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<\/a><\/p>\nThursday, September 1, 2016 – Blunden Harbour<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n
Erin and Sheila disembarked at Port McNeil.\u00a0 I re-supplied with groceries and headed across Queen Charlotte Sound to Blunden Harbour on the north side.<\/p>\n
Deluge at Blunden Harbour, and clearing skies afterward. This deluge revealed a number of deck leaks in the Plan B, which tormented me for the rest of the trip, and will have to be dealt with before the next trip!<\/a><\/p>\n Rock totem.<\/p>\n Evening light at Shelter Bay.<\/p>\n Saturday, September 3, 2016 – Miles Inlet<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Woke up to the sound of rain on the deck. Got up and looked around \u2013seemed like it would be a nice day. Continued north up the coast. Saw two cruise ships further out. Later, saw the Alaska State Ferry heading north \u2013 had seen them going south a couple of days ago. Also passed the Coast Guard supply ship anchored among the islands.<\/p>\n My GPS charts did not go further north than the Southgate Islands, so after that I was on my own with the paper charts. The GPS still showed my route, speed, and position \u2013 just no chart.<\/p>\n Some of these amazing windswept shores!<\/p>\n Beach at Wilkie Point, just north of Burnett Bay. This was my furthest north point on this trip. After a lunch break and some beach time, I turned around and headed south.<\/p>\n Beautiful still morning at Miles Inlet.<\/p>\n Heading out I heard rushing water \u2013 in the north arm of the anchorage there was a tidal waterfall happening. Would be fun to play around in at the right stage of tide \u2013 right now there was a four foot drop!<\/p>\n Visibility was limited so I turned on the radar and set a compass course for the Walker Group \u2013 diagonally across QC Strait. Part way along an island appeared ahead that wasn\u2019t on the chart! After a few minutes it turned into a ship \u2013 looks like another Alaska ferry.<\/p>\n Anchored in the Walker group.<\/p>\n Port McNeill harbour \u2013 commercial docks.<\/p>\n The Coastal Messenger Mission boat.<\/p>\n Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016 – Port McNeill<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Janet arrived in the early afternoon.<\/p>\n Easthope engine, Sointula museum.<\/p>\n Toxin dispenser \u2013 they had several!<\/p>\n The unique church in Alert Bay with Russian influenced details.<\/p>\n Chilkat blanket in the museum \u2013 these are very labour-intensive.<\/p>\n Archival photo of Winter Harbour.<\/p>\n Today was a whale watching day.\u00a0 It was also the day that the upper steering cable broke while maneuvering around the whales.\u00a0 I disconnected it and we spent the rest of the trip steering from inside the cabin.<\/p>\n These were transient Orcas hunting sea lions.<\/p>\n Agitated sea lions missing one of their group who fell victim to the Orcas.<\/p>\n Repeated tail slapping by a humpback whale.<\/p>\n Sunday, September 11, 2016 – Goat Island Anchorage<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Jan taking her birthday calls.<\/p>\n Launching the kayaks for a paddle to Mamalillacula.<\/p>\n The remaining village poles at Mamalillacula.<\/p>\n Coming back to our stuff, Janet spotted a bear just down the beach!<\/p>\n We were glad to have seen the bear on the beach, and not on the trail!<\/p>\n Happy 58th<\/sup> Birthday Janet!<\/p>\n Heading up Knight Inlet.<\/p>\n Landslides along the steep shores.<\/p>\n Knight Inlet evening.<\/p>\n Full crab trap!<\/p>\n We gradually slipped out of the fog into a clear morning.<\/p>\n It was a long run up Knight Inlet, but the views were impressive. The inlet sides were steep with a lot of cliffs. The mountains got higher and more dramatic as we went along.<\/p>\n At Cascade Point there is a great waterfall.<\/p>\n Icefields started to appear, and the water had turned milky white (and fresh, as it turned out). This is looking up Wahshihlas Bay, where we anchored for the night:<\/p>\n The Franklin River valley \u2013 a beautiful braided river with ice-cold water.<\/p>\n Wolf tracks on the beach.<\/p>\n Evening moon at the head of Knight inlet.<\/p>\n Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 – Wahshihlas Bay, Knight Inlet<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n Came across a moose antler!<\/p>\n We spent the afternoon along the river, having a picnic lunch and enjoying the scenery and the warm sun. I do love these braided river valleys!<\/p>\n Would have been nice to go for a swim but the water was ice-cold!<\/p>\n Back at the boat, we cruised down the inlet a ways and then shut the engine and drifted. Floated around all evening enjoying the glassy calm water and being surrounded by scenery. Finished off the crab and had a bit of pasta to round it out.<\/p>\n Cruised back to Wahshihlas bay just as it was getting dark. The moon was shining across the bay as we snuggled into bed early.<\/p>\n View back up to the head of the inlet:<\/p>\n Ling cod for dinner!<\/p>\n Whale in Thomson Sound<\/p>\n Paddle up the river in the rain\u2026<\/p>\n Cruised over to the Burdwoods and anchored in tight among the islands, just off the east side of the pretty little shell beach.<\/p>\n Janet\u2019s Ikebana from flowers collected at Mamlillacula:<\/p>\n Janet made an excellent chowder from the rest of the fish. We had two dinners and two lunches from that ling cod and they were all excellent.<\/p>\n Brief stop at Echo Bay to check out the store, which was rather empty as it\u2019s now pretty much the end of cruising season.<\/p>\n Views from the Goat Island anchorage in the Broughtons.<\/p>\n A different style of cruising.<\/p>\n Janet had lots of time to knit, and finished this fun toque with earflaps along the way.<\/p>\n Approaching Helmcken Island in the rain.<\/p>\n Speeding past whirlpools through Seymour Narrows.<\/p>\n Reflections in the anchorage.<\/p>\n Nest morning Janet disembarked and headed home. I went to the fuel dock to fill up and then the starter quit. So I took it out (not easy!) and took it into a shop for repair.<\/p>\n Spent the night at the fuel dock.<\/p>\n Long, boring run down Georgia Strait on a beautiful day.<\/p>\n Had to duck in behind the breakwater at Trail Bay in Sechelt due to rough weather.<\/p>\n Heading out at dawn from Sechelt \u2013 nice and calm today!<\/p>\n Approaching the Art Laing Bridge several hours later \u2013 not in the wilderness anymore!<\/p>\n I parked the boat at Skyline Marina and took the skytrain home. Just getting on to the skytrain was a culture shock! All these people, living all these different lives \u2013 most of them could probably not relate to what I had just been through.<\/p>\n Later on:<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n In October I had the starboard fuel tank cleaned by a fuel polishing service:<\/p>\n In November I took out the steering cable and ordered a new one:<\/p>\n Getting the old cable out was a challenge in itself. Here is the section that went upstairs.<\/p>\n And here I am with my head down by the hull trying to see why the cable won\u2019t pull out:<\/p>\n 2017 Cruise preparations<\/a> <\/b><\/p>\n Summer time is here again and the Plan B is heading out on another cruise!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe beach and signs at Blunden Harbour, former site of a significant Native village.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nTidal rapids and foam in Bradley lagoon.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBut first, a quick look at some of the preparations.\u00a0 Lots of maintenance happened over the winter and spring, including a new steering cable, new batteries, boarding ladder, fuel polishing, and lots of\u00a0 scraping, sanding and varnishing.\u00a0 Several people helped – Janet tackled just about everything, Phil sanded and varnished the cabin door, and Paul diligently cleaned up dozens of parts that no one will ever know but make a big difference to the final result.\u00a0 Here are a few pics:<\/p>\n