Desolation Sailing trip 2013 – with video!

July 20 Skinny Cove- after endless mornings of To Dos we finally got off the dock at 3:45 PM only four hours [and one day!] behind schedule. Dinghy davits on and working well but not finished. Kolby gave the hull a quick clean and the combination was noticeable for increased boat speed. Very gentle trip to Skinny Cove, sails are too small, especially the genoa :(. Anchored in the sunset. Good holding, as per usual. Very quiet night.
July 21 Copeland Islands- 50 Kms today! Made it into Copeland’s around 5 PM. Very quiet and uneventful passage, with a short sail past Powell River. Installed new outdoor shower on route. Arrived at Copeland and went for a walk and impromptu swim. Kristine fell in the hole when we were changing water tanks to fill our drinking water and broke the pipe from the forward starboard tank. Tanks bunged and unfixable without new pipefitting.

July 22 Susan Islets- Working morning: finished the install for the blocks for the davits, fixed the leaking propane and water lines, and screwed in the new shower. Davits are working fantastic and look good too! Motored to Susan Islets which is a nice anchorage. Wooten Bay looks lovely! Maybe try there next year. We’re missing the crab trap bait holder so no crabbing. Lots of current ripping in and out Theadosa Inlet. Still active logging in the area. Very big tides!

July 23 Squirrel Cove- fun morning goofing in the eddies on the paddleboard draining Theadosa Inlet. Quick diesel stop at refuge where we bumped into Mike, Joanna, Ken and Val [rafting and Laura’s Cove] and also grabbed some ice cream. Anchored mid bay at Squirrel Cove
and enjoyed the perfect swimming water. Trek over to Von Dolop Inlet- The tide came up quick! Set the crab and prawn traps after supper. I put the Asunto stickers on the boom.

July 24 Walsh Cove [via Teakarne Arm]- Left Squirrel Cove after taking the paddleboard through a great ebb tide at the lagoon. So fun! Motored over to Teakarne, the days have been so hot! We did an excellent job of our anchoring and stern time. The new reel works great. Dropped the prawn trap and brought the paddleboard to the lake – it was worth it! All cleaned up we headed back to haul the prawn trap from a Asunto [works much faster than from the dinghy!]. Nothing! Just those weird crayfish prawn things. Too deep? Motored to Walsh and stern tied for the night. Kolby dropped the prawn trap off the fishfarm in Waddington channel.
July 25 Walsh Cove- hung out for the day. I got the name on the hull, Kolby installed the new battery monitor, we cleaned the dinghy and the hull. Lots of swimming and relaxing. Hauled the prawn trap- 12 prawns! Dropped it again hoping for at least 12 more.

July 26 Toba Wilderness Resort- 6 AM wake up, to catch the flood up Toba Inlet. Only two prawns. Quiet trip up Toba, lots of fun with the waterfalls. By the time we reached the end the wind had picked up to 15 knots and the anchorage looked really gnarly so we headed back out. Winds built to 20, choppy waters but still sunny. Glorious views. Docked at Toba Wilderness Resort [$1.25 per foot] and hiked to the waterfalls. Kyle and family have been here permanently for the last 10 years. Campfire marshmallows, Yum.

July 27 Octopus Islands- We had a great sail up Pryce Inlet. Forced our way through Hole-in – the – wall after the Rendezvous Islands or a no anchor zone not even for a ‘stop and check out the shore’ visit. We were one hour past slack tide by the time we reach the west end of hole –in- the – wall and had 5.5 knots against us with some fantastic eddies. Just pushed through at 1 .3 knots. Dropped the anchor in the Octopus Islands and found the boat name cabin! Marveled at the cold water only 53°F.
July 28 Octopus Islands- took Otto to the Surge Narrows store but it was no longer and very much falling to bits. Post office is still there. Hiked to the lake in the afternoon and discussed Alaska. Contributed to the boat name cabin.

July 29 Thurston Bay- pleasant motor over. Weather continues to be perfect. Tried to find the trail to the lake but it is long gone. Went hunting for crab in the shallows from the dinghy. Kolby caught one and flung it into the dinghy. Lucky it hit my belly! Made for a tasty appetizer. Dropped two crab traps on one line and the pawn trap. Fingers crossed. Alaska still in our minds.

July 30 – Bird Cove [Read Island]: first visit to Read Island, excellent anchorage in mud. The island has a very communal feel, from the docks to the trails. Took Steamboat trail from the public dock to the road, a lovely trail. Went left on the road and found an orchard with a woodfired pizza oven and ripe plum tree. Three prawns.