July Ocean Falls 17 2009

Thursday July 16

Yesterday we sat in the water for the first time in 16 days and it really felt good not to have to trudge to the marina bathroom at 0 dark thirty to take care of business and take a shower in their slimy steamy showers.

We moved the boat from the haul out slip with Gary and Lenore’s help to a dock.

Don Claire owner of Black Cat repair service came to the boat at 2:30 in the afternoon and within an hour rechecked the alignment of the shafts after setting in the water for 17 hours... We went for a 30 minute ride easing up to 25 knots and Sea Jay ran good. There is a slight vibration from 17 to 20 kts but at 14 kts she is smooth as silk.

We settled out bill with the ship yard and shoved off, headed for the dreaded crossing of Cape Caution with Gary and Lenore. The West Sea Otter Buoy was 0.6 so we went for it. Normally it is quite windy in the afternoon to make this 52 mile crossing in open waters. It was like a mill pond out there. The best we have ever experienced.

Just passed Calvert Island we got a wonderful Grey Whale show with two huge Whales jumping out of the water and lots of playful slapping of their mammoth fins. I was so busy watching out for rocks and the whales I did not get a good photo of them but did get some Flip Video.
Once we got to Calvert Island in side Fitz Hugh Sound we decide not to stop at Fury Cove but to push on to Kwakume Inlet just south of Hakai Passage which will allow us to be in Shearwater easily on the 16 of July. The anchorage was beautiful and it felt so good to finally be sitting in a quiet bay enjoying the wonderful magic of this pristine wilderness.

We pulled anchor and headed for Shearwater at 9 am and will run slow to arrive around noon. Arrived Shearwater after an easy 8 knot trip and waiting 2 hours to refuel at Belle Bella had a nice burger at the Pub and more Coho were caught on the hook.

Next morning did an easy trip to my favorite Ocean Falls.

Got a wonderful show from Dolphins swimming the bow wake and got awesome videos of it.

More photos tomorrow.