Photo: Barrier Islands at Dusk

After what seemed like a week of solid rain, we woke to sunshine and warmth. We left the Hydaburg and motored south through Sukkwan Strait to Cordova Bay where we finally got enough wind to sail. We tacked south to right outside the Barrier Islands.

We first stopped in the Barrier Islands in 2006. Following the advice of Charlie's Charts we made them our point of departure for crossing the Dixon Entrance to Prince Rupert. It turned out to be not the best departure point (Nichols Bay, 15 miles farther south and east is closer) but the islands are still a beautiful spot to anchor-- remote and wind-blown.

After dinner I went on deck to take one last look at the anchorage before dark. The sun had set some time ago but the sky was still luminous from the long dusk, as if lighted from some mysterious glow. I was admiring the sky when I heard what sounded like surf on a nearby rock. I listened closely because I thought we were too far from any exposed rocks for surf. The sound was too irregular for surf. Then I realized, it was a whale feeding just outside the anchorage.