Large Tides June 24

Strait of Georgia - Perfect Day

After a lovely dinner at Blind Channel Resort, we depart from the dock and move across the channel to Charles Cove to anchor for the night.  The current is so swift in Blind Channel that the middle of the channel appears to have rapids.  Fortunately for us, there is a back eddy by the resort which makes it possible to get the boat off the dock without great peril.  The cove across the channel is also out of the current. 

After a great deal of calculations, we determine that our morning departure will be 8 am.  We need to be at Seymour Narrows at noon.  First we ride the ebb out of Blind Channel and are quickly up to 10 knots (remember this is a 7 knot boat!).  We turn the corner into the east end of Johnstone Strait and find ourselves against a stronger ebb than we had planned.  Barrie revs up the engine and the best we can do is 3.5 knots.  As the ebb abates, our speed increased but we are working against the clock.  Today the current at Seymour Narrows will reach a maximum of 15.7 knots and the safe window of transiting at slack in just 15 minutes on each side.  We have 15 miles to travel up Johnstone before we reach the Narrows.  We are watching the clock and pushing the engine to arrive on time.  If we miss the window, we must wait 6 hours for the next opportunity.

We arrive just west of the narrows with just minutes to spare.  But now, we are boxed in by tug traffic moving in both directions.  We finally decide to tuck in behind a tug towing a load of wood chips.  The challenge is that he is waiting for the tug to come through before he starts his transit.  So, we sit and wait.  Finally, we start the short trip through the Narrows and pass without incident.

For the next several hours, we are riding the Flood tide on a perfectly calm Strait of Georgia.  We agree to aim for Comox.  Just north of Comox, the direction of the flood changes from North to South, so for the last few miles we are once again fighting the current.

We try hailing the Comox Harbor Master but get no response.  We poke our nose into the harbor and find a spot at the dock.  A lovely older wooden boat from Seattle is moored across the dock.  They help with the lines and tell us about the shrimp boat that is due into the harbor at 6.  This is news to us, but it is a well-known secret in the harbor.  By the time I head to the end of the dock, there is a large line waiting to buy prawns at $7/lb.  By the time I reach the front of the line, Ocean Rancher has run out of prawns.  The owner offers me smaller fresh shrimp ($1/lb) and I buy 5 pounds.   

Sunset at Henry Bay

We decide the dock is too busy and too hot.  So, after cooking the shrimp, we untie our lines and move 5 miles away to Henry Cove.  From here we enjoy the solitude, watch a stunning sunset and dine on fresh shrimp.  Life is good.