Cape Scott

Vancouver Island Cape Scott

Map of Cape Scott area.

Pasport 47 boat bird

The bird with its new adornment.

With the NW looking like it would take a day rest in a few days we headed North.  Our first destination was one of the largest native settlements in Queen Charolette Strait.  Here we met for the second time Angus on Nootka Rose who was headed north this summer.  We searched the beach in front of the village site for treasures and Sue was the big winner finding a trading bead which was added to the boat bird!

Next morning we were off to Port Hardy for fuel, water, food and beer. The first foggy morning was present and I had a chance to check the radar out.  Hooray works great, though I must say the operators manual of the Raymarine E80 is not light reading!!  As Adesso is new to us, and has many systems, its always great when I try one for the first time in real situations and it just works as it should!  I must mention here that the Port Hardy’s fuel dock is in a tight spot and Adesso with out a bow thruster can be a challenge maneuvering.  This is a skill that is improving but … I’m sure that  am the subject of others entertainment as I learn!  From here a quick trip to Port Alexander for the night and off to Sea Otter Cove in the am.

Passport 47 at anchor

At anchor in Port Alexander

Port Alexander

I think Josh’s truck needs some repair!

Port Alexander was new to us and proved to be a surprise.  With NW gales blowing late in the day we were anchored in this beautiful inlet while the wind raged at its mouth.  A trail across the island lead us to an old logging site where Josh tried his hand at driving.  The wind dropped over night and the fog returned.  The summer “high” weather pattern on the west coast is NW gales late in the day, that fall off in the evening only to return the next after the morning fog burns off.  The early morning start for Cape Scott  found confused seas, fog and no wind but we did have company, a Fraser 41 left Bull Harbour as we went by so we could just see each other through the fog or on radar as we rounded Cape Scott.  The NW started up, and we sailed out of the fog into another spectacular sunny day.   Sea Otter Cove is a great hurricane hole but we stop because of the hike to Lowrie Bay.  Here we had our first ocean swim on the Pacific side of Vancouver Island and Josh found another Japanese glass ball on the beach!   The weather was calling of a burst of SE to arrive but the sunshine to continue  (very unusual) so at 6 am we were off to Winter Harbour to walk on the board walk.