Butedale Rennovation

We are up with the sun.  Yes, for a few moments as we raise the anchor, the sun comes out.  By the time we are underway the fog can descended and visibility is just a few feet.  We are glad to both send/receive AIS.  Our experience on this trip is that only about 1/3 or less of the boats in these waters transmit AIS.  We expect that a great many more receive it. 

We are in the channel and know there is a tugboat nearby – just off our port side.  Our AIS tells us he is just a quarter mile from our boat.  He is easy to spot on radar and his tow is even easier to see.  We pass in the fog without ever actually seeing the tug.  We spend the morning glued to the radar to avoid the possibility of collision at sea!  Fortunately there is enough visibility at sea level to spot logs and other debris. 

The winds are expected to increase by late morning but it never happens.  The fog finally lifts and we continue our transit through Grenville, across Wright Sound (skipping Whale Channel) and into the Fraiser Reach. 

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At the bottom of the Fraiser Reach we arrive at Butedale.  Between the 1920s and the 1980s, Butedale was an huge cannery operation with five separate bunk houses (one for Chinese, one for Japanese, two for First Nations and one for the “white” folk), a big ice house, a warehouse and so much more.  Over the last 30 years, is has fallen into disrepair.  The property was purchased in 2012 and the new owner has big plans to turn it into a resort.  The first sign of change is a new ramp to the dock.

BC Archives

We tie up here for the night.  Caretaker Cory has lived here for 4+ years leaving just once.  He relies on a supply boat to provide him with provisions and fuel.  There is plenty of water in Butedale.  Cory shares with us the history of Butedale and how he came to be living there.  We share a few gallons of non-ethanol gasoline to tide him over until supplies are due to arrive.  We walk the muddy trail up 300 feet to the lake and then along the shore to the old cannery buildings.  The new owners have recently updated their permits and have BIG plans to turn Butedale into a destination.  It will be interesting to watch and see how things progress.  They have a huge project ahead.

Butedale with new ramp 2017