Exploring Beyond Cape Caution

The entrance to Port Alexander is lurking behind the low-lying fog.
 Vancouver Island is peaking over it.

Greywolf left Port Alexander early on July 13th.  The VHF marine weather broadcast told us we were good to go for rounding Cape Caution:  winds no higher than 15 knots (promises, promises…) and 0.8 meter seas at West Sea Otter buoy, well below the accepted 1.2 meters for a safe crossing.  

Some of you may remember us grousing last summer that West Sea Otter was “missing” on both our northbound and southbound trips.  Apparently someone found it.

I had taken Rainforest Bear’s sou'wester hat and yellow rain slicker off him in Ladysmith when it was 30 degrees.  He was a little chilly as we set out for Cape Caution, but was enjoying the adventure and didn’t want to get down to go find the hat and coat.

After we left the many islands in Queen Charlotte Straight, our course took us about two miles off shore.

We stayed off of Cape Caution in order to find deeper water. 

 The depth sounder told us we succeeded.

Cape Caution is actually a low-lying cape: not impressive looking.  The shallow sea bottom surrounding the cape is what make this passage impressive, as the water rushing in from the Pacific has no place to go.  'Gets dangerous in winter; scary and prayer-inducing in summer.  

Passing the cape about noon, we altered Greywolf's course to the northeast, heading up Rivers Inlet.

A few miles up Rivers Inlet, we passed this fellow traveling 

south....the definition of “a hazard to navigation” and another
reason we don’t cruise at night.

I got a Special Dispensation to take a photo of a (former) BC ferry.  

She looked out of place tucked back in a little cove, but was doing well 

in her  new job of providing work space/living quarters for a fish camp.

Our destination for the night. 

No, it is not called Liquor Store, but for many of the customers, that is its highest and best use.  Its actual name is Dawson’s Landing.  For those of you who have done this trip with us before, you’re going to see many places we’ve already taken you, but you’ll meet new people.

They sell more than liquor.  We don’t know how Rob, and his wife Nola, keep the store so well stocked.  It is not as though there were hundreds of people shopping year round.  I bought the west coast’s most expensive peaches.  I guess that is how they do it, eh?

Rob was off rounding up stray logs to sell (no, not at the store…), one of the handful of jobs that make it possible for he and his family to continue to offer this convenience/necessity.

Allie, as always, was ready for dog walkies and exploring.  All of Dawson’s Landing is on log floats chained to the wall, but there is is a trail on shore. 

Amber, Rob’s daughter, who helped us tie up, told us we might want to reconsider.  A grizzly had been spotted in the area.  We would not go far.

                                                  Allie trotter down the float.......

                                                                                     .....past the restroom......                .                            

                ....to where the floats end and the boardwalk starts up the hill.  
                                     (Leash was in place by this time.)

 I’m fine just peeing here on this six squares inch of dirt.  We’re not going up any trail. 

Her Bear Detector told her not to go any farther.

In the morning, we saw Bear at a great distance (the best way).  A fellow boater said he thought Bear looked a little scrawny (as did we), until he watched Bear pick up a log and toss it in the water.  

Objects in camera view finder may be larger than 

they appear.

The only other cruising boats at the dock besides Greywolf were two Willard 40 trawlers traveling together: Saga, from Bellingham and Candor,  from Bainbridge Island, Winslow Wharf, D dock, (Greywolf lives at Winslow Wharf, A dock), and  a fellow member of Eagle Harbor Yacht Club.  We knew that Michael would be cruising on the central/north coast and were delighted to meet him, as well as Ken and Linda off of Saga in this quintessential BC coast setting. 

 We only thought these were big waters.

Sports fishermen (and fisherwomen) come to 

Dawson’s landing to rent the small cabins and 

freeze their catch.  The dock was busy that night. 

Great boat.  Clever name.  The motor is in the way; the name is Reel Nauti.  

I am a more relaxed person since I let my membership in the  Boat Name Police Association lapse.  Although there ARE this times when we see something egregious.  Maybe there is a provision for a citizen’s arrest.

What you can’t see in the last photo (besides the boat’s name) is the tent  pitched on the log float next to the rock wall.

Allie decided that this solitary camper would want to meet her, and trotted out to introduce herself. As it turned out, Larry, a retired high school teacher from the small town of Fort St James (NOT Fort St John, for those of you familiar with interior BC) did want to meet her and talk to her owners about his journey.

For years Larry has dreamed of making a voyage through part of the Inside Passage by kayak.  His wife has not.  Larry’s doctor assured him that if he made the trip by kayak, he’d be ready for shoulder surgery when he got back.  Larry put his 16 foot boat in at Kitamat (far far away), watching the weather and moving when it is calm.  He’s having the time of his life.

Larry wanted to make sure everyone saw the view from his campsite.

Condor and Sage got underway headed for Pruth Bay and 

its short trail to ocean beaches.  Greywolf followed later in the day.