Weekend Retreat

Weekend Retreat

July 11 & 12, 2015

                We’re spending the weekend in Tenedos Bay, Desolation Sound.  It feels like an out of the way kind of place, but it’s not compared to where we’re going.  There are up to a dozen boats in the immediate area.  There is not too much activity due to the weather.  The rain has kept us inside.  We are passing time by playing Yahtzee, Brad is reading, and I am illustrating my paper journal.  We’re trying to conserve water and power.  There is not enough water movement and too many jelly fish to run the water maker.  The solar panels aren’t making a lot of AMP hours with the cloud cover.  We did run the generator a while to keep the state of charge of the batteries well above 50%.  On Sunday we took the dinghy out for a ride.  The tide is high and the beach and creek have disappeared. 

Monday, July 13, 2015

                Even with the anchor not set firm on the rock bottom we maintained a 34 yard distance from shore.  We let go the stern tie and pull up the anchor clean.  Once out in the open, we perform some maneuvers to recalibrate the auto pilot compass.  It is a beautiful day.  The rain has cleaned the salt off the boat and cleared the sky of smoke.   Our plan is to head up Lewis Channel.  We turn in at Teakern Arm and head for Cassel Falls.  The water is deep with little room for long term anchorage.  We put out 200 feet of chain, which isn’t much scope, but will hold if the wind doesn’t pick up.  There is a small dinghy dock which heads the trail up and over to the lake that feeds the falls.  The trail is a bit of a challenge, but not too long.  After lunch it’s time to pick up anchor and go.  Back out in Lewis Channel we head up and around the point of Cortes Island.  Down Sutil Channel we’re heading for Von Donop Inlet.  Von Donop Inlet is entered through a narrow 2 mile long channel.  There is one area where the bottom is 6 ½ feet at mean water, but today we have 20 feet which is no problem.  There are no homes here, just acres of trees.  The hills are much lower.  It’s very quiet.  The sun is shining and there are a few ripples on the water.  There is a deer feeding on the vegetation at the water’s edge.  The water maker filled the tank today.  We traveled 23 miles.  Our GPS coordinates:  50°09.488 N, 124°57.527 W.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

                We’re up and on the move early.  The 200 feet of chain and anchor came up well.  The sticky mud clinging to the anchor slides off and back into the deep with a little help from the movement of the boat and spray from the hose.  Timing is important to today as we have rapids and a very tricky current at the marina.  Out Von Donop Inlet (Cortes Island), north in Sutil Channel, between Read Island and Rendezvous Islands, north in Calm Channel, to Yuculta Rapids.  We’re a little early.   There’s another sailboat sitting waiting for slack.  We don’t see any breaking water on the far side of Gillard Passage, so Brad increases the RPM and we forge through. It’s quite a ride as we experience 11 knots and get pushed around by the turbulent water.  The other sailboat follows us through.  There are a lot of eddies and whirlpools.  We follow Cordero Channel past Sonora Island and around East Thrulow Island.  Our destination is the east end of West Thurlow Island, Blind Channel Resort.  There can be strong currents here.  The water has back eddies in front of the marina.  We’ve timed it about right.  First stop is the fuel dock where we pick up 104 liters of diesel at 1.50 per liter.  Then we nose into a slip.  Engine hours 5.  Miles 33.  Our GPS coordinates:  50°24.847 N, 125°30.096 W.   Boats come and go. There are mainly large motor yachts 40-100 feet long.  This is a good place to wait out bad weather, get fuel, and do laundry.  You can also off garbage, but only one bag charged for by weight.  There is also a small store, fancy restaurant, and lunchtime grill.