Pacific Grace 2009 - Trip 3

We enjoyed a pleasant start to our trip getting away from the dock in Victoria around 1400hrs. Wind was light for the rest of the day so all were in favour of continuing up through Georgia Strait to Savory Island located on the doorstep of Desolation Sound. Our night run was spectacular with breathtaking sunsets and warm temps. Many had the chance to steer by compass for the first time and we anchored off Savory´s north shore at 0700hrs. Presently lessons on tides and terms are being carried out while we wait for the tide to drop and expose the beautiful white sand beaches this island is known for. Our afternoon will be filled with games on the beach and sailing to our next destination. Already this group is comming together and seems comfortable in sharing with each other, a great start.

A very warm day spent on the beach yesterday playing soccer and wandering the beach. Our destination after Savory was Tekearn Arm. We arrived off the falls at 1800hrs and enjoyed a lovely swim in the warm waters below the falls before welcoming the Swift alongside for the night. A joint mug-up on deck was enjoyed by all aboard as well as some of the other boaters in the area who hovered alongside listing to the music as the sun set. They were thrilled with the performance.  All are ashore now for swim up in Cassel Lake, a short hike up from the our anchorage. Today we will continue north in search of wind and new harbours to enjoy.

Another great day yesterday. After breakfast all marched up to the lake for a morning dip. Cassel Lake is warm at this time of year and has a wonderful slab of rock near the trail where we all gather to swim from. A bit of water polo and some log gymnastics were the water sports of choice. We were underway again by 1100hrs to make the tide at Yuculta and Dent Narrows, a current infested area of the coast. For the transit of these two passes one has to be a little early for one and a little late for the other as they are in line with each other and a span a distance of about five miles. Spectacular mountain views and many eagles are the prize for transiting. We are now up above Campbell River and our anchorage for the night was in Frederick Arm near Estero Basin. Everyone enjoyed a great sail after our transiting of the narrows yesterday. We managed to sail up the channel and then bear off for a lazy  run into our anchorage. Yesterday was also a productive day for Jacob´s prawn trap and just after lunch he had a lovely prawn and garlic butter treat for everyone. All are well and enjoying each other´s company.

We spent most of our day traveling yesterday as we made our way a little further north. Morning time was spent teaching the next lessons and enjoying the great rope swing we have developed off of the main gaff. Our schedule was set around Green Point Rapids a moderate narrows on the way to Johnstone Strait the main passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland. We anchored in Blinkinsop Bay just as the wind began to blow hard from the north. Our goal today is to sail up Johnstone Strait towards Alert Bay. Wind is light at the moment but the forecast calls for a breezier afternoon.

Yes we are alive and well. We have been out of satellite coverage for the last 48hrs. After Blinkinsop Bay we made our way up Johnstone Strait beating all day with a delightful northerly breeze. Complete with topsails set we leisurely made our way north under sail. At about 1800hrs we had a call from a passing cruise ship which wanted permission to make a close pass by the Grace to give the passengers a look. It turns out that the captain had a grandfather that died on a boat like the Grace while fishing on the Grand Banks. He and his ship came very close for a look while we lined up on our rail and gave them the ´wave´. After a few loud exchanges on our horns he was off again down the Strait headed for Vancouver. We ended our day of sailing in Alert Bay on Cormorant Island and had a wonderful evening of energetic games up at the school field. Yesterday was a day of wonder as we made our way up Knight Inlet. This is one of the few inlets on the coast that we have never visited so all were excited as we began the seventy mile trip inland into the mountains. Spectacular views all day of glaciers and razor peaks rising 7000ft from the sea. As darkness fell we aproached the head of the inlet surrounded by mountains capped in a sky bright with stars. We awoke this morning to a scene not fully appreciated last night at dusk. More snow capped peaks, long green valleys and turquoise waters from the mountain run off. Presently we are heading back down the inlet and have just enjoyed a refreshing swim stop off of a glorious waterfall cascading down into the sea. Paradise? Absolutely... All are well.

Yesterday was boat Sunday (7th day) =
so after a
refreshing swim by the Cascade waterfall and a few more miles down the =
inlet we
anchored in a small harbour that had the feeling of a south pacific =
atoll.
Turquoise water again with a surrounding beach that boasted great views =
of the
mountains beyond. Our cooks treated us to the standard Sunday dinner of =
roast
beef complete with yorkshire puddings. We shifted anchorages later at =
2000hrs
for more protection and enjoyed a Sunday service under a bright starlit =
sky.
Jacob had a successful haul today after soaking the prawn trap over =
night and we
are about to enjoy a prawn appetizer before lunch. Over one hundred =
prawns were
caught some measuring over six inches in length. Today is a sailing =
day so
our course leads us out to Queen Charlotte Strait and hopefully a breeze =
to use
for the remainder of the day.

We were treated to a short whale =
show by a
visiting Humpback as we left Knight Inlet behind at about 1300hrs just =
as the NW
wind began to build. This whale swam within 100 feet of the Grace =
heading up the
inlet, very exciting. Our afternoon was filled with sailing up =
Queen
Charlotte Strait towards the eastern (mainland) shore. After a great =
sail we
entered Wells Pass and anchored in Tracey Harbour on North Broughton =
Island.
Very protected and peacefully quiet. "Isms" was the game for the evening =
with
topics of "Pirate School" and "The crew ten years from now". Gales of =
laughter
followed each skit. Today we awoke to a very calm harbour engulfed
with dense fog so all are ashore building an infamous SALTS sauna. =
Our
anchorage is about 23 miles from Port Hardy so this afternoon =
we hope
to sail back over to the Vancouver Island side of the Strait to an
anchorage within reach of Hardy for tomorrow
morning. 

A sad day for many as we approach =
Port Hardy.
We have had a wonderful trip together, visiting many new places and =
growing
stronger as a community. Our sauna yesterday was a success in every way. =
Multiple "heatings" and ocean charges we enjoyed by everyone. Following =
was a
hot dog roast on the beach before heading back across the Strait. "Epic" =
was the
trainee term used to describe our final sail. Starting out with a double =
reefed
main we just flew out into the open water. We later went to a =
single reef
and then back to a double as the wind was building again in the =
afternoon. Lots
of sail handling in exciting conditions as the Grace charged along close =
reached in 30+ kts of wind. Exhilarating. Mug up last night was a =
highlight
showcasing the traditional "talent night". All are well and feel a =
deep
sense of satisfaction following our ten days together.
Thank you parents for lending your kids =
to us for
this short time we have enjoyed their company a great
deal.