Erik and Rainee’s Big Adventure

Day 1: Crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca We set a course for Friday Harbor, where we’ll stay for two days. We timed the Strait crossing with slack tide at Cattle Pass. The crossing was bumpy, with ~9 knot winds and 3 foot seas. We hit Cattle Pass at the perfect time and were able to get into our slip after a 3 hour and 45 minute crossing.

Day 2: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA Beautiful day on San Juan Island! Cleaned the salt off the boat, then went on a scooter ride to Roche Harbor. Finished the day off at the San Juan Brewing Company.

Day 3: Friday Harbor & Ganges Marina on Salt Spring Island, BC (Gulf Islands) We spent the morning in Friday Harbor at the 4th of July parade. We didn’t have skip reservations the night of the 4th, so missed the fireworks show. We motored on to Ganges Marina. Weather continued to be beautiful, near 80 degrees. Had a yummy meal at Moby’s pub on the waterfront. Refueled and did laundry before taking off to Galiano Island.

Day 4: Montague on Galiano Island, BC

Lovely trip to Montague Harbor. Fewer people here than when we were here last August. We had drinks at the harborside grill, Crane & Robin.

Days 5 & 6: Telegraph Harbor on Thetis Island, BC Island hopping continues on Thetis Island. We are here for two days. Took the dinghy out to the Thetis Island Pub for local mussels in Catalan sauce. Thetis isn’t very populated and has no grocery stores etc. There was a small family-run bakery and coffee shop at the marina. Erik enjoyed the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns and I loved the gluten free scone! On Saturday, a performer setup on the lawn and sang Johnny Cash and other fun music. Great little place. We left before the 2 foot low tide (which we cruised in on) and out to Nanaimo.

Days 7 & 8: Nanaimo, BC We made it safely through Dodd Narrows, but have no photographic or video proof – darn! Once settled in Nanaimo Harbor, we were in desperate need of shade. Our first stop was Penny’s Palapa for a couple of grande margaritas. Tomorrow, before it gets too hot, we’ll clean the boat and run a couple of errands. After that it’s a movie, museum or whatever will keep us out of the sun!

Day 9: Tribune Bay, Hornby Island, BC This was our longest trip yet – 5 hours through the Strait of Georgia. It was a little windy, but good conditions all the way to Tribune Bay. Pulling into Tribune Bay, we were surprised to find a lovely sandy beach with lots of people sunning and swimming. We anchored out for the first time – trying out a new anchor and bridle. We cooked up burgers for dinner and will start off tomorrow with a swim at that sandy beach.

Day 10: Comox, BC After a very windy night anchored in Hornby Bay, we set out for Comox. Comox is a quaint small town with three marinas. Comox appears to have an active rowing and boating culture. We saw people of every age enjoying time on the water. We ended the day with a nice meal that included fresh salmon and a trip to the gelato place (not in that order). Tomorrow we head to Gowlland Harbor for another evening anchoring-out.

Day 11: Gowland Harbour Overnight in Gowland Harbour after a 5 hour cruise from Comox. Lovely sheltered location with seals and eagles to watch. Tomorrow we are off through Seymour Narrows and to Blind Channel Bay for two days. Weather still very warm.

Day 12 Blind Channel, Discovery Islands, BC: Today was an adventure as we tackled Johnstone Strait. After 5 hours of travel through rough seas, we arrived at Blind Channel Resort in the Discovery Islands. What a charming place! Small resort and marina with a fine dining restaurant. This is a stop for the big yachts. Our boat was dwarfed by our neighbors. We met some nice people. We will be here tomorrow night, then we set a course for the Broughton Islands.

Day 13 Blind Channel, Discovery Islands, BC: Another beautiful day cruising in Canadian waters! This is our second and final day at Blind Channel Resort. Erik started the day by indulging in fresh cinnamon rolls from the resort store this morning. After that, we went on a nice hike along the water and through old growth forest. Next, Erik planned our next few destinations as we travel North. We’ve traveled 230 miles, so far.

Day 14 Port Harvey, Broughton Archipelago, BC: We are now up North, in the Broughtons! We cruised for about 5 hours, in part, through Johnstone Strait again. Weather continues to be beautiful. We anchored at Port Harvey, which is a small logging camp with no marina. Beautiful setting. We set out for Lagoon Cove today. Back on the yachting circuit.

Days 15 & 16: Lagoon Cove, Broughton Islands, BC: We arrived at Lagoon Cove yesterday. What a quaint marina in a very remote area! Everyone docked at this tiny marina attended the Happy Hour potluck. The owner provided fresh shrimp and I baked an artichoke dip to share. We had a great time meeting new people and chatting with some we’d met at other marinas. The owner’s story was fascinating about he and his wife emigrating from the US to buy this operation.

We are officially on the yachting circuit. We might have been the only boat without a dishwasher 😀. We will take a hike today and probably a trip around the bay in our dinghy.

Days 17 & 18 Sullivan Bay on North Broughton Island: We traveled North through calm waters from Lagoon Cove to Sullivan Bay today. Beautiful weather continues. We saw a humpback whale and its baby today! Multiple bald eagles flew overhead as well. We arrived into Sullivan Bay just before the Happy Hour buffet. We met more interesting people. Sullivan Bay Marina is a co-op with a handful of pretty houseboats at the dock. We’re here for two days.

Days 19 & 20 – Port McNeill, BC. We crossed Queen Charlotte Strait through the fog early this morning. Seas were very calm. We saw salmon jumping, seals chasing salmon and a Humpback Whale. We are here tomorrow, then back to the Broughtons.

Today (Day 20) we took the ferry from Port McNeill to Finnish settlement, Sointula. We used free community bikes to bike around part of the island.

Day 21 Port McNeil to Viner Sound: We crossed Queen Charlotte Strait back into the Broughtons. We saw whales, sea otters, seals and eagles. We anchored in Viner Sound, which is a very pretty bay. We are heading back to Lagoon Cove for the night and looking forward to the fresh shrimp at Happy Hour.

Day 22 Lagoon Cove: We traveled from Viner Sound to Lagoon Cove today, stopping at Kwatsi Bay along the way. A school of dolphins joined us and played in our wake at the bow and on both sides of the boat! It was great fun for them. I spotted one surfing on its back and another on its side looking up from the bow as I video’d him. We capped off our day with stunning rock formations and a whale sighting.

Day 23 Lagoon Cove to Forward Harbor: Johnstone Strait was calm today, unlike a couple of weeks ago. We cruised for around 3 hours to a quiet anchorage in Forward Harbor. No whales today, but more seals and eagles. We continue to be in the middle of nowhere. I’m making a homemade soup and cornbread tonight and we’ve got Starlink cranked up for streaming.

Day 24 Blind Channel: Back to Blind Channel. Pretty place with all the amenities.

Day 25 Dent Island, BC: Dent Island, where have you been all of my life? What a cool place. Remote lodge with all of the conveniences of civilization. We rolled in with a 308 foot mega yacht at our side. Even the pod of dolphins passed our boat to meet the Viva. Backing up, we got here through “Devil’s Hole Whirlpool.” We went through at slack tide, so avoided all potential drama. Two more rapids to go through in the morning, then our rapid passages will be done. We saw a pod of Orcas along the way!

Day 26 Dent Island Lodge & Marina to Toba Wilderness Marina: We cruised south into the Desolation Sound region. We saw whales along the way. We are at Toba Wilderness Marina, which is a very small and quaint marina at the entrance to Toba Inlet. We went in a nice hike to a lookout point and are now back to the boat relaxing. Tomorrow we are off to Heriot Bay.

Days 27 & 28 Heriot Bay on Quadra Island, BC: We had a wonderful cruise from Toba Wilderness to Heriot Bay. We had the most spectacular Humpback Whale sighting in Heriot Bay. At least two whales were slapping fins against the water and we saw four breaches! What a view! It’s raining very hard today and it’s foggy too. We’re glad to be in port when it’s like this. Tomorrow we’re off to another island.

Day 29 Refuge Cove on West Redonda Island, BC: It stopped raining! We are in a very popular cove marina tonight. It took nearly an hour to get a spot at this unmanaged dock. Once in, we went to the bar and grill, then the General Store. Lots of people and fun. Temperatures are warming back up tomorrow into the 80s.

Days 30 & 31 Gorge Harbour on Cortes Island in Desolation Sound, BC: We traveled just a couple of hours to Gorge today. Narrow canal entering pretty bay. Nice moorage next to big yacht with kids jumping off top into the water. Weather has warmed up again!

Day 32 Okeover Harbour in Desolation Sound, BC: We continue to make our way south. We are in Okeover for the night, to eat at the very popular Laughing Oyster Restaurant, which features an abundance of food. Otherwise, it’s hot again – about 86 degrees today.

Day 33 Okeover Harbour to anchoring in the Copeland Islands, Desolation Sound, BC: We motored for about 90 minutes to this lovely cove to anchor for the night. Temp is well into the 80s again. Lovely day. This is the perfect place for a swim!

Day 34 Garden Beach Marina in the Sunshine Coast, BC: Woke to a beautiful sunrise at a cove in the Copeland Islands. We are now cruising the Sunshine Coast of BC. Anchoring out last night may have been our last glimpse of the Milky Way as we are now back in civilization. Tomorrow we head to Pender Harbour as we continue to make our way south.

Days 35 & 36 Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast of BC: We’ve had a very nice couple of days in Pender Harbour. Lovely small marina with a swim pool. Great way to cool off. The day ended with a bagpiper playing at the marina. Next stop for us is Secret Cove as we continue cruising south.

Days 37 & 38 Secret Cove, BC: We arrived in Secret Cove yesterday. Cute place with a small grocery store and a fine dining restaurant at the dock. On the way in, we saw seals on a rock – some nursing their young pups. Continued heat wave as we’re now into the hottest part of the summer.

Day 39: Schooner Cove on Vancouver Island. We crossed the Strat of Georgia today, skirting military training ground Whiskey Gulf. US and Canadian Naval exercises were in full operation today with two P8 sub-hunters and two military ships. We watched a sailboat and a power yacht cross into the forbidden torpedo zone and get promptly intercepted by Naval ships. The drama played out on our VHF radio. It’s a good story, better told in person.

Day 40 Oyster Bay Marina at Ladysmith, BC: We are now in the Gulf Islands. Lovely Ladysmith is a quaint town with a long history of logging. We had a nice walk through Old Town. Ladysmith is full of gluten free food options. We started at Zach’s for a GF sandwich and GF beer. Next it was the GF bakery, followed by icecream with a GF waffle cone. Erik wasn’t left out. He waited in a line of 30 people to get a cinnamon roll at locally famous Old Town Bakery. Nice day all together, though hot again.

Day 41 Ganges on Salt Spring Island, BC: We continue south through the Gulf Islands. Today included seeing float planes, a squadron of 9 planes, curried mussels, sailboats and cinnamon rolls. Phew! We’re off to Poet’s Cove tomorrow.

Days 42 & 43 Poet’s Cove on Pender Island, BC: The BC segment of our trip ends at Poet’s Cove in BC’s Gulf Islands. We’re enjoying Poet’s Cove and the cool weather. We head to the US tomorrow.

Days 44 & 45 Friday Harbor, San Juan Islands, USA: Back in the USA! We’ve officially dropped the “u” in Harbor. We are “stranded” here for two days as we wait out wind on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Wonderful sunny weather again.

Day 46 (August 16) Back in Sequim! It’s the end of our journey. We made lots of memories. We arrived back at John Wayne Marina during seal calving season. We were greeted by seal pups playing in the water and trying out their new swim skills.

Trip Stats:

• 46 Days on the boat
• 33 Ports of Call (marinas and coves)
• 794.4 Nautical Miles Traveled
• 914.2 Miles Traveled