Left at 4:54 AM, pulling quietly away from the docks to hopefully not awaken Dean and Jaynine. Easy crossing of Georgia Straits with a light chop and got over the Whiskey Gulf section by 8:30 AM. It became active at 9:30 AM and a couple of times we heard the Coast Guard come on the VHF radio to tell someone that they were smack in the middle of Whiskey Gulf and that it was active. Only heard one side of the conversation so not sure how the boaters got out of their predicament. Safety first! Went up the backside (east) of Texada Island and a light SW breeze gave us a little extra push. We were unsure where we were going to stop, but once we had completed 70 miles, we just wanted to drop a hook and relax so we headed for Squirrel Cove. Very protected and good mud bottom. In 9 hours and 39 minutes we traveled 82.8 miles with average speed for the day of 8.6 mph. Thank you SW wind. Relaxed and enjoyed the day on the 6th, because we were both a little tired. Not real crowded at this time of the year and lots of room to swing.

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Pulled the hook at 8:00 AM, came over to Refuge Cove, and tied up to the docks. NO POWER. Moved over to fuel dock, which opens at 9 AM. Refueled, and then left to go over and check out the government dock at the Squirrel Cove General Store on Cortes Island. A definite NO. Came back over and tied up to docks in Refuge Cove for the night. Current plans are to continue through Yuculta Rapids, Dent Rapids and decide on Shawl Bay or Blind Channel, or, continue through Greene Point Rapids and Whirlpool Rapids and then anchor in Forward Harbour. The slack for Yuculta is 12:36 PM on June 8th (tomorrow). The other problem with the slack times for rapids when you are heading NW, they are earlier than the one before it is, so, an interesting conundrum in this section, when traveling NW. When traveling SE (homeward), we can easily run Whirlpool Rapids, Greene Point Rapids, Dent Rapids, Gillard Pass and finally Yuculta Rapids all in one day.

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Left at 8 AM, and went through Yuculta with current going our way, but slowing down. Then, when pulling in to the Stuart Island Community Dock (located in Big Bay) we always need to see which way the current is going because that determines how you pull in to the docks. Great to arrive with empty docks and have the leisure to, pick your spot on the docks and make it work for you. The current is going to either push you away from the dock, or, push you into the dock. We were able to come in, and pick our side of the dock and just let the current nudge us sideways. Works like a charm. 24.5 miles in 3 hours and 16 minutes.

Today's view coming up Lewis Channel and then Calm Channel (yep, was definitely calm) was beautiful in blues.

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Also, grabbed a couple of picture of the Stuart Island Community Docks.

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The proliferation of the petite Bonoparte's Gulls was obvious on the rocks at low tide. What graceful fliers.

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You never know what the sunset is going to be like, when you are tied up to the Stuart Is. Community Docks.

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The plan for June 9th, is to drop a hook in Forward Harbour, and on June 10th, get up early to scoot by Whirlpool Rapids slack at 6:41 AM, and then catch Sunderland Channel, Johnstone Strait, and Chatham Channel (7:30 AM to 1:30 PM) with currents going our way all day, to land in Lagoon Cove! Overall distance is 38.7 miles and will take about 6 hours altogether. We will be going through the Blowhole (right before turning in to Lagoon Cove) about 2 hours after low tide, so should have at least 10 to 12 feet under our keel.

Leaving the dock at 6:05 AM (we happened to see a sailboat come through Yuculta and turning into Gillard Passage and it was clipping along) we took advantage of going through Gillard 40 minutes before slack. There was a slight current against us and by the time we arrived at Dent Rapids, 3 miles later, we sailed through with no trouble because the slack is earlier here and now the current had turned and was going our way. Glad we were for the current because the further west we traveled the more we picked up a head wind. Entered Greene Point Rapids at 8:11 AM (roughly just over 2 hours later) and followed another sailboat through that happened to pass us just before entering the rapids. This one looked to be 50 footer and was going about a knot faster than us. That's ok. Usually a sailboat is a good boat to follow, because their keel is deeper. Going west, we follow the V in the water and coming out the other side, current swings wide to the starboard side. If you try to go straight on a shorter heading, you have to fight the back current, eddies and whirlpool that gather on the south side of an ebbing tide. Sun was trying to come out and the head wind picked up more, after going through Greene Point Rapids. Current still strong in our direction and carrying us right along. Coming down Chancellor Channel, just before hanging a right to go into Wellbore Channel, boat was definitely dancing in joy, along with the waves. We enjoyed the calm in Wellbore, sailing through Whirlpool Rapids (again with current our direction) around 9 AM, dodged around gathered up whirlpools on the north side to enter Forward Harbour to drop a hook and relax at 9:54 AM. 33.4 miles in 3 hours 48 minutes. Cloudy until anchored in Forward, becoming partly sunny and light breeze all day.

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Passed Shawl Bay, off our port side and it is a good stopping place as well. Last year, did a hike up to the gold mine, what a view! 3rd picture below is looking up Chancellor Channel and weather still very overcast. As shown in the picture on the right, below, this is the anchorage view looking up Forward Harbour.

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Up at 4:30 AM to listen to the weather station on VHF for there is no wifi signal in Forward Harbour. Saying light than 5 to 15 knots. Doesn't say when the light winds will be except 'early morning'. While pulling anchor, there was a definite breeze crossing the bow, but decided to poke our nose out and take a look, down Sunderland Channel. Finally picked up 4G wifi and checked marine weather online. Figured out how to find the weather buoy on Fanny Island at the head of Sunderland Channel and it was saying 14 knots. By the time we got to Johnstone Strait, the Fanny Island weather buoy said 18 knots. It was a bit bouncy, but doable so we bumped up the RPMs another 200 hundred and started catching currents going our way. Wind turned and was coming from behind, which wasn't a bother. Passed Blenkinsop Bay and still a little bouncy. Approaching Port Neville (both off our starboard side) and waters calmed right down with smooth sailing the rest of the way to Broken Islands and did a starboard turn to go up Havannah Channel (dropping the RPMs back down 200), before entering Chatham Channel on our port side. Strong current running our direction. 38.4 miles in 4 hours and 15 minutes. Cloudy and wind coming up; rained off and on throughout the day. Would look like it is clearing up, but then clouded and sprinkled again.

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First picture is the bottom of Chatham Channel, with an interesting building still standing on shore. Then next picture is looking up Chatham Channel and you can see the skies are changing from the overcast for the first part of this journey. Turning port to enter the Blowhole, we passed the old Minstrel Island store and restaurant that was very active in the old logging days. Not so active now and surprised that it is still standing. One day. When we arrived at Lagoon Cove, there were a couple of boats that were leaving. At one point, during the first day, we were the only boat on the docks. Since then, boats arrived, and we have not been by our lonely self since then. Dan and Kelly own and run the docks and are a very lovely couple. Brandon is the prawner, and all around solid help on the docks. He was here last year as well. Great people and make your stay a pleasure.

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Happy hour at 5:00 PM and Dan and Kelly have continued the tradition of providing prawns and boaters bring various items to make for a good snack time and a chance to chat with other boaters to swap stories, tales and even taller tales; plus exchange good information on locations, weather and things to watch out for. Being outside on the upper dock makes it easy to throw the prawn shells over the side. The seastar colony below keeps the beach very clean. We also happened to see some Lagoon Cove covid humor. Good for them! Weather wise, the flowers are buttoning up!

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There is a Crab Shack here in crabby Lagoon Cove and you can cook up a mess of crabs, or prawns, and even clean your fish catch at a fish cleaning station. If you have a question on what to use, just ask. Weather's changing and you can see the clouds coming in. June 11th, it rained all day.

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It is always great to catch up with Bob and Pat. The first night we treated them to dinner on our boat and 10 o'clock rolled around without anyone realizing how late it was. The sun was hanging around for and extra hour, we think! The second night, they honored us by celebrating our 38th wedding anniversary with dinner in their house and Pat baked a special lemon cake (with Bob dishing up the ice cream), to top off another wonderful evening of still catching up for the last year. The third day, everyone got busy with Bob working on his woodworking projects, Rebecca continuing to learn how to use a dremel to create feathers, and John and Pat got busy whacking away the evergrowing greenery. Weather cleared up for a bit on this day, making it nice to get outside in the fresh clean air. Been raining for the last several days.

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During our time, we had a chance to visit throughout the day, or were busy working on wood, shaping wood, or clipping wood. Either way, things were getting done! It is good to stop and look at the beauty the rain brings out in the plants. Not to mention the downpour shown in the greenery in the pictures above.

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After so many days of charging up the batteries with the genset, we needed to spend a few days on the dock with power. Since we had heard that Dave and Liz were home from their extended trip across Canada and then down the eastern side before heading back across the bottom side of the US, we were excited to catch up with them and hear about how everything went for them. They took a small schoolbus and converted it into an RV, all Dave's handiwork! Pretty amazing.
On Harbledown Island, near the entrance to remote and majestic Knight Inlet, lies the tiny village of the Tsatsisnukwomi, which means 'place of eel grass' and is home to the DaÍnaxdaÍxw (pronounced Da-NUK-dah) First Nation. The Da'naxda'xw Awaetlala First Nation is an amalgamation of the Da'naxda'xw and Awaetlala Tribes of Knight Inlet. Another interesting bit of news is the Eulachon harvesting which happens in the month of April up Knight Inlet.
Back in 2017, Knight Inlet Lodge is acquired by Na̲nwak̲olas, some 60 kilometres inland along the largest fjord on the British Columbia coast, Knight Inlet Lodge is tucked into Glendale Cove. This area is known for it's grizzlies. Below on the left shows Knight Inlet Lodge, which is located halfway up Knight Inlet on the right hand side in Glendale Cove. The picture on the left is some of the grizzlies found in that area and up at the head of Knight Inlet.

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Na̲nwak̲olas is a First Nations controlled entity and is mandated to secure economic development opportunities for the benefit of its five limited partner First Nations (DA’NAXDA’XW AWAETLALA, MAMALILIKULLA, TLOWITSIS, WEI WAI KUM and K’ÓMOKS First Nations) within their collective traditional territories. The following link shows the First Nation Profiles Interactive Map all across Canada, Yukon Territory, and the Northwest Territory.
This is a great little spot to stop and relax and there is a tour available to learn the history of this First Nation village (for $60) and includes a visit to the Big House. In the pictures below, the one on the left was taken approximately 2012. The picture on the right includes our boat on the far right. What an exquisite moment in time to relax and rejuvenate, not just ourselves, but the batteries on the boat; catch up on some laundry loads and showers as well.Thank you Tsatsisnukwomi.

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On the day of our arrival a graceful heron welcomed us from the beach and kelp crabs appeared. Then, the Canadian frog welcomed us on the grass on our walk about. That evening, the sunset was a beautiful sight and it is hard to capture what the eye sees, in an ever changing display! The first totem that you see, when walking up the dock was made by Harry in 2018, to honor the passing of his grandfather, William Glendale in 2017. In March 2024, William Glendale's wife Anne, who was known as the matriarch, has also passed away and both are deeply missed by all in this small community.

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