Running the Rapids - May 4

Refuge Cove

Woke this morning to overcast skies and light rain.  According to the sign, Refuge Cove is home to 18 families who created a co-op several decades ago.  This morning we see smoke rising from the stack of the houseboat across the way and lights in a house on the hill.  Beyond that, the place appears deserted and forgotten by time.  But, it is still the first week of May and also according to the sign, the season doesn’t open until the end of May when the liquor store, café and art gallery all open.  After the last few months, I find the quiet appealing.  It feels good to have space and time to reflect without the business of life and the blare of the news.

The strong wind warning for Johnstone Strait causes us to opt for taking the back route and running the rapdis.  We check tide and current tables for today, do some math and note that the TTE (Turn to Ebb) tide occurs at 12:39 at Dent Rapids.  This means we will fight the flood current up Lewis and Calm Channels but that the ebb current will carry us through Yuculta, Gilliard, Dent, Green Pointe and Whirlpool Rapids.  Our destination tonight is Forward Harbor.

We depart from the dock a few minutes before 8 and first head across Lewis Channel to return to Squirrel Cove where we have stayed in years past.  We drive past the dock where two years ago while Barrie was attempting to dock, he suddenly found the Morse Controls (gearshift and speed) in his hand instead of attached to the helm.  Somehow he was able to steer us away from the dock and we were able to find a spot nearby and drop and anchor.  A few tightened bolts and we were back in business.  No issues of that sort this year!

Green Point Rapids -- fast for a 7 knot boat

It takes us most of 3 hours to reach the top of Yuculta Rapids and we mill about until noon with several other boats.  We are all waiting for slack tide.  The sailboat heads out first, Chug follows and behind us are two larger pleasure craft.  At slack water, you wouldn’t know there are rapids on this route but the same could be said of the waters at Deception Pass.  All is calm as we work our way through the narrow channels.  We arrive at Forward Harbor just before 4 and join “Yachette” in Douglas Bay.  We drop the anchor at low tide in 35 feet of water.  The sun is shining – I take it as an opportunity to put my kayak in the water and paddle to the nearby waterfalls – Barrie takes it as an opportunity to work on boat projects.  Dinner is stir fry over rice.  We both settle in with our books.  I read page after page without interruption and smile at being able to do so.