The Highway Home
04 September 2013 | Pender Harbour, B.C.
Summer continues!
We are taking the "inside" route through Dent Rapids, Gillard Pass, and the Yuculta Rapids. Our depature from Blind Channel was timed so that the current there would be favorable for our trip down Cordero Channel. That meant that we had some time to kill before arriving at Dent Rapids at slack. We tied up at the dock in Shoal Bay and had lunch aboard. Some folks on a small sport fisher tied up to do the same and we chatted with them for a while. They are fishing for ling cod and were headed back out so they shared a filet with us!
We went through Dent Rapids and Gillard Pass a little early but the current was with us so we gained some speed. We found plenty of space at the community docks in Big Bay on Stuart Island. We had our fresh ling cod filet, breaded and fried, for dinner. It was delicious!
On Thursday we timed our departure from Big Bay so that the Yuculta Rapids, which are right in front of the Stuart Island Community Docks, would be going slack. We had no problem going through to Calm Channel (appropriately named!) and on to one of our favorite stops in Desolation Sound: Squirrel Cove. There was plenty of space to anchor and we found our spot right in front of the reversing rapids that lead into the hidden lagoon. This is the big attraction here. Cruisers who visit here like to run through the little inlet at high slack tide and explore the lagoon in their dinghies or kayaks. They can spend about an hour inside the lagoon and then run the rapids out when the tide reverses the stream. We have done this several times, with some rather hilarious outcomes. Tonight high tide is close to sunset so anyone entering the lagoon runs the risk of having to wait until after dark to find their way out. No one takes the challenge.
As we wound our way into the anchorage, we were passed by an inflatable tender with two people and two boxer dogs that we recognized: Bob and Jeanne on M/V Presido. They are members Squalicum Yacht Club and are out for a cruise. We take the Bullfrog down to where they are anchored and have a chat about where we have all been. It was nice running into someone that we know.
The next morning we head south down Thulin Passage and take moorage in Westview. The harbor authority has made big improvements here in recent years. They have doubled the size of the south basin, installed more floats that increases the moorage, built a new harbor office with washrooms and showers and generally spruced up the place. This is now a regular stop for us as we head back to Bellingham. They even have a free shuttle to take us up to the shopping center where the grocery store is. Our needs today are small so we shop in the town center and find some fresh baked sourdough bread and "Nanaimo" bars at the Rocky Mountain Pizza Company. If you don't know what a Nanaimo bar is, you must come out here and try one. They are indescribably delicious! There is also a very well stocked marine supply store and several books stores to browse through.
On Saturday we leave early to take advantage of calm conditions and an ebbing tide to travel down Malaspina Strait. We arrive in Pender Harbour about noon and find moorage at the Fisherman's Marina in Hospital Bay. We find that some friends from the Bellingham Grand Banks crowd are there: Byron and Sue aboard Eagles's Gig. Again, it is nice to run into someone we know. Also, we have been keeping up with each other on the ham radio net that is run nightly in the summer months. We dinghy over to the Grasshopper Pub for dinner with Byron and Sue.
Sirena plans to spend two nights in Pender Harbour. We will cross over to Nanaimo on Monday morning.