25 Feb cont'. In the course of the crossing, the conditions just got better and better -- beautiful sunset and the most benign passage of QCS we've made. We experienced a little bit of the NE outflow passing across the face of Rivers Inlet, but by the time we entered Pruth Bay, Calvert Island, the water was mirror-still reflecting the stars.

We anchored off the Hakaii Institute dock 2230hrs; had some snacks for dinner and headed for bed.

26 Feb Wed: clear, modest temps, the boat didn't budge overnight. Dot and rowed the Rs to shore for their potty break and chatted with the winter caretaker of the institute property. He and his wife are retired school teachers -- Quadra, Pt Hardy, Haida Gwaii. Back to the boat a quick brekky and everyone dinghy back to shore for a hike thru the woods to one of our favorite beaches. The dogs ran and ran, Dorothy too; I dug a hole with help from the dogs, to mount a driftwood pole upright and we all marveled that two days ago we were in blowing snow / freezing rain and today standing on the beach in shorts (maybe not quite warm enough for shorts as there was a fair amount of cloud cover, but close).

Back to DE; hoist the dinghy and off we went, north to Bella Bella / Shearwater. If I could I'd have happily stayed on that beach for a week, or a month, or a year....

We made it to the dock at Shearwater (across the channel from Bella-Bella) just after dark. During the summer months, it's often difficult to find space on the dock -- by reservation only as I recall -- but there was plenty of room this time, and the restaurant was open for dinner.

For those of you who've followed the blog all along, Shearwater is where Matt & Gill (SV Wooshie) wintered over a couple of years ago on their way down from Kodiak. Also, the area brings to mind our good friend (and SCSO co-sufferer) Gump who's "ancestral homeland" is just up the way on the Dean Channel.

27 Feb, Thursday morning in Shearwater, to the beach with the boys for a quick P&P; chatted with Dee-Dee at the Shearwater hotel who had treats for the boys, and "monster cookies" for the DE crew -- thank you Dee-Dee! Cast off in pleasant weather west in Seaforth out into Millbank Sound (the second Pacific opening in the run north) where the Pacific was living up to its name, for now. North into Finlayson, sail-by of Klemtu (where there's significant new -- to us -- construction of a roll-on/off terminal north of town); continuing north into Tolmie. A long, beautiful sunny afternoon, with a brisk wind down the channel, far different from our January '11 run thru this area. The forecasts for Douglas Channel (tomorrow) and Dixon Entrance (the third Pacific opening on this transit) are ugly -- 50+ knot winds from the high pressure NE outflow.

Into Khutze Inlet at twilight, an easy anchor, a great dinner courtesy of the ever-lovely Ms Dorothy, and off to bed.

28 Feb, Friday. Dogs to the beach and back, engine and gen going to make-up for the A hr deficit from last night and a right out of Khutze into northbound Tolmie. We are unable to receive VHF Wx in this area, but checked with RV Medeia (an Alaska F&G vessel) for conditions in Douglas Ch ahead "gusting 40+, 3' chop, not cold enough for the spray to freeze" -- better that our last winter crossing there, but still worthy of care. Crossing Douglas, winds were fierce, but not nearly so much as 2011, chop 1/3 the size and we more or less drove straight across in 1/3 the time.

As we proceeded up Grenville Passage, winds tumbled down the hills from the NE, heeling DE over at times. Still, it's a beautiful, bright blue day amongst snow-capped hills and mountains.

Pulled into Lowe Inlet 1600; there's someone's mooring ball in the outer cove now (would like to have parked on it but no telling when the owner might show. Dropped anchor in the inner cove, rowed the Rs ashore and retired to DE for a lovely dinner and double feature movie night. The NE continued to rip thru the cove all night howling in the rigging and tugging at the anchor which appears not to have budged an inch.

Very cold (and windy still) rowing in for doggy dawn patrol. Up anchor out of Lowe into Grenville; brisk wind but a bonus -- current is running with us -- so we're doing 9.9kts! Again bright blue skies and uneventful passage until breaking out of Grenville, where we get hit hard by the NE wind and associated 2' chop -- fortunately there's little fetch for the chop to build into something significant. The gusts though are serious, and DE's 37 tons are being jerked around like a bathtub toy.

Once we get into Ketchikan we will go back to post some of the great images we've captured this trip...