28Apr10

We left Grief Point and headed up into Discovery Passage, past Campbell River and ran Seymour Rapids at slack. Plan was to go to Port Neville, but the flood currents in Johnstone were just too strong. We were down to less than 4 knots while carrying more power than normal, and the back eddies along the shore were very turbulent due to the Spring tides. We were iffy to make Port Neville before dark, so we bailed out and stopped in at Blind Channel Resort. They were welcoming and had lots of space, given were were the only two boats there. Restaurant wasn't open, but the store was, and they have acres of grassy lawns for Kermodei to chase balls (which he will do until he can't run any more) and some nice trails back into the woods that have interpretive signs here and there, courtesy of the logging industry. The area is a public demonstration of the regenerative effects of proper logging operations, given the area you hike through was logged at various times, from the late 1800 's to the 1960's. They make the argument that logged forest lands are healthier and more vital and more supportive of wildlife when the climax old-growth forests they cut down. Clearly, one would have some interesting debates on that point, but it was interesting to see the InterForest perspective on it all.