Malcolm Island - Mitchell Bay - Sointula

Just catching up - this blog post covers July 4 to 6.

Malcolm Island - off Port McNeill

Malcolm Island is a large island just off the coast of Vancouver near the town of Port McNeill. Visitors come by pleasure boat or Ferry to sightsee and enjoy the history, culture and artistry that can be found here.

Mitchell Bay is on the SW end of Malcolm Island. It is wide open to the SW but with the right weather it provides a good place to anchor.

Mitchell Bay - Malcolm Island

This is the heart of whale watching country and VHF channel 7 comes alive with reports and conversation among the whale watching boats, commercial and not.

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Mitchell Bay Beach

Mitchell bay is connected by road to the rest of Malcolm Island. The main town is Sointula but it is a little far to walk so that will be the next stop. A plesant walk along the quiet roadway looks out over the water and artists touches include driftwood structures and planters in the shape of dorys painted in bright colours. Cruise ships can be seen winding their way through the islands and narrow passages leading to Johnstone Strait to the south.

Happy crew ashore for a walk

Que Sera in Mitchell Bay

Sointula

Public Dock beside the ferry terminal

Across the water from Port McNeill, Sointula displays its Finnish heritage and friendly character. A large marina is available to those not wanting to get their anchors wet and the bay provides lots of space for those with a good hook and the desire to row ashore for fish and chips at the dock.

Lovely old rowboat along the shore

There is a really neat haulout place using a system of Rails and a motorized winch. It will handle large vessels with drafts over 9 feet. We saw a large commercial fishing and a sailboat hauled out at different times. Only room for one boat at a time.

Eagle watches over Que Sera

Along the shoreline there are many remains of old boathouses and rail systems to haul the boats out of the water. This must have been very popular in days gone bye.

Eagles paired up along the shore

A flypast for the camera

Next stop Alert Bay

See you there, RMD&D

Campbell River - Billy Goat Bay - Broughtons

A trip to Ontario in June has restored our land legs. We are now caught up on the news for a short time.

Vanessa, Dan and Rick enjoy Coffee, sun and live entertainment at theKensington Market.




A week plus in Toronto then we were off to Sudbury to enjoy the company of our grandson Gavin and his parents. Gavin got the prime seat in his backpack carrier to enjoy the outdoors and see the birds and animals.

Mary and Gavin - Intro to Botany 101

We decided to bring "Daisy" our 4 year old companion back to BC for a taste ( and smell) of the beautiful coast and of course, all the boating she can adapt to.

Our newest crewmember " Daisy "


The trip home was a series of firsts. Crate training, airport training , two aeroplane rides and a taxi ride were just the start for Daisy in her reincarnation to super dog. The boat, kayak and salt water training are ongoing !!



M & D - Day 2 - Campbell River



Que Sera was berthed in Campbell River at fisherman's marina for a month during our trip and for a week of crew (Daisy) training. The ice cream on the Discovery Pier was a regular trip and the fresh fish off a local fish boat topped off our stay.

Que Sera at Fishermans Warf in Campbell River

Not far from the marina - way too close actually - is the Discovery Pier. A little concession on the pier has great ice cream and draws crowds on the sunny summer days.
















Ice cream alone seems decadent, so fish and chips, then ice cream, makes a well rounded meal.





June 26 - We provisioned at the Discovery Harbour complex and topped off the fuel. We then moved over to Gowland Harbour on Quadra Island to begin the the Daisy to shore in the kayak, phase of the conversion.


Looking very lady like in her pink, polka dot life jacket, she adapted well to being lifted in and out of the kayak. Trips ashore can be noisy but the training goes well.

With the change of the tides and a NW flowing ebb, the trip through Seymour Narrows and up Johnstone Straight takes us to Helmcken Island.

July 29 - Helmcken Island - Billygoat Bay.

Billygoat Bay - Helmcken Island


This beautiful little anchorage in the middle of Johnstone Straight became our home for a few days while the gale warnings were posted every day on the marine weather site. The current flows quickly around this area and the wildlife is abundant. There are seals, eagles, dear, jelly fish and the list goes on.

Billygoat Bay - Vancouver Island Mountains behind



The winds have been an issue for a few days with NW gales predicted almost every day. On July 1 , Canada Day, we left Billygoat Bay and motored into a headwind for the day to our Current location - The Broughtons, behind Mound Island. Large waves and 25 knot winds near Port Neville quickly decreased the farther NW we travelled . There are no signs or even radio reports of Killer Whales in the area yet, but we expect to see some soon.


Broughtons - " Where did we leave the kayak ?? "


The Mega yachts are out in force and just keep getting bigger. Nova Spirit - 150 feet plus - just motored in and anchored. Time to load up the kayak and visit...


Time to create the latest blog posting.


See you soon.


R, M, D & D

Scenes Along the Way

The bell is silent !

Leaving Gorge Harbour - Cortes Island

RMD&C

Rebecca Spit - May 22 - 25

Rebecca Spit Marine Park is found on Quadra Islands east side. It forms a natural breakwater for Drew Harbour, and can be a very popular spot for locals and tourists.

The anchorage was empty when we arrived so we chose what turned out to be a great spot. Just behind the head of the park, where the x is on the chart above. Winds were forecast to be strong NW which blow into Drew Harbour but our little piece of water was always calm and peaceful.

The anchorage is quiet.

Rebeca Spit is a day use park only ( for land lubbers of course ) so the nights and mornings are quiet and people free. The daytime brings the park visitors but most of the activity is focused in the large grassy field closer to the entrance and the beaches of course. Summers look like they will be a zoo with lots of boats, beach goers and water skiers !!!

The Spit provides miles of trails for walking.

The paths along the spit provide beautiful views with water on both sides. Snow covered mountains form the background horizon and driftwood covers the beaches, not just little driftwood, but huge large timber from distant shores.

Beach Art with a snow covered background

The best sticks ever !!

So long for now

RMD&C

Copeland Islands Marine Park - May 18-20

The Copeland Island Marine Park is situated off the Malaspina Peninsula just NW of Lund.

It is a small group of islands well known by kayakers and boaters travelling to Desolation Sound. Most summer travellers, pass between the islands and the Malaspina Peninsula on their way to Desolation Sound , without stopping and sometimes without even slowing down. What they are missing is a beautiful outcrop of islands surrounded by clear waters full of sea life.








The main anchorage is small but well protected from the weather. Anchoring is on a rocky bottom and when the busy season arrives, a stern tie to shore will be the norm for most.

The elusive Que Sera - Seen in her natural setting.

Que Sera, along with her many other roles, is a mothership for our kayaks. The many islands and relatively protected waters of the copelands provides hours of kayakng adventures. The marine life highlights are the starfish and sea cucumbers. The rocky shores have countless types and colours of starfish, some carefully attached to the shore and others found in heaps, one upon another. Eagles, Oystercathers, ducks, geese and yes, even seagulls, fly the open skys around the park.

Sunstar by the shore

Rick and Celiedh out for a paddle.

If you are so inclined, you can yacht watch and see anything from kayaks to mega yachts.


A big thumbs up for this little gem of Marine Parks.

Bye for now.

RMD&C

Tribune Bay - Copeland Islands - May 18 - 20

Bald Eagles overlooking the beach

Tribune Bay and Helliwell Park provided days of outdoor fun with beautiful sand beaches, a magnificent park on a bluff overlooking the Georgia Straights and Hornby Island trails and hospitality. The long weekend brought a few beach goers and a handfull of boats but everybody left on Monday and we were all alone again.

Helliwell Park - Hornby Island - Our kayak on the beach

Anchoring in Tribune bay is excellent but any SE - SW winds do build up waves quickly. Never a safety issue during our stay, just the trials with the new kayak and Celiedh's trips to the beach for some fun and digging in the sand. After a few trips with waves and more wind we are much more comfortable with our new transport and Celiedh, well, she seems comfortable in any conditions.

We bid farewell to Hornby for now and headed NW up the Straights. Dark clouds and rain surrounded Comox but we skirted the weather and had a beautiful trip to the Copeland Island Marine Park.

So Far - Copeland Island Marine Park

We have visited here before by kayak out of Lund but just a day trip. This is our first time anchoring and staying overnight in this beautiful location.

Que Sera at anchor

It has a charm and variety only a remote marine park can share with visitors from afar. We spent a few days exploring, kayaking and walking several of the islands within the park and will definately return later.

Copeland Island Scenery

More on the Copeland Islands next post.

Safe Sailing


RMD&C

False Bay - Lesqueti - Tribune Bay - Hornby

We last visited False Bay in 2002 in our Viking 33, Jenny Gibson and a much smaller cat - It was still DiMilo but she was much smaller then !!

The postmaster was at that time restoring a beautiful antique boat which we discovered has been sold to its original owner on Thetis Island and is being returned to its original glory.

Dockside Painting

Main Dock - False Bay

Art can be found everywhere

Lesqueti is a unique place with a few hundred full time inhabitants. There is no electric power brought in to the island so alternate power sources are used and the night is dark as few lights clutter the evening sky. Unique art works are found at every turn and homes blend in with their natural surroundings like few places we have seen before.







The anchorage is a large bay with smaller bays of varying depths. The boaters make up the majority of visitors to the island but at this time of year only 2 boats were outsiders visiting the bay. The view out of the bay had a backdrop of snow covered mountains from Vancouver Island. Fresh snow still falls there at night repainting the mountainsides a brilliant white and reminding everyone of the cold winter past.

Snow covered mountains on Vancouver Island

Tribune Bay on Hornby Island is our next stop. Only a few hours away but a dramatically different place with expanses of sand beach, public parks overlooking the water and tens of miles of walking spots crisscrossing the island. The anchorage is huge with great holding in sand but it is totally open and exposed to the SE. With 15-20 knots of wind, there is no danger of dragging but the waves can get big.

It is the long weekend in May and we are the only boat here - it is hard to believe but we enjoying every minute.

Look Closely - Que Sera is anchored here !

The sun is out and the temperature is headed for 20 plus so we are off in the kayak with our hearty crew, to visit the park, see the marine life and enjoy a smoked salmon picnic overlooking the Straights.

Gotta Go !!



Life is good.

Later, RMD&C