Up the Central & North Coasts of British Columbia

Lagoon Cove around Cape Caution to Pruth

On Thursday, June 13th after 3 nights at Lagoon Cove we left at 6:45 am.  The last few days had been windy so we decided to wait for better weather.  This was the day for transiting!  Don was totally right to wait for this day.

We crossed Queen Charlotte Strait with moderate swell and a light chop.  We decided not to stop at Blunden Harbour where we would normally anchor to then wait and check the weather forecast to determine when to cross the open ocean.  Instead Don felt confident that today was the best day so we continued going through Richards Channel into Queen Charlotte Sound and around Cape Caution.  Crossing the open ocean we were in 5 foot swells on our beam.  Not the most comfortable ride but we got use to it!  I actually took the helm for most of the ocean crossing.

By 5:30 we were well in the lee of Calvert Island travelling up Fitz Hugh Sound to Kwakshua Channel anchoring in a small bay south of Pruth Bay; the channel leading to Hakai Passage.  We arrived at 7:55 pm.  It was amazing to think we had just been in Lagoon that morning.  13 hrs 30 min cruising time.

Pruth Bay to Shearwater

Last year we spent an amazing day on the white sand beach of Pruth Bay.  This year we wanted to continue up the central coast of British Columbia due to our late departure.  We left this little bay at 8:30 am on Friday June 14th in rainy but light wind conditions.  From here we went into Hakai Passage which is also open ocean then back into Fitz Hugh Sound up to Lama Passage past Bella Bella to Shearwater.  We arrived in Shearwater at 1:50 pm in the afternoon.  Glad we got there early so we could do laundry, get groceries, water up and remove the garbage and recycling we have accumulated since leaving Nanaimo.  Shearwater also has a nice restaurant with good food.  Bosun had fun getting out for some walking and interactions with humans and dogs.  5 hrs 20 min cruising time.

Shearwater to Butedale

Saturday June 15th we left at 6:00 am to start our journey by going thru Seaforth Channel which was really calm.  Seaforth Channel is part of the Inside Passage.  At the east side of Ivory Island we took Reid Passage.  Because Seaforth Channel was so calm there were no breakers at the entrance which was a welcome surprise.   We travelled Reid Passage and continued up Mathieson Channel in flat water.   Jackson Passage is the scenic route from Mathieson Channel to Finlayson Channel.  Parts of Jackson Passage are narrow and shallow with depths as low as 12 feet at Jackson Narrows.  We had some ebb current through Jackson Narrows but had no difficulty transiting it. 

We continued up Finlayson Channel to Hiekish Narrows.  We stopped to fish for about 20  minutes and we caught a good size rock fish and a kelp greenling.  We wanted some fish for Bosun’s food. He’s a little spoiled!  We took Graham Reach north to Butedale arriving at 5:15 pm.11hrs 40 min cruising time.

Butedale is a good overnight spot.  It is the site of an old historic cannery next to a beautiful waterfall which comes from Butedale Lake above this property.  Untreated lake water is available and is used by many local fishing and charter boats.  This property was purchased by a developer in 2013 and new side-tie floats were installed.  Hopefully they will get the funds/investors needed to re-develop this property.  We got the last available spot on the dock!

Butedale to Lowe Inlet via Bishop Bay

We were going to spend the day here but Don enticed me into leaving Butedale to go to Bishop Bay Hot Springs.  We left at 11:40 on Sunday June 16th.  When we got to Bishop Bay there were several boats already anchored so we did not find a good spot because it is a small bay and it is deep.  We decided not to wait and instead we did a cruise around  Gribbell Island and head on up to Lowe Inlet.  We arrived at 9:05 pm.  9 hrs 25 min cruising time.

We stayed at Lowe Inlet on our way up to Alaska last year and on the way back down.  It is one of our favorite places to anchor.   Verney Falls is at the end of Lowe Inlet.  We anchored in 100 feet of water and had a nice steak dinner to celebrate Father’s Day.  We stayed another night here so Don could do some things on the boat.  I love hearing water rushing down a waterfall.  

 Lowe Inlet to Lewis Island Anchorage

We left on Tuesday June 16th at 10:30 am.  We were lucky because we needed to time it for high water slack for Evening Point when we went north to go up Grenville Channel.  That day the tide change was later in the morning.  Evening Point is where the tides meet so at that point ebb tide goes north out Grenville Channel  out into Chatham Sound but the south channel of Grenville Channel ebbs south out into Wright Sound.   By timing it we rode the current north while the tide was flooding in from the south and then when we reached Evening Point we rode the current north while the tide was ebbing (flowing out) to the north into Chatham Sound.   Don tries to get a boost as often as possible.  It can make a big difference going with the flow versus fighting the flow.

From Grenville Channel we went into Arthur Passage then turned east to go through a small passage called Chismore Passage.  We anchored behind Lewis Island at 4:10 pm.  It was a nice day for cruising.    5 hrs 40 min cruising time.

Lewis to Brundige Inlet on Dundas Island

The next day Wednesday, June 17th we left our anchorage at 4:55 am.  We decided to skip going to Prince Rupert since we don’t really need anything.  We have lots of produce we will say good-bye to before we cross into U.S. waters again.  We headed up Chismore Passage on the inside of Lewis Island and Porcher Island to Malacca Passage then into Chatam Sound. 

As we were coming up Chatam Sound we noticed a 165 ft mega yacht travelling much faster than us that passed.  They were not really close at all so I didn’t think much about it.  I did not see any wake coming our way.  I took over so Don could get in a little nap.  I’m cruising along and suddenly huge waves start hitting the boat on our starboard side.  The boat was rocking back and forth.  I turned off the auto-pilot and tried to steer into the waves.  I thought we could capsize.  I couldn’t get the steering wheel to turn no matter how hard I tried.  Don of course woke up and I yelled to him and he said turn into the waves.  I said I was trying to but the wheel won’t turn.  He said turn off the auto-pilot.  What!  I thought I had but apparently I didn’t hit the off button hard enough; I have to get on my tippy toes to reach it.  Lesson learned – always check the auto-pilot if the steering wheel is resistant. 

We travelled north turning into Holliday Passage on the inside of Dundas Island.   We saw the mega yacht again out in the middle of the sound stopped.  Then Don noticed there were whales out there.  That must have been why they had raced up there then stopped.  The whales were really too far away for us to see much.  We went around the tip of Dundas Island and into Brandige Inlet anchoring all the way to the end of the inlet.  What a nice, beautiful, protected spot to anchor.  We were set at 11:10 am.  5 hrs 40 min cruising time.