Sunday, June 16, 2013

Pirates Cove to Nanaimo

10 June 2013 Monday

Departure is 0900 hrs from Pirates cove and today we are going through Dodd Narrows so we have to time our run on slack tide. The tables here in BC call them turns. Any time there are Narrows and swift currents one hears much about horror stories. There are plenty of them, but as usual if you go thru at the appointed time you should not have trouble. We are going thru after the ebbing turn, so if we are early we would be bucking the current. We are early and decide to wait some more. I scan the chart and find a sweet little indentation on Mudge Island where there is a sandy beach/cove with a private dock. I get out the stern lunch anchor and drop her in about 10 feet of water. With a good set, Joyce decides to make coffee and quesadillas which hit the spot. It is 1015. We weigh anchor at 1100 hrs and are thru the narrows at 1115. A trawler goes ahead of us, we are 2nd and then about 5 sailboats fall in behind us.
we approach our way points from our Mudge island anchorage


















Lt. Zachary Mudge was on the HMS Discovery
with Captain Vancouver and Peter Puget.
The winds pick up and throw out a nasty 3-4 foot chop with about 20-25 mph winds as we lumber up Northumberland Channel towards Nanaimo. I stand to steer the whole way as our following fleet takes a beating, as well. Pashmina follows easily behind. We enter the harbor, get fuel and a slip. It is quiet here. We meet 2 Reiki Master friends of Joyce's. and spend an afternoon with them in the beautiful Nanaimo park. It is sunny and we have a nice visit with the Swedish Masters.
Todays run 13nm
Total 198nm.