Thetis, Chemainus, Connover Cove, St James Bay

Distances between anchorages seem very short here in the Gulf Islands. At times it feels like we are cruising around on a big lake rather than the ocean.

We anchored in Telegraph Hbr on Thetis Island. We dropped our anchor in a well sheltered maze of boats on mooring bouys.

The next day we took the ferry over to Chemainus which is about half an hour away on Vancouver Island.

Chemainus is famous for it's murals. It has a tight little boat harbour. The rest of the bay seems to be devoted to industrial pursuits.

Next we stopped at Connover Cove on Wallace Island. It was a fairly busy place with four boats rafted together, partying into the night. There are some great trails and viewpoints.

Next we stopped at St James Bay. This bay is surrounded by parkland and we were fortunate to be the only boat anchored there.

Into the Gulf Islands, Pirate's Cove

Travelling south from Nanaimo we passed through Dodd Narrows into the Gulf Islands. Our first anchorage was Pirate's Cove.

We have heard stories of how busy and congested it can get in Summer. When we arrive we are one of two boats anchored here. The park is spread over a cove and a peninsula. There are trails leading through remnants of old growth forest. The rest of De Courcey Island is private property. We spent our time walking the roads musing on what it would be like to buy a place and live here. The weather continues pretty dry with moderate temperatures. 

Encounter in the fog

For various reasons, most notably tidal currents we found ourselves motoring down Johnstone Strait in the dark and thick fog. We do have radar and two chart plotting programs. On this particular night Yammy was glued to the radar while I watched the water droplets condensing on my glasses.
Suddenly Yammy identified a radar target off in the safe distance we thought. My thinking was that there was a bit of a traffic separation scheme for Race Passage so I changed course to cross to the other side. All too fast the radar target and our boat merged . Like a deer in the headlights I was paralyzed and didn't know which way to turn. Suddenly the boat's lights emerged out of the fog about two hundred meters away. Once again I didn't know which way to turn. Finally I turned hard to port and the vessel rapidly disappeared in the fog.
In hindsight I should have stopped when we first saw the target and bought some time while we figured out what was going on. We should have also tried radioing the vessel to see if they were aware of us.
Anyways the best advice about fog is to stay out of it.

Maintaining the Boat

I regret I have not taken pictures of everything that has broken and sometimes been fixed on this trip.

• Depthsounder crapped out the first day. Have been getting by with a fish finder lashed to the stern. Just recently I bought a new one and was able to get it to work with the existing transducer.

• Anchor Windlass fell apart just after Ketchikan. Have ordered a new one. It should be arriving any day. 
• Had to buy a new waterpump in Campbell river. 
• Have had to replace alternator belts and waterpump belts.
• Just recently added these two radar reflectors to increase our chances in the fog.

Along with the items listed above, there is the continual degradation of the woodwork on our boat. This was the year we were to strip everything down and renew the woodwork. Unfortunately we have not found the time or circumstances to get it done. Everyday another blister forms and things look a little less pretty than they did.

More from the past, Campbell River and Comox

Seymour Narrows is a bit of a gateway separating Georgia Strait from Johnstone Strait. We spent the night in a perfect anchorage called Handfield Cove.

The next day we awoke to no fog. That was a big relief. We arrived at the narrows at slack and things went uneventfully. We anchored across from Campbell River and the next morning arrived at the Fisherman's Wharf in Campbell River.

Ginger Lady is squeezed into the middle of this picture

 It was fairly crowded with lots of commercial fishing boats and a lots of derelict boats. Everyone we met was very friendly and helpful. A commercial fisherman that had come to take a look at my boat helped me dismantle a fitting for my water strainer and lent me some tools. I spent a lot of time working on the boat. My recently rebuilt water pump was leaking and I replaced that which necessitated replacing a few other things.

We spent two days in Campbell River and really enjoyed it.

Comox was the next stop down the coast. Seemed like a fairly unremarkable town with a great harbour and very crowded anchorage. The weather was remarkably beautiful.

Cape Mudge

Then it was off down the middle of Georgia Strait to Lasquetti Islands.

Ganges, Salt Spring Island

Weather forcast is for some gale force South Winds. Being the wimps we are, we have decided to tie up to the dock in Ganges. We are in Yuppy Heaven with two liquor stores, multiple coffee shops, food stores , bakeries , restaurants ............ Only thing missing is a laundromat. Such a thing does not exist on this Island.  ?????

More on Ganges later.

Now to backtrack to Jedediah Island situated in the middle of North Georgia Strait. We really like this place and hope to spend more time on the journey back.

Feral sheep and goats are left over from the days when this island was farmed.

Yikes !! We had to share an anchorage. Fortunately these people were really nice and did not have a generator.

Deep cove was created so people could take multiple pictures of their boats framed by tranquil idyllic  scenery.

Arbutus Fruit

The old farmhouse

We suspect a Pileated Woodpecker. We heard some serious woodpecker digging but couldn't view it.

The Broughtons

We spent a few days in the Broughton Islands. There are some great anchorages and several resorts where you can enjoy "the happy hour, potluck scene.

What is missing is a few fish farm pictures. There seems to be a plague of them in this neck of the woods.