Tag: sailing

Against the wind

Going north along the Pacific Northwest Coast of the US is clearly not the way to go if you are in a sailboat and prefer to sail. After leaving Eureka I’ve been holed up in Brookings, Oregon for over a week waiting for a decent couple of days to make a dash north to Newport, Oregon. The number of ports along this coast suitable for boats with deep draft are few and the bar crossings can be a limiting factor when winds and waves are up.

Army Corp ship doing dredging operations in Chetco Channel
Army Corp dredging operation underway in Chetco Channel as seen from Kinetics at transient dock in Brookings, Oregon

My lousy back decided to go out this past week making the departure decision even more tricky. A front has targeted the Washington and Oregon coast for some much needed rain but that means big wind and waves which are a no go for motoring north (especially with a bad back). Looks like another few days of waiting for that to pass and hopefully the ocean will calm down and I can finally make a move. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see much of Brookings thanks to my lame back but the few people I met seemed very nice. Maybe I’ll be back and see more of the place another time.

The Coast Guard station here is directly across from the transient dock and they are fairly active so that makes for some entertainment. There is also the fishing fleet constantly on the go. Pelicans can be heard hitting the water in search of prey and harbor seals prowl the channel. The water seems to be brackish and is causing more than the normal growth on my “past its prime” bottom paint. I’ll definitely be a bit slower than normal I think. I found no one offering cleaning services here. Maybe in Newport someone might be able to wipe the hull clean for the final push home.

So, about Hawaii

Boats and plans don’t always mesh in the way we expect. Instead of ending up in Honolulu, HI, as I had hoped, I have landed in Eureka, CA instead. Not exactly the plan I had in mind but it’s turning out just fine. In order to enjoy the cruising life I think you have to be willing to allow for the unexpected. So, that’s what I have done.

About three days out of the West Entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, located on the NE corner of Washington state, my autopilot ram began making unhappy noises. The conditions were unkind to say the least. Quartering seas with an intermittent crossing pattern had the boat rolling 45-50 degrees for almost the entire three days I was headed towards HI. The winds were up and down and I was reefing and furling every few hours which was great fun. It’s like trying to walk while riding on a sadistic carnival ride. It looked like I was in for at least several more days of this carnival ride and was resigned to it, having adjusted to the constant motion and banging of items in every locker in the boat. The clatter is so load that sleeping is not easy and sleep is the one thing a solo sailor needs to do often because they’re really just naps.

At some point into day three I started noticing the ram was having a very tough time of it. It was leaking oil past the seal and from what looked like a relief vent. The worst sign was the groaning sound as it tried to arrest the rudder and reverse direction. It became apparent to me that the ram was having trouble coping with the loads being placed by the conditions we were in. After a phone call to my go to person on shore (thank you Bob and Starlink) it was decided to try falling off to run with the swell, drop sail and motor to see if that relieved the stresses enough to save the ram from complete failure.

As promised this tactic worked. The autopilot and ram were now working far less hard but I was now headed to South American not HI. After more discussion and some soul searching I decided I could not risk continuing to HI with this piece of equipment on the possible edge of failure. My boat has no wind vane (a deliberate decision) so the AP (autopilot) is a go no-go item. It is essentially my “crew”. In retrospect I should have replaced the when I replace the rest of the AP system before leaving. I did so many other things but thought I could rely on the ram (rebuilt a few years ago) and have never had any issues previously. However, this is what can happen with older equipment. When pushed hard failure is more likely. Lesson learned, again.

On the plus side I landed in Eureka where I was extremely fortunate to have friends to support me. I was provided with a home to stay in, a car to use, and wonderful company to dine with and have interesting discussions about all things great and small. The boat is ready to go again with a new B&G ram sized for the boat and mounted far better than the old one was. Other items that needed attention after six days of open ocean abuse have also been attended to.

Now I have over a month to spend seeing the coast between here and home because I feel it’s too late to relaunch for HI. The return trip from HI would end up in mid to late September and I don’t like my odds as a solo sailor in the NE Pacific then. I will be hop between ports and no doubt do some motoring while bashing upwind but in the end this will still be a memorable and great adventure for me and Kinetics!

Some new, some familiar stops

After leaving Boat Cove (Bay?) on Lasqueti Island I made the long trip across and down to the northern Gulf Islands. The wind was light for the first hour so I motored but after an hour or so it picked up enough to roll out the genoa for some motor sailing. I needed to recharge the batteries and run the water maker so motoring for a while was best. After another hour I was ready to shut down the engine and let the building breeze do the work. I was doing 6 knots under genoa alone. I ended up sailing almost all the rest of the way down doing 7+ knots as the wind built to 20 knots from astern. It was a nice sunny, downwind sail.

Some nice little rollers building up in the Strait of Georgia

Winchelsea Island with a BC ferry heading to Vancouver in the background

I rolled up the genoa and motored past Silva Bay and into Dogfish Cove next to Kendrick Island for an overnight stay before heading through Gabriola Passage the next day. I like this little anchorage and this is the second time I’ve been here. It was a bit windy but not crowded. Shot through the Gabriola Pass with a good 2-3 knot current pushing me around and motored down to the old reliable Clam Bay. I had debated trying a small cove in the entrance to Ladysmith Harbor but didn’t want to chance it might be full and have to divert back to another anchorage.

My summer is winding down and I have always wanted to visit Butchart Gardens so this seems like a good chance to make that happen. The weather actually looked decent. I needed to make one more stop in Genoa Bay, North Cowichan before heading to Todd Inlet which is right next to the Gardens. Genoa Bay was okay but I would not go back. Anchorage is open to the south and swells and wakes roll right in. It was convenient. Getting there was nice though. The trip through Sansome Narrows is very pretty.

Another motor down to Todd Inlet Friday morning and by noon I was anchored in with a dozen other boats. At first it seemed too crowded but there is little to no wind and no current so boats don’t move much. There always seems to be room for one more boat. I dropped the dinghy into the water, grabbed my camera and headed to the beach to find the trail that leads to Butchart Gardens.

Todd Inlet from the trail to the gardens (Kinetics is lone sailboat)

It’s maybe a 15-20 minute walk by trail and road to the main entrance. I think I was the only person to arrive on foot! Had lunch at the restaurant and spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the grounds. Took a lot of pictures but they’re in the Fuji XT. I still have to upload and cull them. Beautiful even in late summer and nice to be able to do some walking. I can finally check that one off the list!

Dinghy sailing in Handfield Bay

My first stop on my return southbound on the Inside Passage is Handfield Bay which is part of the Thurston Marine Park. There are a few adjoining larger bays, one of which is directly connected. Not as picturesque as Cordero but much larger in size. The NW winds also make it in here and they have been fairly steady since I arrived on Thursday. I decided on Friday it was time to rig the dinghy for sailing. The big open bay looked perfect and I had the place to myself.

It wasn’t as hard as I thought to rig it from the boat but it still takes some planning

I spent the afternoon exploring the bays under sail. The Spindrift sails very nicely. I need to improve a few things but the design is actually a good sailing boat.

The channels getting to this anchorage from the Cordero Islands were nice. Here are a couple images from that trip on Thursday morning and one sunset from the Handfield Bay itself. I plan to move on south again very soon.

Peaceful respite – Cordero Islands

After checking out of the Blind Channel Resort I dropped anchor in the nearby Cordero Islands. Intending to stay only a couple of days before moving on to Port Neville and then the Broughtons I found a good place inside the small chain.

An abandoned dock in bay that once served the only home on the shoreline (I assume no one lives there now)

I waited patiently for a good forecast in Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlette Strait to head north. Each day the forecast got windier and then I saw a series of small fronts starting to line up off shore. I spent one day after another trying to decide whether to advance myself up the inside passage or not. Meanwhile the conditions here in the Cordero anchorage were very nice!

The dinghy with Kinetics in the background

I finally decided that Summer was ending a few weeks early and I had no desire to spend my final few weeks moving from cove to cove staying out of strong westerly winds and rain which is more than 50% likely to be what’s in store for September in Blackfish Sound and parts north.

So this is the end of my northward journey for this year. I will take my time heading back south and visit bays and harbors I have and have not seen before. I have all of September to do so and I think the weather will be better as I head south. I’ve had the Cordero Islands almost all to myself for a few days now. It is like someone flipped a switch and most of the boats have disappeared. I hope it stays that way as I make my way home.

The tide rushing through the gap between one of the islands and the mainland

Sitting out a front in Blind Channel

Last Sunday I departed under cloudy skies for Blind Channel Resort on Mayne Passage just short of Green Point Rapids. This looked like my only chance to get further north and stay somewhere secure for the incoming front. I needed to recharge batteries, refill on water, pick up a few groceries, do some laundry and get out for a little exercise. They have nice hiking trails I hope to try while I’m here. There is a big old cedar tree up the trail that is worth a visit apparently.

I very glad I was here for the rain and wind that came through last night. It dumped what I suspect was over an inch of rain and the gusts of wind were pretty significant. Almost lost my Starlink device which I ended up having to tie down to keep it from sailing away.

The first night I had a really good dinner at their restaurant, the Cedar Post, I haven’t eaten food that good in quite some time. The service was also very good. I can recommend the Blind Channel Resort and Marina.

Here is a shot from my route between the Octopus Islands and Blind Channel. My timing for the Oskillo rapids was good and I had favorable current most of the way. The expected hurting current in Mayne channel at the end was far less than expected and I arrived a little early.

Sailing on to Canada!

This post covers a lot of hops since Sucia Island in the US. I just didn’t have the motivation to do one sooner. I’m now in John Henry’s Marina, Pender Harbor, Canada on a beautiful Saturday morning. While there is supposed to be rain and wind on the way, today is going to be warm and nice. I was happy to get a slip here in the marina after finding all the anchorages packed with only tight, sketchy spots left to drop the hook in.

Being here also allows me to take advantage of a washer and dryer for my month of laundry, get rid of some trash and to simply be able to get off the boat and walk. They have a nice restaurant, store, and fuel here as well. Docks are brand new.

Between Sucia Island and Pender Harbor I made a few stops. I made my way over to Stuart Island’s Reid Harbor before heading over the border. I like this island but it was a bit crowed so I anchored way out. That left me in the zone of constant power boat wakes. I stayed a few days and managed to hike up to the School House where I restocked on my favorite tee shirts and met the woman who, along with her husband, makes them. Boundary Pass Traders.

From here it is a short hop over the South Pender Island to check into Canada where I met a couple on their way up from Edmonds in a power boat. After a lot of questions from the local border officer it was off to Ganges Harbor on Salt Spring Island for the usual grocery provisions and a visit to the Farmer’s Market and bookstore in town. Ganges Harbor is too busy, noisy and often too windy for me so I headed out after just two nights for Clam Bay on Thetis Island.

Clam Bay is generally a quite place to hang out for a few days before heading to Nanaimo or further north. I took the dinghy through a cut in the island over to Telegraph Harbor and had my first ice cream cone in a very long time.

Looking at the weather for the Georgia Strait, Friday was going to be the only day with guaranteed good weather for a crossing so it was up a 6am and off to Pender Harbor. I snapped this photo of Texada Island on the crossing. It is a very imposing landmark in the middle of the Strait.

I’ll be heading north again on Monday unless the weather makes it impossible. Next stop will be somewhere near Cortes Island most likely.

Bellingham to Sucia Island

August 3rd 2024

After a bit of deliberation I departed Blind Bay on Friday, July 26th around 6am to catch a favorable tide over to Bellingham for a visit with friends that live there. It’s been a few years since I visited and it was by car not boat. I have never visited Bellingham with the boat and never had the time until this year. Calling up Squalicum Harbor from a mile out I was able to secure guest moorage for a couple of nights.

I had a very nice weekend visiting my friends in Bellingham who graciously shuttled me around and had me to their house overlooking Chukanut Bay for dinner. It was great catching up and watching some Olympics. They have a very nice Farmers Market there on Saturday.

Sunday morning I left for Sucia Island. I was able sail part of the way under full jib. I arrived to an uncrowded Echo Bay which is what I expected on a Sunday afternoon. I spent a quiet first half of the week in the rain. The sun returned on Thursday and the crowds started rolling in.

I practiced rowing in the new Spindrift dinghy. I need more practice and some better oars are now on the list for next year. But mostly my technique is poor. Friday I took the SUP to shore and went for a nice hike. Lost my sunglasses on the trail but another hiker found them after I mentioned my loss and saved my trip. I’m not sure how I would have gotten by without my prescription sunglasses for two more months.

I’ve been able to work a few hours as planned, which included a few meetings. Starlink is working but the service does not tolerate the rotation the boat, which it does at anchor. The connection drops anytime the boat rotates more than 30 degrees or so. I have to get up and move the dish but sometimes it is a waste of time if the boat is doing a dance in the wind or current. I expected this might be a problem but it’s a bit more of one than I had hoped. A truly first world problem.

Blind Bay at Last

July 24th 2024

It took a few days longer than expected but I finally made it to the San Juan Islands. Specifically to Blind Bay, Shaw Island. My first attempt on Sunday morning was a mistake. I got my butt kicked in the Straight of Juan de Fuca where the waves were steep and fast. I wasn’t really expecting the conditions I found myself in and stuff was flying everywhere down below. After an hour of bashing into the waves I decided to turn around and try another day.

I sailed back under jib and planned to spend a couple days waiting for calmer conditions down in Port Hadlock instead of retreating back to Boat Haven marina in Port Townsend. When the breeze died off I discovered my jib furler had come apart so I had to drop the headsail on deck and added that to my list of things to deal with at anchor. I was having one of those days where a boat owner wonders why you do this. You start thinking about how it might be nice to just be sitting on shore somewhere with nothing to fix. This trip was not getting off to a great start, a familiar feeling.

I spent an hour trying to find a good spot to anchor in Port Hadlock. I eventually settled on one which was not really very good. Holding was poor but the boat didn’t drag too far. I did end up a bit close to some boats on moorings. I won’t anchor in this spot should I return here. It’s a challenging place to anchor as it’s deep and all the shallow areas have mooring balls in them. Here’s a pic of my morning shoreline view.

On Tuesday I finally got a break in the weather that let me get across the Strait. It was a sunny day, the seas were nearly flat and the winds were 10-12 knots. I was able to sail more than half way across on a beam reach.

The tides and current were with me most of the way. I sailed through Cattle Pass, between San Juan and Lopez, on the full flood tide, for a nice fast ride of over 10 knots. The breeze faded and it was back to motoring for the rest of trip to Blind Bay.

Eagle Harbor to Port Townsend | Alternator Trouble and Friends

July 20th 2024

After a couple of nice days in Eagle Harbor visiting friends and picking up a few last minute items (and a couple unexpected gems) from The Chandlery at Winslow Wharf I headed north to Port Townsend on another nice warm day. On the trip north up Puget Sound I crossed paths with the Adventuress under full sail crossing from Shilshole west bound on an easy beam reach under a light breeze.

In an annoying repeat from a previous trip north my alternator has failed. There were signs on the way over to Bainbridge Island but I thought it was just a bad volt meter. This is all too familiar because this same failure happened the trip before last to Canada. However, I am on my way to visit the same friends that helped save that other vacation a few years back by fixing the alternator. So I’ve been tied up in Port Townsend for a few days but after help from these generous friends I should be back on track. I like it here is PT. Might be a nice place to retire.

Update on the alternator (7/24): So far the new to me alternator has been performing well. The Balmer regulator was programmed down to 50% as this alternator is far more than is needed for the battery bank and I also wanted to reduce the strain on my water pump. Excellent advice from my friend Dan!