-dog) in a few days.
Over the next week we hopped from cove to cove in the Broughton Islands. On one hike to a waterfall we saw some pretty unusual shelf fungi growing on a douglas fir tree. Leslie used her b(air) horn to keep the bears far away!
Leslie had fun with the camera at Sullivan Bay marina where we stopped for an hour to buy fuel.
We have seen, and continue to see, lots of fish farms and clearcutting. (For more on the logging issues in B.C, we highly recommend reading “The Golden Spruce”.)
Then we motor-sailed all the way down Johnstone Strait and into the charming Octopus Islands (next to the northern end of Quadra Island). Finally, a long spinnaker run down Calm Channel and Lewis Channel brought us here to Squirrel Cove on the southeast edge of Cortes Island. This is the jumping off spot for Desolation Sound which was named by Vancouver when he became depressed by the cool and gray and strong currents with no northwest passage to England to be found.
Lesley Nilsson
13 Aug 2016Great stories. Sounds like a wonderful trip. We loved seeing Laura on PBS Newshour with her new group!
Jane Smith
13 Aug 2016What beautiful photographs, Leslie! LOVE the flowers!!! Love the calm waters with birds or clouds ….just wonderful. We live in such a wonderful world….just wish we could be at peace and take care of it.
Stay well. Hugs to you both.
Audra B. Adelberger
14 Aug 2016Glad to see that your descent into desolation was poetic rather than literal; you outsail Vancouver hands down. I’ve shuddered more than once during your tales and was glad to relax with flowers and calm waters today..
Julia R
15 Aug 2016It is interesting that the landforms and scenery are so similar to those of western Norway, while the abundance of flora and fauna contrasts by almost none observed by us in our journey of 865 or so nautical miles. I am so curious about this… Especially since the US and Canada aren’t doing a very good job of stewardship as we know from Golden Spruce and other sources,
Have fun with Scott and family!
Julia
Bob and Beth
19 Aug 2016Wow! You are having such magnificent voyages in the wild and beautiful.—-we have enjoyed your sharing it with us!
We also really enjoyed our time at Laura’s concert– the music was great!
Bob and Beth
Lindsay
26 Aug 2016Looks beautiful! I love reading about your adventures. And I thought The Golden Spruce was a great read.
Love,
Lindsay
Rod McLaren
6 Feb 2017I recently “meet” Scott on a Wharram Owner’s site. I expressed interest in visiting Haida Gwaii by boat and he sent me the link to your blog. Thank you for sharing your experiences. You have most certainly heightened my interest. Who knows – even though I have no salt water sailing experience, I just might make it there. Thanks again.
Barbara
29 May 2017Thanks for taking the time to share your beautiful photos and adventures with all of your friends, family and fans! Isn’t amazing that this world-renowned cruising ground is right at our doorstep! Keeping exploring and enjoying.
Barbara