26 June 2012 - Prince Rupert was a very nice stay. We spent 3 nights there waiting for weather to improve and make the crossing of Dixon Entrance and back into U.S. waters. We docked at the PRYC Marina which we would highly recommend. Very helpful and friendly staff, they will meet you at the slip to help you dock and will be happy to help you depart the docks, the current runs strong at times, the help was appreciated. They were also very knowledgeable of where thing were in town. Everything needed for boaters and travelers was in easy walking distance. There were lots of sidewalks and green ways along the waterfront, which is very nice for walking the poodles. PRYC is in Cow Bay, which purportedly got its name when the first dairy cows arrived in 1906. There were no docking facilities at which to unload so the cows were unceremoniously dumped overboard and swam to shore. The cow bay area has embraced the theme with the painting of dumpsters, trashcans, and even the Marine Fuel Depot tanks, a very attractive "Holstein spotted black and white".

29 June 2012
We departed Prince Rupert on 29 June, getting a late 11 am start waiting for the morning rain/fog to lift. Our Northern departure took us through Venn Passage, a zigzag, shallow water course, through green and red buoys, leading markers, and a constant eye on our boats imprint on the electronic charts. But the Venn Passage channel cuts off several miles of backtracking to exit Prince Rupert harbor. Late in the afternoon we made it to the edge of Dundas Island and the beginning of the Dixon entrance sea exposure. Our original plan was to anchor in Bainbridge inlet on Dundas Island and do the crossing in the early morning calm. But the seas so far had been fairly easy so we headed across. As we approached Lord Island Rocks the rolling seas changed from the boat hitting the swells quartering head-on, to them hitting us broadside. They got larger and the wind kicked in added a chop to them. Once again things got very uncomfortable, as the boat would slide sideways down the face of the swells. Hand steering and a zigzag course was required to make it manageable. But as the wind picked up we could also open the mainsail to steady us. Eventually the seas were to our rear quarter as we reached our destination of Foggy Bay, USA at 9pm. After a tricky narrow route, to get behind a little island, Foggy Bay was a beautiful well protected Anchorage. Photo is of Green Island Lighthouse, just before rounding Dundas Island and heading across the Dixon Entrance.