Gardner Canal / Europa Bay July 5,6 2010

Gardner Canal July 5, 2010

We left Kitsaway for Gardner Canal hoping to be able to anchor at Omycumish which is a stunning anchorage with high snow capped peaks many waterfalls but very iffy steep declining bottom with poor holding holding. when we got there the wing was blowing on shore and we decided to head for Europa Hot Springs instead. We ran up the canal first to have a look at Kimono Bay which is the locating of the ALCAN hydro electric facility which is located 1400 feet inside a solid granite mountain supplying power to the Aluminum plant located in Kitimat.

Their dock was good for only their blur boat so we turned around and joined the Colliers and Stewarts on wonderful new buoys at Europa Hot Springs. This was also a very scenic location with a well maintained cover Hot Springs .

Kitsaway Island July 3,4 2010

Kitsaway Island July 3,4 2010

Kitsaway Island was a pleasant and popular anchorage for the nearby Kitimat boaters. When we arrived on Sunday July 3 there were several small boats anchored there and they all left on Monday Is was said to be good crabbing but as it turned out it was mostly fished out getting many small females and only one male large enough to keep. July 4 was without a bang. it rained and the Black flies and No See ems started to chew on our bodies. We tried fishing a place called fish trap and only caught a gusting wind and some rain so we headed in. Doug and Gail ran up to Kitimat for the day to see an old friend of Gail’s and they brought back three nice Coho salmon that someone on the dock gave them.

Khutze Bay July 1,2 2010

Khutze Bay July 1,2 2010

Khutze Bay is an outstanding vista of snow covered peaks a bug waterfall and the khuntz River. This is a tricky anchorage on a shelf between the water fall and the river. The crabbing was good and we went up the river hoping to see a bear.

I went up the river in the Seadoo and got too shallow and suck some rocks in the pump and it is toast so I have another pump on the way from vancouver and will have it installed in Prince Rupert.

Butedale July 2 2010

On the way from Khutze Bay to Kitsaway Is;land we went in close to Butedale which was a large mill in its hay day and now is a sprawling series of falling in buildings and a dilapidated docks.

Bottle Neck June 30, 2010

Bottle Neck June 30, 2010

Bottle neck was a very sheltered anchorage with a narrow entrance and a nice wade sheltered area at the head of the inlet. Next morning Nat and I took Casey to shore and discovered that we could catch crab with a net on the bottom of the by near shore. we got several nice crab drifting around in the shore boat with a net.

Water Fall Point

Just outside of Bottle Neck was Waterfall OPoint and we decided to take photos of all of us in front of the water fall. Got some nice shots too!

SHEARWATER TO BOTTLENECK

OUR SHEARWATER STOP OVER WAS A NICE BREAK TO STOCK UP ON STUFF AND HAVE A GOOD MEAL AT THE PUB. THE POWER AT THE DOCK DID NOT WORK LAST NIGHT SO WE SHOULD HAVE ANCHORED OUT. GOT STOCKED UP ON FUEL, FRESH VEGIES AND FRUIT. TODAY WE HEAD FOR BOTTLENECK LAGOON WHICH IS ABOUT 45 MILES NORTH. THE EAGLE SHOTS IN THIS BLOG ARE THE RESUOT OF OUR NEIGHBOR THROWING HEARING IN THE WATER AND THE LOGAL EAGLES SWOOPING DOWN TO PICK THEM UP. THEY ARE VERY FAST AND I MISSED THE PICK UP.

JUNE 28 2010 Duncanby landing to Kisameet Bay

We left Duncanby Landing with a good overall feeling about this resort. Great service , fishing and crabbing! Our next stop is a drop dead beautiful place called Kisameet Bay. When we got there is was steady rain all day, all night and the next morning so decided not to walk the trail to Kisameet Lake and we pulled anchor and headed for Shearwater on June 29 which is the last stop for supplies until Prince Rupert.

CROSSING CAPE CAUTION TO DUNCANBY LANDING JUNE 27 2010

CROSSING CAPE CAUTION TO DUNCANBY LANDING IS ALWAYS A STRESSFUL ORDEAL WAITING FOR THE WEST SEA OTTER BOUY (WHICH IS WAY OUT IN THE PACIFIC) TO BE ONE METER OR LESS SO WE KNOW THAT MAKING THE 52 MILE CROSSING HAS A GOOD CHANCE OF BEING REASONABLE. THIS CROSSING IS SERIOUS BUSINESS AND U MUST PAY STRICT ATTENTION TO THE WIND AND WAVE ACTION BEFORE MAKING THE CROSSING. ON THIS DAYTHE BOUY WAS 1.1 SO WE LEFT BULL HARBOR AT 07:00 AND MADE A GOOD CROSSING WITH LARGE ROLLERS BUT NO BREAKING WAVES AND A TOLERABLE FREQUENCY. WE DID SEE A FEW WHALES AND THWE WEATHER WAS CLEAR,

DUNCANBY LANDING IS A GREAT PLACE, COMPLETELY REMODELED AND WONDERFUL CRABBING AND FISHING. THE STAFF IS VERY HELPFUL AND THE RESTAURANT IS FIRST CLASS. THEY TOLD US WHERE TO SET THE CRAB POTS AND AFTER 3 HOURS WE HAD OUR LIMIT SETTING THE STAGE FOR A GREAT CRAB FEED THE NEXT EVENING.