We left Shearwater Marina this morning just after 0600 and took off for parts unknown. Well, sort of unknown. Depending on the weather would decide on where we ended for the day. Yesterday, the two digital barometers on board said different things. One said that all heck was about to break loose. Lightening and rain. The other said sunny and fair. By late yesterday, they were just the opposite.
Today dawned absolutely beautiful again. The past few days have been absolutely great. Almost shorts weather!! It stayed gorgeous all day--or at least so far. Now the wind was another matter. They were honking anywhere from 10 to 30 knots.
Today was the first time we have "Buddy Boated". We joined another boat for the trip today. Sonnish Na Mara with her crew of Kevin and Terri lead the way as they have been up here several times before. They're the couple that we traded books with yesterday. Kevin had gone through the charts with us telling us good places and how to get there. We followed them up into Seaforth Channel just North of Shearwater and we rolled out the Genoa and motor sailed for the first time in quite a while. We throttled back on the engine and let her rip. We were doing 6.5 to 7 knots and just flying right along. We turned right and went between Watch Island and Ivory Island and headed up Reid Passage. A short cut to allow us to avoid having to go out into Milbanke Sound. With the winds we were having, I'm sure it was anything but pleasant out there. We passed Oliver Cove and through Perceval Passage. Another set of rapids to add to our list. We were an hour late getting there-- or at least at perfect time, but still made it through just fine.
Up Mathieson Channel and through Jackson Narrows. Another set of rapids though no where near what we faced down South and out into Finlayson Channel for the final slug of the trip. Our "buddy boat" took off for Clothes Bay just South of Klemtu on the West side of Finlayson. We continued on to Bottleneck Inlet(52 42.587N 128 24.065W). A lovely inlet that protects us from just about all the winds in the area. We were in 25 knot+ winds just outside the entrance and it dropped down to just about zero. I put up the DuoGen just incase any cropped up. We can always use what amps we can find.
On the way out Seaforth Channel, we came upon two humpback whales as they headed East and past our boat. It's the first we've seen on this trip. We've seen lots of seals and dolphins or porpoises(can't tell them apart yet) but no whales till today. They were having a great time blowing and rolling in the water. The farther North we get, the smaller the mountains are that surround us and the waters we are in. I always thought that they would be much taller. Maybe in Alaska.
We're getting closer to Prince Rupert and should be there within a week easy. Then on to Alaska and the glaciers.
Once we pulled into Bottleneck Inlet, another boat that has been on the same course as us on the trip North was already here. They had left Shearwater yesterday and spent the night near Jackson Narrows(second rapids of the day) and pulled in here by 1130. They dingied over to talk as we have seen each other several times during this last week. They brought along their puppy who had just finished playing in the water along the shore. Snowshoe has only seen one other dog in his life and none up this close. As for the puppy, he has never seen a cat so both just sort to stared at each other. The little puppy sort of growled but since Showshoe had no idea what a growl was, he just walked to the stern and ignored the puppy.
That's about it for today. The "dripless" fitting on the prop shaft only put out a bit of water today and the Aqua Drive didn't appear to spary out any grease. So it was a good day with lots of miles covered. We're getting closer to the prize.
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