Anchored at Tentacle Cove
23 June 2011 | Octopus Islands Marine Park
Our string of nice days came to an end yesterday when we woke up too rain drumming on the deck. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) we had decided to move on to another anchorage. Our choice of destinations was to be Octopus Islands Marine Park, about a 20 mile run through a maze of waterway channels. These channels were carved out by ancient glaciers eons ago. An interesting channel awaited us with dangerous tidal rapids to negotiate if we don't go through on the slack tide. We had to time the passage for the slack tide at the west end of the channel called Hole In The Wall. The place names, here in British Columbia are really interesting so here is an account of our passage. We left the anchorage at Walsh Cove and headed north up Waddington Channel until we came to Pryce Channel where we turned left (to the west) went past Deer Passage to the south of us and past Ramsey Arm to the north of us and around the north end of Raza Island into Raza Passage. I should note that the rain stayed with us on and off all day. Oh and the numerous waterfalls looked like white ribbons coming down from the high bluffs of Pryce Channel. And there are always bald eagles flying above us! From Raza Passage, we turned north into Calm Channel....and, yes, it was calm. Even though it was raining on and off all day, we hardly had any wind at all. We only traversed Calm Channel a few miles to the east entrance of Hole In The Wall. We proceeded about three miles down the channel to the west end where the tide rips and current can run as high as 12 knots but we had timed it just right and went through right at slack water, nice and calm. We crossed Okisollo Channel and entered the channel between Quadra Island and Octopus Islands and finally anchored in Tentacle Cove with a stern line ashore. Surprisingly there was only one other boat in this very popular anchorage.
Today, the rain continued during the morning hours but then let up with some partial clearing and a little sun later in the day. We stayed mostly on the boat today, but did get out for a dinghy row around the anchorage. We plan a hike to another fresh water lake tomorrow.