The rain forest on Cortes Island.
Tuesday September 7, 2010Leave Squirrel Cove, Cortes Island 0800
Arrive Hardy Island 1500
Trip Log 665.5
We had a little panic attack this morning when we went to pull the anchor. We thought it was stuck on something (yesterday we saw a powerboat pull up a large log with his anchor) because we couldn't budge it. We moved the boat forward to try to dislodge whatever it was, no luck.So we pulled up our trip line(the second time we have had to use it), and found that the problem was simply that it was WELL dug into the mud! Uggh, our backs are not used to this!
We are heading towards Hardy Island and the weather is nice enough for a swim!
Monday September 6, 2010
A day of R&R, we are sitting tight in Squirrel Cove because the forecast is for wind from the SE which would be right on our nose and we would be fighting it all the way. It is raining or misting. Took the kayaks out when the weather cleared a bit and went for a walk on Boulder Point then over to Squirrel Cove Marina to see the ``town``.
Salamander we found while hiking in Squirrel Cove, Cortes Island
Sunday September 5, 2010Leave Billygoat Bay, Helmken Island 1000
Arrive Squirrel Cove, Cortes Island 1900
Trip log 624.7
Uneventful day today compared to yesterday. We took advantage of the currents and wind and had an easy morning running with the head sail up. The wind finally died down after lunch but we still had a nice 3-4 knot current carrying us through Dent, Gillard and Yucalta Rapids. Squirrel Cove is crowded, but still lots of room. TONS of moon jellies in this bay, guess we won`t be going swimming.
Another sailboat, about a 50 footer, heeled almost to his toe rails in Johnstone Strait. This is 25 knots of wind.
Saturday September 4, 2010
Leave Pearse Islands 0800
Arrive Billygoat Bay, Helmken Island 1800
Trip log 573.3
Wind and current are in our favour today so we decide to make a nice run down Johnstone Strait. We hoped our day would go well, but it was not to be. Only about an hour out, with the wind blowing 10-15 knots, motor on but head sail up, the water choppy and the sun shinning right in our eyes, we ran into a gill netter. All panic broke out, threw her into neutral and pulled in the head sail. The fisher boat zoomed over to us and threw a line, but his mistake was trying to pull us over the net, unfortunately it only made matters worse. Then he tried to pull us back, but with the wind, and weight of our boat plus the net, he was not successful. Finally, he decided his only option was to drum his net and by doing this he was able to free us, but not without some damage to his net. It was an unfortunate mistake, and we have learned a lesson the hard way.
We kept a keen watch the rest of the day, and if we had not been really (and I mean REALLY) watching, it would have happened again. Another gill netter had his net out and he had drifted away from it about 500 meters or so, and we could not see the other bouy marking the far end of his net because of the chop. If we had chosen to take that route around him, we would have run into another net.
We arrived at Billygoat Bay, but the wind was still blowing 15-20, even in the anchorage. Without a winlass, anchoring makes the job a little bit of a challenge. Through it all, we ended up loosing our snubber. But I guess since we know exactly where it went down, maybe someday we can dive there and get it back! HA HA
So now we don`t have a snubber to help us with anchoring,.... we`ll see how that goes.
We were very glad once we had gotten our worn out bodies tucked into bed!
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1 comment:
very interesting, those gill nets. Need to go to school on the fishing fleets up here. yikes. We can't believe you swim around these parts. Going to look and see if you have pics of your kayaks, do you like yours or would you suggest another type.
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