Port McNeill to Prince Rupert

June 11 – Crossing Cape Caution to Northern British Columbia

We made our way efficiently to the north end of Vancouver Island, then left on the 10^th from Port McNeil through Goletas Channel where we checked out God's Pocket as a potential anchorage. It is a small scuba resort which looks quite inviting with its colorfully painted wood buildings.

God's Pocket Resort

However it was a bit breezy in the small anchorage so we decided to move on to Port Alexander, anchoring in completely calm water, protected from the NW and surrounded by trees on three sides. There were tons of huge, fresh logs stacked on the beach at the south end. Accordingly, Waggoner's cautions this is not the place to be in a southerly!

Next day, the anchor was up at 0615, ready to catch the ebb north to Cape Caution. We would be crossing the southern part of Queen Charlotte Sound where the Pacific fetch is long and can create steep waves over the shallow shelf we would be sailing. We left the dock with one reef in the main, first motoring west through Gordon Channel so we could then sail north all the way past Cape Caution in the NW wind as forecast: NW 5-15 kts increasing to NW 15-20 by noon, diminishing to 5-15 to evening. SE 15-25 Sunday morning. The wind did not develop as forecast! It fluctuated between 9-15 kts, only it was a southerly which, mixed with the 2' westerly swell, made the sails bang from side to side. Even so, in the light wind we did sail 3 kts SOG all the way past Cape Caution! Low stress, the way we like it, compared with how it could have been with big wind and the resulting waves.

Two miles off the dreaded Cape Caution

Our destination was Fury Cove, tucked off the west side of Fitz Hugh Sound. By its description it would be a perfect anchorage with a white shell beach at one end where views of the Pacific beyond could be seen. Then, weighing prudence against beauty, we decided to first check out the more secure Fry Pan and Big Fry Pan coves further east in River's Inlet, for the southeasterly was by this time expected to reach 30 kts. Both anchorages were securely surrounded by trees with nowhere to get off the boat and boring! So we left for Fury Cove, mindful of an escape plan to Secure Anchorage if needed, and found the beautiful cove as described, plus nine other boats already anchored. A group of cruisers from Gibson's Landing was heading towards shore for a sunset dinner rendezvous. As for the big blow overnight, it never developed!

Fury Cove anchorage

Morning in Fury Cove: drizzle and light wind....shore excursion cancelled! Several other options: Dawson's Landing, an old-time general store with docks and a few fishermen cabins in Darby Channel off River's Inlet, or head out to Fitz Hugh Sound while a good sailing wind prevailed. We decided to do both. With just the jib flying we were sailing effortlessly in Fitz Hugh at 6 kts with 24 kts wind astern.

A rare sight - sailing!

We jibed a few times, once making a spectacle of ourselves when the sail wrapped around the furler while jibing in a sudden gust, before sailing towards Dawson's. There are many place names inside these passages which conjure up vivid images that one must see first-hand in order to compare with reality, and Dawson's Landing was one of them. The old place looked deserted and a bit hardscrabble on approach but we had arrived in a downpour.

True North at Dawson's Landing

We tied up at the dock and went to the general store to see if we could stay. It was Sunday and closed but Nola the owner let us in to visit and look over the well stocked shelves.

Guard dogs on the counter in Dawson's Landing Store

We inquired about River's Inlet Fishing Resort, one of Kenmore Air's former stops. She told us there used to be 11 fishing resorts in River's Inlet when they took over the operation 27 years ago from her parents, who ran the place for the previous 35 years. Now there are just two because it's way too costly in these remote areas for the small lodges to treat water and sewage to acceptable standards, though many have tried and failed. While we thought we might pick up a few items and head over to Beaver Cove for the night, we decided it might be a good idea to just stay put and support their business. A hot shower isn't a bad idea, either!

June 13 – Dawson's Landing to Pruth Bay at Hakai

First thing the following morning, the local staff at Dawson's was busy moving little white wooden float houses from their winter protected area of the bay to their summer locations alongside the dock on which we were tied. What an operation! One guy pulls, then pushes the structure with his boat while two others stand at the front of the float with boat hooks to gently guide it as they reach the dock. We stayed to watch as we were in no huge hurry to leave this morning for the few hours to Hakai.

Re-arranging the float houses, Dawson's Landing

We started the watermaker on the way out of Darby Passage and, now curious, checked the water purity to find it extremely pure at 43 ppm (200 ppm is acceptable for us). From Darby, we crossed Fitz Hugh Sound enroute to the well-protected Pruth Bay at the head of Kwakshua Channel. Fortunately, we left the dark clouds behind! We entered the anchorage with blue sky and sun to find a scenic anchorage and Hakai Beach Research Institute at the head of the bay with a beautifully maintained lodge and grounds.

Photo op, Pruth Bay, Hakai

Boaters are welcome to hike trails to nine nearby beaches through the woods on boardwalks over to West Beach, a wide white sandy beach open to the Pacific. It was a much needed stretch so we continued along to a hilltop look-out with outstanding views of the ocean.

Boardwalk trail up to Lookout Mountain, Pruth Bay, Hakai

There were nine other boats in that splendid bay, lined up in rows along each side of the bay, leaving a wide center stage for seaplane landings.

June 14 – Pruth Cove to Brydon Anchorage

A full-on steady rain greeted us on waking in Pruth Cove. While gazing out from under the dodger, Gregg spotted a humpback whale swimming through the anchorage just off our port side! It surfaced twice before disappearing.

Humpback in the anchorage, Pruth Bay, Hakai

It was still pouring and already past our 0930 planned departure time. Could not decide, shall we stay or shall we leave? By 1100 the hard rain turned to drizzle so we pulled the dinghy up on deck and took off. Almost immediately, it became inexplicably pleasant out on the water! We motored out of Kwakshua Channel into Hakai Passage, passing Hakai Lodge, a destination for Seattle seaplane charters, then into Kildidt Sound past the Kittyhawk Island group, navigating through the charted rocks and now under sail into Brydon Channel to Brydon Anchorage where there are three cove choices.

Hakai Lodge

We checked out each one, anchoring in 30'. This place has solitude with a capital S! Except for the thousands of butterfly jellies which became the entertainment, the views were not interesting.

Thousands of jellies

Then as that activity got old, Gregg cast a fishing line and within minutes caught a small bright rockfish. He was unable to disengage the hook so we kept it for dinner. The disappointing truth is that we fished all through Hakai Passage which is noted for 40 to 50 lb. salmon and we didn't catch a thing!

Giant rockfish catch

June 15, 16 – Brydon Anchorage to Shearwater Marina, Bella Bella

Today's destination: Shearwater and Bella Bella. After leaving Brydon Anchorage we motored into Queen Sound. The wind had not been cooperating for sailing much lately. We were sure we'd have a good run in the upcoming Queen or Cultus Sounds but no such luck. While in Cultus we spotted two otters, one right in front of us in the center of the channel chomping on a fish, unfazed by our passing.

Our first sea otter sighting of the trip

Next came Lama Passage and then Shearwater Marina. There were lots of boats already there including the group of cruisers from Gibson's. We pulled into the last space along the outer end of the T-dock with a good view of the harbor towards Old Bella Bella. It was late in the day but we wanted to see Bella Bella, another place name of intrigue. We took the 10-minute water taxi across the bay to find the four totems the taxi driver had told us about, returning about an hour later...not much else there.

School totem pole, Bella Bella

On the second day it rained all day long, and on into the following day. We were desperate for a walk so began the 1-1/2 miles on the muddy road to the coast guard station at Old Bella Bella but the puddles were too deep for our shoes. We opted for dinner out with pub pizza where boaters from four different tables engaged in lively talk about past and upcoming routes. More cold rain!

Shearwater Marina

June 17 – Shearwater to Quigley Creek Cove

Left the dock 0630 heading north then west into Seaforth Channel. We had a little wind so we put up the jib for an hour of gentle sailing.

Sailing for another hour or so, and another sailboat in sight!

We navigated through the narrow passage ahead, moving along to Cod Bank, then across Milbanke Sound to the west side of Price Island, north through Laredo Sound into Laredo Inlet to Quigley Creek Cove. It had been calm and grey most of the day but as we made our way through Milbanke Sound the sky brightened up a little. Unfortunately we kept moving towards the thick, darker clouds. But as we made our way into Laredo Inlet and Quigley Creek Cove, incredible! Sun, blue sky, and warmth for a gorgeous evening. There were very scenic rocky ledges along the shoreline and trees with rounded mountain views. Many eagles! Went to sleep without a cloud in the sky.

Verrrry calm waters in Quigley Creek Cove.

June 18 – Quigley Creek Cove to Bent Harbor

Leaving Laredo Channel we picked up a good NW wind as we sailed SW towards the southwest tip of Aristazabal Island. We were heading for the outside coast along Hecate Strait where wild but protected anchorages dot the coastline. The wind was superb, providing much sought after sail time in full sun! Enroute to our anchorage in Weeteeam Bay, Bent Harbor, the wildlife sightings picked up dramatically with a couple of humpback whales, dolphins and another sea otter! Bent Harbor's scenic landscape is made up of low lying rocky areas that provide distant views directly into Hecate Strait to the west. It is otherwise protected by trees with another cutaway view to the south so it offers both protection and openness beyond the anchorage. Awesome day!

Sailing with both sails up!

June 19 – Bent Harbor to Tate Cove, Borrowman Bay

Onward north. Imagine our surprise at motoring through the potentially worrisome Hecate Strait with not enough wind to sail! We motored along the west coast of Aristazabal Island to Borrowman Bay at the northwest end and caught sight of a humpy show to our delight. There were several bright green boats in the distance also watching the whale. On closer view we could see they were from North King Lodge which we passed on the way into Tate Cove.

Entrance to Tate Cove, with North King Lodge charter boat

We immediately clicked with this anchorage. It was full of eagles, grebes, and has an interesting shoreline with places to go. After not being able to get off True North for three days we quickly launched the formidable True Dink to check out the surrounding places. We'd be able to put out the crab pot here! We walked the shoreline to see flotsam and jetsam creatively decorating a beach, then made a stop at the North King Lodge to find a friendly staffer who talked fishing with us and showed us around the docks with its heli pad for guest arrivals. They have twenty fish boats out on the water and run the lodge continuously with two groups each week all season long. The well-maintained lodge is on floats and is moved to Prince Rupert during the winter months. Back at the boat, we deployed the crab trap in about 45'. We checked it with high hopes later in the evening but found nothing. Our bait, suggested by a clerk in Port McNeill, was a bit unusual: a sponge soaked in Bait Fuel! There was another payoff, though: the sunset looking directly west over Hecate Strait was spectacular with clear skies overhead.

Surreal sunset in Tate Cove

June 20-21 – Weeteeam Bay to McMicking Inlet

It was hard to leave Tate Cove because it offered so much of interest. Nevertheless, we did leave because the forecast indicated very strong wind and rain on the 21^st which, if we stayed, would mean two additional nights and too many for the pace we set to get ourselves further north. It hasn't felt hectic to keep moving on; rather,  purposeful, moving towards our goal of being in a place where we can safely wait for a good weather crossing of Hecate Strait and still arrive in Haida Gwaii in time to keep a few reservations we made. Those are the plans, in sand...

This was our best sailing yet with a crystalline day and wind any sailor could happily embrace. The freedom of traveling by wind power still impresses! We had rounded the north end of Aristazabal Island through Caamano Sound under full sails to enter into Estevan Sound earlier than expected and then navigated the charted rocky McMicking Inlet. Pender Mountain to the east provides a dramatic granite backdrop to the anchorage.

Pender Mountain with Sea Drifter in the distance, McMicking Inlet

We had seen only one other recreational boat all day but here in the inlet we passed an anchored yacht on the way inside. They motored over in their fish boat to say hello, came aboard, and we met Doug and Jan on Sea Drifter from Olympia, Washington. They stopped by again a little later to bring us two huge Dungeness crabs. We had just finished dinner so we gave the crabs an overnight home in our crab trap, hung off the stern. The following day proved the weather forecast to be correct: a strong southerly wind throughout the day with gusts in the mid-30s and constant, cold rain. The wind howled until mid-afternoon. We kept a vigilant watch on the shoreline and ear to the anchor alarm as we swung around. Meanwhile, to pass the time indoors we read and baked dill bread to accompany the evening crab dinner. And that is how we spent Summer Solstice, 2016!

Cleaning the crabs graciously provided by Sea Drifter

June 22-23 – McMicking Inlet to Patterson Inlet, Princess Diana Cove

Back to sun the next afternoon brought a show of two pods of Orcas and humpbacks on the way to Princess Diana Cove at the end of Patterson Inlet.

Orca whales

Happy to be in a cove with landfall opportunities, we dinghied around the cove, walked the rocky shoreline.

Tiny crab on barnacles

On the way back, we stopped to say hello to Commodore II with John and Randy aboard. They told us the neighboring boat, Segue II had been in Haida Gwaii so we later found them and spent a couple of hours visiting with David and Kaye, an interesting couple with many years of boating experiences throughout the South Pacific, Europe and Scandinavian countries in particular, first sailing and now in a Nordhavn 47.

Princess Diana Cove, Patterson Inlet

From Patterson Inlet we motored about 3-1/2 hours to Colby Bay, very pretty and with no other boats present. We dinghied to shore to check out the old growth cedars. They weren't immediately visible but we made our way through the mucky mud, still not seeing the cedars. The woods, mysterious by nature, drew us in about 50' from the beach where we did see several awesomely large cedars.

Next up, an easy day motoring to the Spicer Islands. This is a good protected anchorage to wait for a weather window for crossing Hecate Strait only we arrived a few days earlier than necessary. We anchored just off Spicer inside the second passage with a slim view beyond the anchorage to Hecate Strait. It was again cold and grey and we were feeling quite isolated from the world. We could either wait there in the expected drizzle for three days until suitable weather for crossing Hecate Strait or go someplace else. We chose the latter almost as soon as the thought took shape and bolted 35 nm north to Prince Rupert the following morning. We were ready for civilization and found it!

June 26-27 – Prince Rupert

Sunshine brings optimism and with it smiling people! The beautiful new Cow Bay Marina with helpful and friendly marina staff, wifi, clean showers and laundry confirmed that it was a good decision to make the detour to Prince Rupert.

Prince Rupert marinas

The very first thing we did was to get off the boat and walk. We were both a little wobbly getting our land legs back but walked around town and through residential streets to see colorful, lovely old homes overlooking the bay, visiting with a few locals who were outside in their front yards. There were also several boats we had met at anchorages along the way with which we visited over our day and a half break.

The benefits of civilization

It became a mini vacation from our vacation being in this pretty port town with several good restaurants, IPAs, a couple of good museums, and streets to roam.

One of many fabulous displays, Museum of North British Columbia

1925 REO Speedwagon fire engine and the fellow who restored it, Fire Museum

June 28 – Prince Rupert to Spicer Islands

We were reluctant to leave the mini-paradise of Prince Rupert but we were facing a slim weather window over the next few days for crossing Hecate Strait so back to the Spicer Islands we went with plans to cross on the following day, forecast to be a good weather day. We did and it was! But we'll describe that next time!

Summer, 2016 - Destination Haida Gwaii, British Columbia

Summer, 2016 - Destination Haida Gwaii, British Columbia

Greetings from Port McNeill, near the northwest end of Vancouver Island! Our plan is to arrive at Sandspit Marina, Haida Gwaii by July 2 in order to keep various reservations on Graham Island in the north and make the most of our permits for Gwaii Haanas N.P. on the south islands, Moresby and Anthony. Everything being weather dependent, however, means that date is more of a goal, written in sand.....  Because we have a long distance to travel, we are making a beeline northwest, leaving the return for meandering.

June 1 - June 9

The first week out on the water has been fabulous! After good-byes at the very sociable Skyline Marina TDO dock, we left our slip at 0730, sailed all the way to Sucia with good wind, arriving about 2 pm for a planned rendezvous with Rick and Patti on Winterhawk, Washington sailors that were in Mexico the same time as we were.

Sailing wing-on-wing in Rosario Strait

While anchoring, we tried out a new snubber hook for the first time which became tightly wedged in the anchor chain. Neither of us could get it out after hammering or wedging it with a screwdriver; nothing worked. After 10 minutes of frustration we called Rick over for another opinion. Wham! His one (lucky) hit released the hook. Finally free, we hiked a few short trails on Sucia before dinner while Patti prepared the entire fabulous meal; then bid farewell for the summer.

Winterhawk, Rick and Patti

The next day we sailed all day and right into False Creek, Vancouver, B.C., anchoring just off Granville Island.

Approaching False Creek

Lots of boats and people were everywhere having fun on the warm, sunny day. We dinghied over to check out the market which was now closed for the evening, and stayed for dinner at Tony's Oyster and Fish Cafe, small and home-style with great oysters. False Creek has lots of water taxis which travel dock to dock.

False Creek water taxi

The next morning we flagged one down to avoid getting the dinghy off the boat but learned they do not stop at boats for pick-ups because of potential hazards. So we took our dinghy, True Dink, over to Granville Is. and headed for the market. Markets are often stunning sights and this one was over the top with its colorful produce, aromatic bakery goods, fish and meat markets...and this is only day 3 so no room in our fridge.

Gregg at the Granville Market

After checking out some of the downtown sights we returned to True North to grill salmon with rice croquettes and kale from the market.

Grilled fresh wild sockeye!

On our fourth day out we left False Creek shortly after sunrise, heading northwest with a mild 15 kt wind directly on the bow. Stronger winds picked up early making the passage quite choppy and slow so we cut the day short around 1400 and tucked into Plumper Bay on the NE side of Keats Island. at the entrance of Howe Sound.

Mt Garibaldi (northernmost Cascade volcano) from Howe Sound

It was tempting to go the distance to Horseshoe Cove, a favorite road stop on the way to Whistler, but so much farther. It was calm, warm and sunny inside the cove with a small community of houses along shore and families playing in that cold water. We dinghied to shore to hike the overlook trails. Gregg swam in the chilly water, too...not like Mexico! We would say those words a few times during the first week as we gradually acclimated to the PNW temps. 

Swimming in Plumper Cove

We got used to early 0430 rises after a few days. Our luck was such that 15-20 kts were forecast for mornings for several days, rising to 25-30 kts in the afternoons, coming directly from the NW, the direction we were going. Mix that with current! We stopped at Sturt Bay on NE Texada Is, anchoring in 40' in a quiet bay with a small dock at the other end. 

Our first Canadian lighthouse of the trip

The next day would be a long one. We motored with wind on the bow through the Strait of Georgia. Anchored early around 1400 at Gowland Harbor next to April Point Lodge. First job, dinghy over to the lodge to buy our fishing license; then check out the IPAs on the sunny deck. 

True North at April Point Lodge

The anchor was up in the morning with plenty of time to catch the 0710 slack water through Seymour Narrows, about 1-1/2 hours away. The forecast was for wind from the north at 15 to 25 kts, changing to 30 kts in afternoon. It was slow getting there through the maze of smaller whirlpools and tide rips. Two other boats from our anchorage were following. Just as we were heading into the narrows we caught two quintessential Pacific Northwest wildlife sights: an eagle swooped down on a fish, successfully flying off with its catch, followed a few minutes later by a humpback whale that surfaced and swam across our bow. Wow to both!

Mountain views

The channel was rough and slow at ~30 kts on the nose with gusts to 41 kts. We discussed a few alternate options for hidey holes. Eventually, the ebb prevailed over the wind as we inched up to 8 kts. Looking ahead, though, the next flood in six hours would be ~ 6 kts, about equal with our boat speed and preventing us from moving forward at all so, much as we regretted interrupting our 8 kt run, we took refuge in nearby Helmcken Bay to wait out the next 6 hours until slack, and then riding the next ebb. We took another look at the tide and currents shown on Navionics, compared it with the paper Canadian tides and currents booklet to find a discrepancy which favored moving on. This info showed 3 kts max and with the good weather, we decided we could make better use of the day. It was a good call!  Even with 30+ kts directly coming right at us we rode with the current for an easy 6 to 7 kts SOG. We arrived at Port Harvey about 1830 and called the marina immediately to inquire about their famous pizza. "Not available!" The season doesn't ramp up for another week and it was too late in the evening for this small marina to prepare one. Probably a good thing after the long day. We were too tired to get the dinghy off the boat and into the water.

We were up early the next morning to catch the ebb going north to Port McNeill. That leg was completely calm despite the NW 15-20 kt winds. Great wind, wrong direction!

Calm water and log maze

We are staying two nights in Port McNeill for a few chores: route planning, laundry and grocery shopping.

True North in Port McNeill Harbor Authority marina

Tomorrow we leave Port McNeill and Vancouver Island for the next segment of this run, northern B.C. islands of the Inside Passage.  New territory for True North! 

Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest - July 2 to July 25

Our departure from Hawaii was delayed twice due to very light wind but we were finally underway on July 2. The passage was better than anticipated in many ways, despite the lack of trades initially, with gentle rolling seas during the first two weeks and many days of sunshine spent sitting on the deck, and with the good fortune of several interesting wildlife sightings. While we had a couple of howling, gusty nights, there were no gales or fogs to wade through or unexpected bumps in the night. Plus, it didn't take a month as it seemed it might way back during the slow second week. Highlights from our daily log follow.

Gregg and Karsten setting up the spinnaker early in the trip

July 2, Day 1 – Leaving the dock in Nawiliwili Harbor on the south side of Kauai, a wind suddenly picks up. Still within the harbor breakwater we stow fenders, raise the sails and with a steady 15 kt wind we're on our way by 0945. The wind holds all morning enabling a fast start of 6+ kt sailing, weakening in the afternoon and with a calm sea. By 2000 we're traveling just below 2 kts so we start the engine. First evening out a huge, orange moon rises to light up the water! We motor 4 hours before the wind picks up again and we're able to sail. The first night watch seems long to me; very sleepy.

Sunset over calm waters

July 3 – Good wind all day and traveling well at 5 to 6 kts most of the day and all the following night. Karsten prepares a tasty soup made with leeks, meat, cream and a little white wine which he brought along. Nice!

July 4 – So far, the seas have been calm enough for good sleep though it is quite hot inside the boat...and outside! Even at night the breezes are still warm. Wondering how long this will last. We hear daily from HaiYun, a sailboat that is ten days ahead of us on their way to Sitka. They report being in fifty shades of grey, maybe more! The water and sky are still brilliant blue here. We celebrated the 4^th of July with a picnic style dinner in the cockpit of hot dogs, potato salad and baked beans but it's not quite the same without fireworks. We ran the engine for three hours this evening to give True North a chance to top off her batteries and run the watermaker. Otherwise, the light winds are at least strong enough to keep us moving north!

Gentle sailing in light winds

July 5 – Light, variable wind all day from 5 to 12 kts, except for a brief 10 minute passage beneath dark clouds in the evening where we find 16 kts. Fortunately, we had taken down the spinnaker. We had it up most of the afternoon and were enjoying a breezy, carefree early evening sail at 4.5 kts. It was tempting to leave the spinnaker in place for the night rather than disrupt the ease of the situation but conventional wisdom is to take it down overnight to avoid likely hassles in the dark with a huge, unruly sail if the wind picks up. We motor for an hour, then enjoy good sailing the rest of the night on a close reach at 4 to 5 kts. Still great sleeping conditions with hardly any rockin' and rollin'!

July 6 – First words of the morning are from Karsten: I have a fish! We rush to the deck to assist. It's a dorado, about 10 pounds, and this time we keep it. Karsten already has a fine meal in mind for lunch: fish, zucchini, onions and pasta. We think about taking a swim while stopped in these calm waters but now that we've put the bloody fish parts back it is less inviting. Something big might be down there looking for dinner...I cannot speak for the others but that was my thought. A 13 kt wind at 60º starboard keeps us sailing smoothly at 5 to 6 kts. There have been a few flotsam sightings to date: two large styrofoam chunks plus a two inch piece of blue hard plastic in the belly of our fish. We have savory dorado fillets for dinner. Plastic aside, dorado is one of the tastiest kinds of fish, right along with salmon.

Karsten with dorado

The messy part...

... and the delicious part

July 7 – We sail all night with a freshening wind of 16 to 20 kts. It's getting cool enough to wear pants on night watch yet bare feet are still okay. The morning wind is stable at 13-16 kts and we cruise along between 5-6.5 kts, close hauled, calm sea, under sun and clear sky. Absolutely perfect sailing!

Transferring fuel in the calm seas

July 8, day 7 – One whole week has passed already. (It seemed endlessly slow at day 3!) This day has mostly light wind, then when the breeze picks up it's right on our nose. We motor through some headwind, then sail and tack a few times to avoid using too much fuel too early. The ocean is glassy smooth with long, gentle 2-3' rollers. Meanwhile, we're discovering how much Karsten enjoys cooking as he again does the galley magic, transforming the last portion of the dorado into one course of dorado tacos, California style with lettuce and bits of carrot, and a second course with pasta, white wine, celery, onions, papaya and jalapeno. Great way to end the first week! We are sailing so slowly, though. It is a fabulous night for star gazing. As we take inventory of known constellations, stars and planets, three new stars (to me) become readily apparent: Vega, Deneb, and Altair, brightly forming the summer triangle just outside the Milky Way with Delphinus faintly visible nearby.

Motoring in really calm seas and winds

July 9 – Every day we mark our noon position on the paper chart of the Pacific. It's exciting to see our progress, even if in small increments. However, today reality hit when measuring the distance covered against that still to travel. Good gosh! It really may take a whole month to get back!

July 10 – We motor most of the day with little wind, staying west of our north heading. Commander's Weather sends a message advising us to get to 39°N before heading east to avoid more light air. At sunset we get an unexpected visit from a pod of spinner dolphins. They are very small in size and are exhibiting highly acrobatic behavior we haven't seen before. They jump high into the air with a vertical twirl like a ballerina. During the night we come across our first other vessel about 11 nm astern. AIS indicates it will come no closer.

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight!"

July 11 – Today we celebrate our 23^rd anniversary! We have saved the only bottle of wine we brought for the occasion. To our surprise and delight, Karsten presents us with a gift of one of his music CDs, signed. It is a beautiful recording of the violin, which he plays, and a piano, and is the perfect accompaniment for this happy hour. Out on the water we see new life: sail jellies! They are all over the water! They are difficult to photograph so here is a description: they have a three inch clear, flat round base with a vertical fan shaped bluish sail. Gregg tries to catch one with his hands for a closer look but cannot capture it. 

Anniversary XXIII

July 12 – This is the day we are finally able to angle NE towards our goal, the strait of Juan de Fuca. We are closer to 38° but within striking distance of the waypoint at 39° so are cutting the corner. We are still way the heck out here. Great sailing all day with an 11 to 17 kt wind. Gregg prepares his galley specialty this evening: Cincinnati Chili. It's a hit! We have been sailing wing on wing with wind directly astern and moving swiftly through the water at 5-6 kts. Night watch brings our first drizzle, some chill, plus a change in wind direction making a port tack necessary but we maintain our speed throughout the night. Now we're really moving!

July 13 – What happened? Yesterday ended with blue sky and water but today's landscape is muted grey every which way we look. It's still warm, thankfully.

Night watch selfie

July 14 – Making good time today sailing downwind wing on wing with 12 to 16 kts, 3' seas going our way...until the late afternoon when we slow down considerably to a lazy 3.7 kts with dying wind and sloppy sea. We initially change to a port tack for night, then back again to wing on wing at midnight.

July 15 – This morning's watch from the deck is mesmerizing, surrounded by more fascinating sail jellies. Thousands! They appear to be sailing south as we sail north but really, we are sailing past their tiny sails even faster than they are sailing. Nice to know we're not the slowest sailors on the ocean. Actually, we sail all afternoon at about 6 kts! Another bonus: a return of full sunshine and the deep blue sea. Back to our adopted tropical roots!

A few of millions of sail jellies

July 17 – Today's big excitement: a Minke whale visits us in the afternoon, twice! It completely surprises us when it first surfaces close to the boat's port side to show it's full length, about ¾ the length of True North, but only fleetingly before quickly disappearing ahead of our bow. It wasn't more than 50 yards away and at one point as close as 20! An hour later, the exact same thing happens, probably the same curious whale. Fortunately, Minkes are very intelligent so, whew! It doesn't attempt to cuddle up with True North. 

July 18 – More wildlife today! A large group of northern white whale dolphins catches up with us and swims aside for a few minutes, barely surfacing and leaving a trail of bubbling water behind. They are distinctive because they have no dorsal fin.

Gregg's daily shower with the Sun Shower

July 19 – Looks like we've put the high pressure ridge behind us. We are flying! Through the night and most of today we've been running at 6 to 7 kts. It is a cool, sometimes drizzly, grey day. Are we having second thoughts about having left the clear warm waters of sunny, dry Mexico? Yes! Gorgeous, green Hawaii? Yes! Hopefully, the PNW will show it's better side when we return so we can simply remain nostalgic about our time in the above named warmer climes, while happily reconnecting with the the local beauty and culture again. Among cruisers the dilemma of there vs here frequently leads to a discussion of two boats!

Anne prepares Gregg's favorite dinner

July 20 – What a wild, windy night we had. Early on we took down the main entirely, then reefed the jib as the wind began rising from the 20s to the howling high 30s in a bumpy sea. We were only making 2.5 to 3.5 SOG using so little sail, which means we kind of wasted the opportunity for a wild but faster 7 kt night – a racer's dream, but racers we aren't! All night long, the wind was up and down, changing directions, confusing Heidi (hydrovane) and throwing us off course a few times.Thinking of this much wind for the next three days is wearisome. (Weren't we begging for more wind about a week ago?) Fortunately, as dawn comes along, so does a decrease in the wind, back to the upper teens and low 20s. Much better! The day brings three dolphin sightings, each swimming right along with us. This night is pitch black, just as the last two have been. No moonlight, no stars, just clouds. Kind of spooky, even with radar and AIS.

Reefing in wet weather

July 21 – Reaching a significant milestone, 48°North!

Dinners are a big source of entertainment

July 22 – Mid-afternoon we lose our wind, then it is directly from the east at 20 kts! For hours, the wind howls as we motor east, making just 3.5 kts through most of the night. By early morning it has at last decreased to 7 kts on the nose so we are moving along more quickly.

July 23 – Morning watch begins with a fish on the line. Karsten tries to pull it in but it's too hard to do alone and it takes two of us to bring in the line, suddenly lighter. Uh, oh...did anyone mention slowing down the boat first? We lost the fish but kept the gear! We fly along at 6 kts which continues for most of the day.

Week three and still smiling!

July 24 – We have a fish! It is an albacore tuna so we keep it, about 8 pounds and just right for a couple of meals for three. Karsten prepares fillets with carrots, the only fresh vegetable we still have, plus rice. Dee-licious! At 1800, land ho! A distant Vancouver Island appears. Now it's getting exciting!

Karsten with the albacore

Albacore carpaccio

July 25 – 0245, passing Cape Flattery! Today we are primed for reaching land. We spend most of the day in the cockpit soaking in scenery of land! It is very chilly for July. We pass through Cattle Pass at the south end of San Juan Island at 1725 against a mild current and arrive in Friday Harbor at 1910 to be assigned the last available space on a dock inside the inner breakwater. The docks are full of family activity and though we think it is cold outside, most everyone else is in shorts enjoying the summer evening. It is almost two years to the day since we left Friday Harbor for Mexico on July 31, 2013. Hot showers are in order, then a cold beverage at the Cask and Schooner for bragging rights where an indulgent bartender lends us an ear with a hearty welcome home. We will sail on to Anacortes in a day or two but for now, it's time to decompress in a favorite port.

Land Ho!

True North and crew in Friday Harbor

It has been a fantastic adventure to sail in waters new to us, first port-hopping south along the California coast, hooking up with the very fun Baja Ha-Ha to Mexico and cruising the warm waters of the Mexican coastal mainland, the Sea of Cortez, and finally, navigating our way safely across the Pacific to tropical Hawaii and back to the Pacific Northwest. To our family and friends, a hearty thank you for taking an active interest in our adventure these past two years! Your support certainly added to the fun.

Tracking our route in Bend, Oregon