Day 3 somethng. I don't remember.

I'm off line writing this and can't remember what number day we are. Oh well. Heck anymore, it's hard to remember what day it is of the week.

We're in Bickley Bay(50 26.708N 125 23.705W) after traversing the rapids at Yuculta, Gillard Passage and Dent Island.

We left Squirrel Cove at 0630 with the plan of reaching the rapids just as they went to slack water--no current running. Not being sure exactly how long it would take us we made sure to give ourselves plenty of time. It was 18 miles and we would be heading up against the incoming tide. We got there about 0945 with about 30 minutes before it was to go to perfect slack water. We were still facing about a 1 knot current flow. We'd been passed by a large crab fishing boat and had 4 more boats behind us. The crabber headed in as the water was just about still and this gave us the shot at making it to Dent Rapids and "Devils Hole" which is a really bad place in the middle of Dent Rapids that has a big reputation of throwing boats around, just as the water started its ebb flow. We breezed right through. Perfect timing. Both of us had been concerned about going through these rapids but timing is everything. Get there at slack water or don't go through.

It was cloudy and sprinkling just about the entire way to the rapids so we had to keep going out and getting the water off the dodger windows so we could see clearly. We flipped up the center window(plastic) as we were about to enter so we would have a really clear view. Tracy stood just outside the cockpit and told me what was coming as we went through. Eddies and whirlpools as well as dead heads(floating logs). It helps to have a lookout during a passage like this.

We were lucky enough to have been advised of what to expect by Randi and Sharon on Blue Heron. They're the couple we met in Port Of Brownsville back in January. They've been going through these rapids for years and really know the ins and outs of passing them by. Our thanks go out to them. It was a big help since we are just about rapid "virgins". We'd been over a few-Dodd and Malibu, but these have a big reputation as being bad. We'll face them again on the way back but at least be better prepared since we have already gone through.

We were in Bickley Bay by noon and started going over charts as to which way to make our way out to Johnstone Stait so we can continue North. We still will be going over two more rapids today--Greene Point Rapids in the Cordero Channel and then Whirlpool Rapids in Wellbore Channel. Again timing is everything. We'll be leaving here about 1000 to make Greene Point by 1100 which is slack water. We'll then ride the outgoing current over to Whirlpool and drop anchor in Forward Bay just North of it. The winds in Johnstone Strait are supposed to be not only bad--15 to 30 knots over the next few days but also exactly from the direction we need to be heading. We may spend a day or two in Forward Harbour. I guess time will tell. I'll write more once we get in where ever that is.

Sorry about the lack of pictures but since I can't connect to the internet I can't add them till I am. With luck, I will be able to post some shortly.