Heading to Broughton Archipelago 2017

The trip planned for quite a while but now finally we are free to take off for an extended journey up the coast to explore this region. We wanted to have unrestricted time to visit because there are so many spots in the region. Easy enough to blast up and zip around and call it done but that generally just leaves us tired out by the constant travelling. Consequently we like to travel for as short a day as is possible to take us to the next anchorage on our route and then stay there for a day or three if possible.

We left June 15 from our mooring at the Riverrock Marina and headed to Gambier Island for the first night. Next day being quite calm we motored up to Pender Harbour then on to Blind Bay. The next day was breezy from the NW so we got the canvas up and headed up the Malaspina Strait only to be turned back by heavy seas which slowed our progress to near zero with short interval 4 foot seas. Beating to windward no longer an option we turned tail and sailed back to Hardy Island at 7 knots under the Number 1 Jib.

Next day proved calm. It figures zero wind and sunny skies. Motor works though so on up to the Copeland Islands for a couple of nights then over to Grace Harbour for the next three. We needed a break and that is a nice place for it. I had passed a kidney stone during the first night at Copeland. Always fun. There is a lake for swimming and a nice stream to do up a bit of laundry.

The anchorage can get a bit busy in the high season but there is plenty of room.

Also a great place to weather a storm as it is very well protected from all winds.

After a couple of hot breezeless days we took off and headed for Hole in the Wall pass via Gorge harbour and Von Donop Inlet where we spent a day in each. We tied up at The Gorge and went to the restaurant there, checked the store and got a bit of fuel. Von Donop is a nice spot with some good walking trails. On to Hole in The Wall passage. This is a short cut between Maurelle and Sonora islands. We pulled into Florence Cove to await the slack water at the Hole in the Wall pass which can reach current speeds of 12 knots or more. We ended up staying overnight there. Not great for anchoring as it is quite deep and littered with old logging gear as we found out the second time we stayed there on the way out to the Yucultas (uke le taw)

 The small bight within Florence Cove above where we dropped the anchor. The next day we headed over to Waiat Bay and the Octopus Islands marine park. The marine park was loaded up with boats but we like the larger area of the bay anyway so moved down nearly to the head of the bay to anchor. At the head of the bay there is a trail
that takes you across the isthmus to Kanish Bay.

 This is the head of Waiat Bay. Calm water and the whole bay is in the 25 to 35 foot depth.












Below is a shot looking west towards Johnstone Strait from the head of Kanish Bay. Vancouver Island in the background.

The following day we went back through the Hole in the Wall to Florence cove again to wait for the slack at the Yucultas and Dent rapids at Big Bay. This is a set of rapids that instill fear in people when reading about them..the double rapids approaching through the Yucultas then through Gilford passage and across to the Dent islands with their cascading waters. However the reality was less frightening. We motored straight up the center through the last of the flood and hit the Gilford passage right about the beginning of the slack. By the time we made it to the Dent islands the ebb was beginning and we were being pushed towards East Thurlow Island and Nodales Channel. Make no mistake though, in anything less than a high powered craft these are dangerous currents at their height.

The shot above is looking back towards Big Bay and Gilford Passage from close to The Dent Island passage. Soon we were turning down Nodales Channel heading for Thurston Bay. we stayed a couple of days there caught some crab and explored some before heading off to the Cordero Islands just before Green Point rapids. We anchored overnight there and the next day  took a short side trip to the Blind Bay resort and checked out their store before heading down Cordero Channel to Forward Harbour

 Anchored at Thurston Bay we were lucky to have this little cove to ourselves. Next time up we will explore the other parts of this large marine park including across Nodales at Hemming Bay. and further in to Cameleon Harbour.

 At Cordero Islands. This is a little anchorage off of the main channel. A nice stop over spot to wait for the Green Point rapids to be in your favour. Coming back we opposed these rapids and found that by hugging the west bank we could motor up the back eddy to just at the bend then when we turned out we hit a wall of water coming at us and slowed from 8 knots to 1/2 knot in a second. Took 30 minutes to slug through the next 1/4 mile or so until we got past the Cordero Islands and headed up to Bickley Bay further up Cordero Channel towards Nodales Channel.

 Heading down Cordero Channel past the Green Point rapids motoring into a NW wind of 20 kts.

 Looking up Loughborough Arm. Passing by enroute to Wellbore Channel and Forward Harbour. We hit the Whirlpool Rapids just before turning into Forward harbour at full ebb but it is very short and spat us out with no undue whirling.

 Forward Harbour at Douglas Bay. We were all alone by noon the following day in this picture, there were 20 odd boats the night before and a dozen or so that night. A popular stopover spot enroute up the coast via the back route.

 Bessborough Bay selfie. A short hike about 1/2 hour through a nice forest trail from Douglas Bay to Bessborough Bay. Bessborough is a small bay just north of the junction of Wellbore and Sunderland Channels.

 Looking back at Bessborough up Sunderland Channel enroute to Port Neville.

 Looking west at Yorke Island and Clarence Island at the junction of  Sunderland Channel and Johnstone Strait. Vancouver Island and Kelsey Bay in the distance.

 Port Neville looking at Robbers Nob from our anchorage in the middle of the inlet.

Arrived at Matilpi an abandoned native village down Havannah Channel. Situated on the mainland just before Chatham Channel which leads to Knight Inlet and the Broughton Archipelago. We stayed here a couple of nights. There is a little creek and fish in the waters around the islands. It is now July 8. Nearly a month since we left.