Photo: Surf on Jenny Reef in Carolina Passage, an entrance to Barkley Sound

Our next passage, Clayoquot Sound to Barkley, is probably the most benign of the open ocean passages. The coast on this stretch is straight and without headlands for the full 20 mile passage and the wind rarely blows as strong there as off Estevan or Brooks. So when we heard there were more southeasterlies predicted for the next several days, we decided to get south to Barkley Sound before the worst of them hit. We left Quait Bay with the ebb, motoring out Clayoquot Sound to the ocean. There we motored in light southeasterlies, tried sailing, then gave up and motored the rest of the way. As off Brooks and Estevan, a strong northbound current set us back. Our decision to leave Clayoquot Sound turned out to be the right one as the southeasterlies were light and the seas less than 2 m.

As we entered Carolina Passage (the northern entrance to Barkley Sound), the seas that had seemed so benign in the ocean tumbled and roared around us. With Jenny Reef on the south, the rocks of Amphitrite on the north and sea foam in between, finding the safe passage can be tricky. But we've learned that the Canadians like to mark the safe passage rather than the dangers so we went close to the buoy off Amphitrite and did fine.

We tied up at the boat basin in view of the Canadian Princess hotel/restaurant/ship and surrounded by fishing boats.

We like Ucluelet more than Tofino, its twin to the north in Clayoquot Sound; it feels real. Tourism is there but it isn't the whole economy in Ucluelet as it is in Tofino. The dock bustles with commercial fishermen painting boats, repairing gear and gossiping about fish. Ashore there are coffee shops, restaurants, a grocery store, a bookstore and a marine supply store. What more do you need?