We made a crack of noon departure from Hope Island to hit slack current at Deception Pass and docked at Roche Harbor RHYC overflow outstation.

Roche is truly magic for us and we enjoyed a great dinner on the outside deck with Doug and Gail.

Next morning we topped up tanks and made the short trip to Bedwell Harbor passing through Johns pass and the scenic teepee camp for kids.

Checking in with Canadian Customs by phone with our NEXUS pass and then on to Bedwell where we were searched by Customs for 1.5 hours even after we were cleared by phone.

That afternoon we took the F16 with Doug and gail to Port Browning marina for lunch. It is a nice setting with fairly good grub. The marina is decaying but they are making a real effort to get it into better condition.

This morning we left Bedwell Harbor and made an easy trip through Dodd narrows to Nanaimo where we will stock up with provisions for our venture further north

SEa Jay goes north first day

Our first day was a nice easy cruise with the goal of anchoring at Bedwell Harbor going through Deception Pass. We arrived at Deception Pass at slack tide at about 12:30 hours and just as we passed under the bridge we heard a distress call from a friend that had run aground near La Conner in the Swinomish Channel.

After they had talked to the Coast Guard I called them on the radio and we agreed that we would go back through Deception Pass and anchor our boat at the south side of Hope Island & from there I could reach them fairly quickly in our F16 shore boat. We made it back to Hope Island in 20 minutes running at 20 KTS and I was on the scene soon after that. The boat was listing to port only 9 degrees with the current ebbing hard. But this boat is not just an ordinary boat it is 58 feet long constructed of steel and weighing in at 85 tons... so the current had little affect on her. I stayed with them until they floated off the mud at about 6:30. Lucky there was no damage as the shaft and propeller is protected by a full keel design.

We spent the night at anchor at Hope Island and today we went through Deception Pass at 12:30 hours the same as the day before. Our destination today was Roche Harbor Resort where we met up with Doug and Gail Stewart for a kick ass dinner on the deck overlooking the marina.

Tomorrow we will head to Bedwell Harbor to clear Canadian Customs.

2010 SeaJay goes North

Hello all:

We are almost ready to make our 2010 trip north.

This year we plan to press further North nearly to Prince Rupert.

We plan to leave on June 15 if out shore boat is completed as we are having a rubber teak deck installed for better traction in the boat and a most pleasing addition to the All Carbon Fiber F16,

Sept 12 2009 need for speed

This is what 55 Miles per hour looks like from the driver seat over my left shoulder in the F16

September 8, 2009

Sept 8, 2009

Had a lovely breakfast at he coast hotel then we went to the wine making store and ordered 60 bottles of “home Made white and red wine for our trip next year.

It seems that if you have the wine made then you put it in containers it is classified as food and you avoid some rather substantial taxes. We got Lodi California Cab and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

At the crack of noon we shoved off for Montague Harbour hitting Dodd narrows at High slack tide. It was a real traffic jam with sail boats going as slow as they possibly could like 4 .5 knots through the narrows.

I made reservations at the Hummingbird restaurant which involves a wild and crazy ride in an old Ford school bus. They pick you up near the dock at road side and the bus can barely make it up the hills to the restaurant. Coming back was a different story careening around corners way to fast and coming to a screeching halt in a cloud of dust at the same place he picked us up. Frankly I was scared
s---less during the ride back and imagined the bus driver was either crazy or had had a few too many. Guess I am showing my age.

Wed, Sept 9, 2009

We headed for Roche Harbour which is only 18 miles away.

Fueled up lucky and got in the outstation.

Had a nice two days in Roche Harbor including a killer clam, mussel and oyster dinner on board. We went with the Timm’s to Westcott Bay Oyster Co and purchased all the fixings. We also visited English Camp where the British and Americans had the Pig War in a boarder dispute.


Friday Sept 11 2009

Left Roche Harbor and cruised to Lopez Island Fisherman Bay to try out the RHYC Outstation. It was empty so we decided to spend two days there. The weather is wonderful in the high seventies and the restaurant at this resort is very good.

Sept 12 2009

Went into town (Lopez) today to the farmers market and to see all the shops and the local Museum. Lopez is a very nice place to visit and the folks there are very friendly. The Bay is large with good anchorage and the view is stunning looking toward the west end of the Bay.

Tuesday September 1st

Tuesday Sept 1st 2009

We moved to Elworthy Island yesterday in Waddington Channel about 8 miles from Toba Wildernest.

There are wonderful clams, Oysters, Prawns and good cod fishing here and it is a very pleasant view from our anchorage. Within a mile of this anchorage there is a very large oyster farm.

Early this morning we drug anchor and awoke to Gary pulling our anchor up a bit. We reset the anchor and when out to pull our prawns pots. While we were out pulling our prawn pot and catching Ling cod Gary called to tell us we need to come back and reset again
After resetting the anchor the wind came up again and Noon Balloon moved off of our anchor and set their own because we were still swinging too close to shore.


Thursday Sept 3rd

Today we will move Prideaux Haven.

We relaxed in this peaceful Bay in the rain for two days.

Sat Sept 5 2009.

We moved to Squirrel Cove and went to the general store to get supplies.

Sunday September 6, 2009

Moved from Squirrel Cove to Pender Harbour. The seas were rough and we were thankful to have a heavy boat with stabilizers.

Monday Sept 7th Labor Day

Pulled anchor early and steamed a crossed Georgia straights to Nanaimo.

Arrived by 10 am.

Put on 200 gallons of fuel which should be enough to gat back to USA and lower fuel prices.

Spent a quiet afternoon with Gary and Cheryl in the Muddy Water Pub drinking Sleemans beer.

Then…..

A dinghy trip to have a dinner party at the Dinghy Dock Pub with El, Ruth, Herb, Mary, Gary, Lenore Cheryl & Jim.