Takush Harbor to Port Hardy
20 June 2017 | Boat position at Port Hardy: 50 42.76'N; 127 29.42'W
Pam Lau and Ted Berry
Picture: Sitting left to right, Ted, Pam, Marion and Colin. Standing, Christine and Keith. Both couples are from New Zealand.
Noon to noon miles: 42 Miles since Mexico: 25,802
Weather: Cloudy in the morning gradually clearing and sunny after lunch. Wind: SW wind, head wind 0 to 8 knots Boat speed: 4.0 - 5 knots. We motored with main sail up.
Navigating through the different channels, sounds, narrows and reaches was like going through an obstacle course and crossing Queen Charlotte Sound was no different. Because of the weather conditions it took us four days, hiding in different anchorages before we could actually make it across. If the weather had been favorable, with the long daylight hours we would probably have made it in one or two days.
The weather was still cloudy and dreary when we weighed anchor at 04:30 in the morning. It was as if it was suffering from the hangover of raining and blowing too much from the last two days. Ted was still somewhat nervous about going out toward the opening. However, when "Shuang Yu" finally moved out toward Queen Charlotte Sound; the weather was decent. We still had head wind but the wind was light and manageable. We experienced swells, as Queen Charlotte Sound is noted for rolling waves, but it was not unbearably uncomfortable. After "Shuang Yu" was on the leeward side of the Storm Islands, the rollers nearly diminished.
I took over and guided us through the next group of islets while Ted rested. There was sunshine and blue sky. Our cold and miserable weather might be ended as we crossed to the other side of Queen Charlotte Sound. The rest of the trip was smooth motor/sailing.
There was no answer after calling the harbormaster at Port Harvey so we gave up and proceeded into the marina. I could not believe my eyes when I saw S/V "Avant Garde", Colin and Marion's boat! It has been four years (2013) since we saw them in Japan on the Japan Setouchi International Yacht Rally! We were "assigned" to join the same beautiful motor yacht together for a week. Colin was one of the reasons that we took our boat to Japan. He also told us to go to Sibu, seventy miles up a river in Borneo to check into Malaysia. We dodged logs, boats, barges and rode through rapids because of Colin ... We had a great time reminiscing about our experiences together.
Christine and Keith, whom we also met at the yacht rally in Japan, flew in that very same afternoon from New Zealand! It was a surprise and a super fun reunion.