Arbutus (Mardona)Trees in Thulen Pass
Grief Point just before Powell River
Ladner Lass - Pender Harbour
Late Spring in Pender Harbour
George the cat is on board --- time to leave! Oceanaire and Ladner Lass pulled out at 7:00 am and we are not far behind. Light breeze and calm seas.
A nice cruising day from Pender Harbour to Big Bay. We are teaching flexibility to the group - original destination when we left Pender Harbour was Squirrel Cove but the tides/currents and timing allowed us to transit the rapids at slack tide and stop into Big Bay to the Stuart Island Community Docks. “Sambuca” will remember this style of cruising from 2008 Alaska Trip. Flexibility is the key Ladner Lass! The island is surrounded by rapids – Dents/Aaron’s/Yucultas and Gillard. The current is too strong for most boats to navigate through this area unless its slack tide and around the corner is the infamous “Hole in the Wall” – another set or rapids. So when the conditions are right, we go!
It’s been many years since we stopped at Stuart Island. There used to be a very nice marina with all the facilities and after it was privatized, the only game in town was Dent Island Lodge. For the ordinary boater, Dent is not an economical stop ($3.00/ft + $30.00-$50.00 power) – and since we are all quite ordinary, we have, in the last few years opted to rush through the rapids (at slack tide) and anchor on either side of Stuart Island. The site of the former marina is now a private golf course! Next door to the Stuart Island Community dock, is what used to be the only pub in the area – “The Wheelhouse Pub” – formerly owned by Oceanaire’s brother! It’s now a private residence for the family. We were fortunate to run into Oceanaire’s nephew, Tommy (the best guide at Stuart Island!) and saw his fabulous photographs of the 72 lb. spring salmon he caught last September (A record weight fish). We had a nice relaxing night watching a most beautiful sunset and slept to the sound of the roar of the rapids.
George has been on lockdown tonight as we are planning to catch the early.
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