WE ARE FINALLY UNDERWAY!!!

Seems like we have been waiting forever for May 1st to get here. Hopefully all the bad winter storms are behind us. We are ready to start a 5 month voyage that will take us to some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere in the world. On board with us for the trip North are Del and Orlaine Clifton from Silverdale, WA.  For the past five years Del has pestered me about wanting to see the Inside Passage to Alaska.  I thought I better not go up there again without asking if they wanted to go along.  They didn’t even need to think about it.  They said they would love to go.  This should be a real treat for them.
Traveling in a small boat like ours versus a cruise ship is like the difference between night and day.  We can stop most anywhere we want and spend as much time as we want.  After we get anchored up we can set out the crab pots and or shrimp pots and catch some fresh seafood for dinner.  This year we have the new fishing boat with us, so we plan on using that quite a bit.  The neat thing about the kayaks is you can get much closer to the wildlife than when in a boat without a motor.  I am hoping to get some great bear photos.  Of course there will be dinners to make and dishes to wash.  Also laundry and grocery shopping to do when we stop at a town.  And I’m sure we can find some daily chores for Del and Orlaine to do.
It should take about four weeks to get to Alaska if the weather co-operates and we just take our time. One of the fun things about a trip like this is meeting new people along the way, going our separate ways, and then meeting up again unexpectedly in another harbor.  Sometimes we might even travel together for a few days if we are going to be using the same route.  We still keep in contact with people we met back in 2009.

Del and Orlaine Clifton.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013. Today we cruised to Prevost Harbor State Park on Stuart Island where we will spend the first night.  We found a place at the dock along with one other boat.  The next morning we were up early and headed for Bedwell Harbor to clear customs into British Columbia.  When we got there I walked up to the head of the dock, picked up the phone, and we were cleared in about five minutes.  From there we cruised up to Montaque Harbor and anchored up for the night.

Friday, May 3, 2013.  This morning we left early because we needed to be at Dodd Narrows when the current was slack.  This is the first  of several rapids we need to transit on the trip to Alaska. Because our boat only cruises at 7-8 knots we need to pass through these when the current is barely running.  The entire trip we had a headwind of nearly 20 mph and waves of 3-4 feet.  No big deal for us except its hard to see all the crab pots and shrimp pots in the water.

When we got to Nanaimo we stopped outside of the harbor to reel in the fishing boat we are towing and I noticed a line trailing in the water behind us.  I pulled some of it in but not all of it as I could tell it was wrapped around something under the boat.  So I  let it pile up on the swim  step on the back of the boat, and pulled in the tow line and let it pile up on top of it.  Big mistake!!!  When I started under way again the crab line wrapped up in the prop and pulled the tow line in with it.  So now both were wrapped up in the prop.  After we got tied up I was able to get a diver to remove the lines but the tow line was ruined.  So off to the nearest marine supply for a new one.

Deland Russ with a big mess to untangle.

Del has been assigned window cleaning detail.

Saturday, May 5, 2013.  This morning we moved across the bay to Newcastle Island, anchored up and began the wait for the wind to settle down so we could cross the Straits of Georgia.  It is about 18 miles across and this water is usually crossed early in the morning when the water is the calmest.  As the afternoon went on the wind died down so at 2:00pm we started across.  It was dead calm by the time we were to the other side.  We anchored up in Pender Harbor for the night.

Del's turn at the wheel

Sunday, May 6, 2013.  On day 5 we got under way at 9:30 to once again be at Malibu Rapids at slack tide.  It was about a 40 mile cruise up Jarvis Inlet to Princess Louise Inlet.  This is one of the most beautiful places in the Northwest and people come here from all over the world to see it. The weather has been very warm the past week so there is a lot of snow melt and there are waterfalls coming off the hillsides everywhere you look.  We tied up to the dock here and will stay for the next two days.  The mountains are so high surrounding us that the sun does not shine on us until 10:15 am and it is gone by 6:00 pm. On Monday Del and Russ spent the morning fixing one of the side doors that was damaged when we landed at Nanaimo. After dinner we took a little boat ride in the small boat and saw our first black bear on the beach.

The view on the way to Princess Louisa

A beautiful day to ride up top

Lots of free dock space with a view

Chatterbox falls.

Out for a ride after dinner

Tuesday, May7, 2013.   Left Princess Louisa Inlet this morning and saw the most amazing sight on the ride down the inlet.  We came across a pod of over 100 White Sided Dolphins.  They were all swimming together in one huge school.  They spent about 15 minutes swimming under our boat and riding our bow wake.  I hope the video turns out.  It was a long ride back out Jarvis Inlet but we made it just fine.  Tonight we are anchored out in Ballet Bay and will continue our trek North tomorrow.  We need to stop at a store along the way and get a few supplies and we haven’t had any internet service since leaving the US.

Wednesday, May8, 2013.  Left this morning for Desolation Sound.  The wind is blowing a little but it is behind our back.  Stopped at Lund for an hour and bought a few supplies, than continued on to Melanie Cove in Prideaux Haven.  We are the only boat here.  Put the shrimp pots out just  outside the cove and caught about 30 on the first pull.  The weather is still perfect.

Thursday, May 9, 2013.  We left the shrimp pots out over night so we checked them first thing this morning.  Had about 30 shrimp again.  Guess what's for dinner tonight! We cruised over to Squirrel Cove to spend the night.  After we anchored up we all hopped in the small boat and went to Refuge Cove than over to the dock in Squirrel Cove so we could walk up to the store for more supplies.  It’s so early in the season that the stores are not stocked up yet and one wasn't even open yet.

Pulling shrimp pots in Desolation Sound

Russ and Orlaine checking out the catch

Friday, May 10, 2013.  This morning we need to transit 3 sets of rapids so we left at 8:30am to be at the first one at 11:33am when the current is slack and not running.  All three rapids are close together so we can go thru all three at the same time.  We saw a small pod of Dall’s porpoise but they were going south and we were going north.  We are now tided up at Blind Channel Resort and it is the first time in 10 days we have had internet service.  We are doing the laundry today and will refill the water tanks. The odometer on the navigation computer says we have travelled 290 miles to date.  The trip has been great so far and Del and Orlaine seem to be really enjoying themselves.