We've slowed down our pace a little so we could explore this area. We've been rushing rushing rushing to get someplace and decided to enjoy where we were. What a concept! So the past few days we've been sampling some of the anchorages on the West Coast of Princess Royal Island.

This is almost open ocean, with only a few low-profile islands between here and China. The trees are stunted and stick out at wild angles. The rocks jut straight up in the air and dare you to try to navigate between them. And every once in a while there is a little cove or an inlet where you can tuck in and feel safe. Sort of. The wind has ways.

Yesterday we had a lunch stop in Fifer Inlet, up Laredo Inlet, off Laredo Channel, not far from Laredo Sound -- (do you sense the theme emerging here?) It was a beautiful day and it is a truly charming place with a handful of small islets guarding the entrance, a shoreline with enticing ins and outs and a sparkling creek at the head of the bay. And just as we were setting the anchor, I saw a deer crossing the creek. It stopped and looked and then kept on going, not a care in the world. And then, we noticed a grizzly on shore, schlepping his way toward the creek, pulling at grasses and nosing around in the dirt for delicacies. We stopped for an hour watching the grizz -- a youthful 400-500 pounds, I would say, cinnamon coloured, with dark feet and ears: what a treat! Our first bear sighting this year.

Today we stumbled upon an old longhouse in a beautiful forest, mossy and green. The huge posts and beams were leaning against each other, some had trees growing out of them, and it was evocative as hell.

And to top it all off a small group of Dall's Porpoises came barrelling down the channel at us, did a 180 when they got to the boat, and played in our bow wake for 10 minutes or so, splashing their way back the way they'd just come.

Then, just to make sure we were paying attention, god had us ride right over a rock on our way into this very protected, but rock-strewn little anchorage (photo). Not to worry, we had at least two inches under the keel. (Yikes!) I'm not sure the depth sounder is ever going to recover. It made her very nervous. Once we got settled, we dinghied back to the entrance and marked where the rocks were, just to make sure we get out in one piece in the morning.

Wild, I tell you, wild.