October 4 - Port McNeil to Lagoon Cove 

We are off! How exciting to begin the first day of our Desolation Sound 2008 guided flotilla. Our participants this year come to us from Pebble Beach, California, Irvine, CA and as far away as Germany. We are happy to have them all with us!

Port McNeil treated us very well! We all loaded our boat with provisions, had a very nice orientation dinner at the Sportsman’s and were very happy with the hospitality afforded us at the Port in McNeil. As nice as our stay there was, we were all ready to leave the docks on Saturday morning.

We headed straight for Alert Bay to get a good view of the tall totem pole, the U’mista Cultural Center and the cemetery filled with totem poles. It was a nice tour from the water as the weather was not favorable for actually stopping in. Lagoon Cove was our final destination and the weather forecast called for the winds to pickup considerably by the afternoon. So on we pressed!

When we passed Telegraph Cove, we noticed the whale watch boat the Lukwa coming out of port. It was very tempting to join in on their search for whales, but again, we needed to beat the winds to Lagoon Cove. And that we did! Bob and Pat, the winter caretakers at Lagoon Cove greeted us and had us all tucked in before lunchtime! And as the winds picked up not long after that, we were grateful to be in.

Our German guests off of Sea Fox joined in on the naturalist hike out to the Blow Hole. Along the way we stopped top chat about salal berries, frog’s pelt lichen and Western red cedar trees.

It was a wonderful first day out with many bird sightings and all participants getting used to their new home away from home!

The Blow Hole

Lagoon Cove

October 5 – Lagoon Cove to Blind Channel 

We left Lagoon Cove at 8 a.m. this morning not knowing where we would next be spending the night. The weather forecast was calling for some strong winds over the next couple of days, so we wanted to get as far along as possible in case we needed to spend an extra day somewhere due to weather. But who knew what Johnstone Strait had in mind for us today. That would be the determining factor.

As we made our way towards Johnstone Strait through the Blow Hole, we all were getting a great look at the shoreline as it was very close on either side. Ray on Sea Fox spotted our first two black bear of the trip! They were along the shoreline foraging; presumably searching out the last bit of food in preparation for the oncoming winter. Further along down the way we spotted yet another black bear also turning over rocks along the beach in search of food.

We made our way to Johnstone Strait and found nothing but calm seas. As we neared our destination at Port Neville we decided that the seas were too calm to stop and the wind had not come up yet, so on we pressed towards Blind Channel instead.

With Johnstone Strait behind us, we knew our chances for seeing Orca had decreased dramatically and we were all a bit disappointed. The bald eagles, harbor seals, and especially the Leach’s storm petrel were definite consolations. And, as we did some exploring waiting for slack tide in Whirlpool Rapids, Ray spotted yet another black bear for us! The entire fleet approached the shore to get a closer look. We stayed with the bear for a good half hour and watched it as it turned over rocks and sniffed along the shoreline.

Thanks to the careful planning of our flotilla leader, the rapids were calm and uneventful. We made our way into Blind Channel Resort and were all happy to be once again snuggled in for the night.

Black bear in Topaze Harbour

At the dock in Blind Channel

October 6 – Blind Channel 

Well, more reports of strong winds coming our way. The forecast is for 40-50 knot winds tonight and less strong by early afternoon. So what better day than today to stay snuggled up to a dock? We decided that a lay day in Blind Channel would not be such a bad thing!

By 10 am we were off for a walk in the woods. We walked the beautiful trail to the 800 year old Western red cedar. What an impressive site! Along the way we ate red huckleberries and were fortunate enough to hear Jordan’s lichen lecture.

Back at the boats it was a nice afternoon for naps, reading and catching up on e-mails with Blind Channel’s Wi-Fi connection. At 5:00 pm the fleet reconvened for a cocktail chat on Orcas. Many good questions and great conversation ensued! Then it was time to try out Robert’s famous chili for dinner. Sea Fox brought the salad, Deception provided cornbread and a great feast took place!

Then it was off to bed for all. I’m not sure many slept all through the night as the expected winds arrived. I am sure that everyone was happy to be tied to a dock when we felt the gusts pick up!

Lichen lecture

October 7 – Blind Channel to Squirrel Cove 

Morning arrived in Blind Channel bringing the opportunity to assess the damage of the last night’s winds. One jackstaff missing from Grand Adventure, one barbecue cover from Deception and one wayward set of dock steps! Not bad for a night where the winds were supposed to reach up to 50 knots. Thankfully the steps had not gone too far and the jackstaff was spotted on the beach; not too sure about that barbecue cover though!

Regrettably, it was time to say good-bye to both Blind Channel and Sally & Dean who were headed back to California. Their crew aboard Sea Spree would surely miss them as would the rest of the fleet. Thank you for your smile and those tasty brownies, Sally. It was a pleasure meeting you both!

The flotilla was back on the water again and enjoying a gorgeous morning. Cordero Channel was filled with a flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls and as we neared Nodales Channel we could see Dall’s porpoise gently rolling along at the water’s surface. Not for long, though. As we approached, they changed direction and began rooster tailing directly at us! They came and checked out the bow waves on Deception for a short minute before checking out what the rest of the fleet had to offer. I don’t think our speed was quite fast enough for them, as they returned to their previous activities after only a short time. As we explored Nodales channel a bit, we continued to see them in all directions.

We were taking our time this morning due to the fact that we needed to time our arrival at not one but three sets of rapids. Once again, the careful planning of our flotilla leader left it up to our imagination as to why Dent and Yuculta rapids have earned such a reputation for being so dangerous. No doubt with a name like Devil’s hole being given to a spot in Dent Rapids, we do not want to know what it’s like to transit these areas at any other time than slack water.

On Gillard Islands we were treated to a Stellar Sea Lion haulout sighting. Thanks to Ray for spotting them for us! There were approximately 17 males hauled out. It was easy to see how these animals earned their names viewing them at this distance. One of the individuals had a great looking mane!

We reached Squirrel Cove and had almost the entire place to ourselves! Much different than what this place would look like in the summer time. Folks immediately put their dinghies in the water for a chance to shop at the Squirrel Cove General Store!

A peaceful night was spent by all on anchor in serene Squirrel Cove, our first anchorage of the trip.

Squirrel Cove General Store

Dinghy tour

October 8 – Squirrel Cove to Prideaux Haven 

Today we only had 11 nautical miles to travel to get to Prideaux Haven, so we decided to take advantage of the beautiful morning in Squirrel Cove before raising anchor. Some of us spent the morning hiking and exploring the trail over to Von Donop while others enjoyed a relaxing morning on their boats.

With the sun shining and the snow dusted peaks visible, it was a beautiful ride over to Prideaux Haven. It was not hard to imagine why this is one of the most visited places in Desolation Sound. For us, however, at this time of year, we had the place to ourselves. Every one anchored on their own, with Sea Fox heading down into Melanie Cove for an added bit of seclusion. They did have a couple of other boats join them later in the day, but before that they were joined by a group of harbor seals cooperatively feeding on a school of small baitfish. It sounded like it was an amazing site!

Deception had the fleet over for appetizers and a cocktail chat on George Vancouver given by our flotilla leader and resident historian. After learning about George’s explorations in this area in 1792, we feasted upon grilled salmon! The fleet shared yet another enjoyable evening together at anchor in Prideaux Haven.

Peace in Prideaux

Beryl & Edelgard

October 9 – Prideaux Haven to Grace Harbor 

It was to be another LONG day ahead of us as we had a whole 12 miles to travel today. The fleet was getting spoiled by late departures and very short runs! The good news is that with such short travel days, we had plenty of time to explore upon arrival. While some explored on their own and others relaxed on the boat, others of us gathered to head to shore for a hike to a nearby lake. Upon arriving to shore by dinghy, we discovered a Pacific crab apple, the only apple tree native to British Columbia. Apparently someone else had already discovered it, judging by the numerous large piles of bear scat surrounding the tree!

We continued along the trail to the lake and were glad to be wearing our rubber boots as many pools of water had formed along the path due to the recent rains. Nevertheless, we made it to our destination! The lake was beautiful, calm and serene. We stopped for a few moments to take in the scenery and scan the area for wildlife. Before setting off on our journey back, we decided to take a brownie break. Emmelina, the ever prepared naturalist, had packed in a Tupperware full of brownie treats!

John, who had been to Grace Harbor numerous times, took us to see the beaver dam on the other side of the lake before walking back to the dinghies. And a good thing he did since that was where we located one of Jordan’s favorite lichens, Lipstick cladonia! This small club-shaped lichen is greyish pale green in color with characteristic bright red apothecia, the reproductive structure of the lichen.

Back on the boats it was another relaxing and quiet fall evening. Deception was happy to have Grand Adventure over for some spicy Thai food and great conversation!

Eating brownies on the trail

All made it to shore

October 10 – Grace Harbor to Egmont 

Well it was time to get back to business! Today we would have a full day traveling 50 miles. But at the end waiting for us was the infamous Skookumchuck burger at the Back Eddy Pub in Egmont. That was enough to motivate us to leave Grace Harbor at 8:00 a.m. And what a beautiful morning we had to welcome us. I suppose I should stay that we actually started out in very thick fog. Fortunately, we quickly reached a clearing and were greeted with magnificent views of the mountains with lower lying stretches of fog that only added to the beauty of the morning.

As we cruised along in the glorious sunshine, we spotted a harbor seal surrounded by gulls. We deduced that the seal no doubt had some food and that the gulls were waiting for leftovers. Sure enough, as we got closer, we spied the unmistakable pink flesh of salmon. The seal surfaced again with its catch just in time for Sea Fox to snap a photo of it! Throughout the day we would see several more harbor seals engaged in salmon feeding with gulls hovering close by. Another pinniped (seals and sea lions) sighting included a very nice Stellar sea lion haul out. The old bulls and young males were spread out along the low lying rocks and grunted and growled as we cruised by.

As we made our turn into Jervis Inlet, we continued to see sea lions splashing in the water. With the sun shining down upon us, many took the opportunity to navigate from the fly bridge. It was only a short while before we reached Egmont. The currents at the dock made for a challenging approach. All the skippers handled their vessels nicely and made it in with no problems!

At last it was time to head up to the Back Eddy pub for dinner. Only one amongst the group was brave enough to order the Skookumchuck burger. I regret to say that even after sharing it, the burger was not fully consumed. We’ll try again next time!

Beuatiful morning	Stellar sea lions	Skookumchuck burger

October 11 – Egmont to Princess Louisa 

Thanks to the current at Malibu Rapids at the entrance to Princess Louisa, we were able to have a late departure of 11:15 a.m. Sea Fox took advantage of the nice roads by going on a morning jog and Emmelina went on a hike to see the Skookumchuck rapids roaring at low tide. Others had a relaxing morning and a nice leisurely breakfast aboard. It was another nice day as far as the weather for whatever manner folks chose to spend their time.

Once underway we were treated to the amazing vistas that Prince of Wales Reach has to offer. After we had been cruising for awhile, Deception spotted a heli-logging operation harvesting what appeared to be cedar blocks. It was quite entertaining and remarkable to witness the operation. Some of the cedar blocks came loose and hit the water while the helicopter was transporting them to the raft on shore. The splash from the wood hitting the water was enormous and was a good reminder of why it’s a good idea to stay well clear of such operations.

As we neared Malibu Rapids a bit ahead of schedule, we were able to see that there were still some standing waves. Rather than try to maneuver our boats through in those conditions, we decided to take advantage of the extra time and cruise close to shore to get a better look at the Young Life Malibu Club at the head of the rapids. After a little bit of sightseeing, including spotting Red throated loons to add to our species list, the rapids themselves were a little anticlimactic… fortunately! We had smooth waters and clear sailing all the way through thanks to the careful planning of our flotilla leader.

The rest of the cruise to the dock at the head of the inlet was breathtaking! To describe the waterfalls, cliff faces and vistas in words would not do the inlet justice. It is a little piece of true wilderness. Chatterbox Falls was a welcome sight as we rounded the corner to what would be our home away from home for the next couple of nights. Everyone was happy to have arrived and spent a joyous evening dining together with a pasta dinner provided by Sea Fox accompanied by Cuban pork from Deception!

Prince of Wales Reach	Waitng for slack tide	Malibu Club

October 12 – Princess Louisa 

Today was our first lay day since Blind Channel on the third day of our journey. It was a welcomed treat to be able to stay in one place and explore for the day. Thankfully the weather cooperated with us as well and we had clear blue skies with which to enjoy all that Princess Louisa Inlet had to offer. Some folks decided to venture off to the Trapper’s Cabin. The sign at the trail head warns to be sure to allow two and a half hours to hike this difficult trail. So off our hikers went with lunch on hand to enjoy a day in the woods.

Grand Adventure and Sea Spree chose to explore Princess Louisa Inlet by water instead. Dinghies were lowered and participants were off exploring. It was fun to get up close and personal to some of the waterfalls! A mini cruise ship entered the inlet while we were off in our dinghies. Those of us in our tiny craft felt very small in comparison.

The dinghy crew decided to pull up to the dock at the Malibu Club to see if it would be possible to tour the facilities. We were pleasantly surprised to be greeted very hospitably by Tom and his family from Kansas who were there to construct a new building on the property. While some of us decided to head back to the boats for lunch, the folks from Sea Spree got an in depth tour of the property and very much enjoyed their time with Tom!

Back at the dock the hikers arrived a short while after the dinghy explorers. All in all it was a fun day of explorations had by all! We topped off the day with an evening campfire at McDonald lodge. It was our pleasure to introduce the custom of roasting marshmallows to our German friends!

Dinghy explorations	Cliffs and blue skies	Back from the hike!

October 13 – Princess Louisa to Buccaneer Bay 

As the flotilla awoke this morning, we were even more grateful for the amazing weather we had on our lay day, given that the rain had returned overnight. The rain was a blessing in disguise, however, seeing as the flow of the waterfalls in Princess Louisa had increased enormously. Chatterbox Falls in particular was raging! As we left the inlet it was impossible to count the number of waterfalls that were either not there or too small to be noticed the day before.

Malibu Rapids were again beautiful and uneventful. We bid farewell to the Malibu Club on the way out as well as to the two sentinel bald eagles looking down upon from their perch atop a tall tree. It seems as though that same pair was there last year as we exited the inlet. We’ll see if they’re there again next year! Not unlikely, as bald eagles do defend territories that they return to annually, if they even leave at all.

We covered another 50 miles on our way to Buccaneer Bay, so by the time we got into our anchorage, most folks stayed aboard to cook dinner and relax for the evening. The naturalists and Beryl, however, went ashore to the little beach there to try and find a couple of more birds to add to the trip’s species list. We were happy to see killdeers on the beach which we had not seen so far!

October 14 – Bucaneer Bay to Montague Harbor 

Well, unfortunately, no one was too sad to wave good-bye to Buccaneer Bay. The wind had come up in the night, as predicted, making the bay a very uncomfortable place to get any sleep. One of the boats drug anchor and therefore spent the rest of the night on high alert hoping to avoid anymore midnight anchor drills! The rest of the fleet was pretty sleepless as well given that the waves coming into the bay tossed the boats around quite a bit and slapped against the hulls noisily.

After having spent a night in those conditions, everyone was ready for a long nap, but looking out over the Strait of Georgia from our anchorage, we could see that this was an opportune time for making our crossing. We raised anchors and set off on our way to Montague Harbor. But not before admiring the Giant pink sea star that Grand Adventure pulled up on their anchor!

The conditions on the Strait of Georgia were just about as flat calm as you could ever expect. After our rough night, we were truly blessed with the conditions we experienced today.

Once back within the islands we saw some great harbor seals hauled out on rocks and many deer on shore. We had a smooth and calm sailing through Gabriola Pass and were to our destination of Montague Harbor by late afternoon. All the boats were tied up to their mooring buoys in no time thanks to the help of Deception’s dinghy. Captain Robert invited us all over for his famous and yummy spaghetti! After a lovely dinner, everyone turned in for some much needed sleep!

Captain Robert's sea star

Smooth crossing

October 15 – Montague Harbor to Roche Harbor 

It was an absolutely beautiful morning in Montague Harbor! The skies were crystal clear and the full moon was still in the sky. There was a definite chill to the morning air, but not enough to stop Sea Fox from taking advantage of the trails onshore for their morning jog. Deception and Beryl also went ashore for a more leisurely stroll to the beautiful white shell midden (native refuse heaps) beach. This beach dates native occupation back over 3000 years.

After our morning stroll it was time to cast away from our mooring bouys and head out for San Juan Island. We would be crossing back into US waters and would clear customs in Roche Harbor.

It was another beautiful day out on the water. We saw many harbor seals, Dall’s porpoise and glimpses of Harbor porpoise. It was almost a shame that we only had 20 short miles to travel. With the conditions the way they were, it would have been nice to have stayed out on the water much longer!

Everyone cleared customs and then got settled into their slips. Most people spent the afternoon shopping in Roche Harbor or visiting the nearby sculpture garden. McMillin’s Restaurant was a popular destination for dinner!

After dinner, all of the flotilla participants met on Deception for our final gathering. It was a bit sad to think that the following day would be our last day of cruising together. It was so nice to have met everyone! In honor of the time we had spent getting to know one another, Emmelina put together a DVD slide show of our adventures. It was fun to recap the highlights of the trip while at the same time dismaying to imagine that all of the images had been captured within the past two weeks. We had seen and done a lot together!

October 16 – Roche Harbor to Bellingham 

We had hoped to let everyone begin their last day of travel with a leisurely morning at the dock. But alas, the weather reports were calling for the winds to pick up in the afternoon. So we departed Roche Harbor by 8:00 a.m. to head home to Bellingham.

The seas were calm and the sky overcast as we pulled out into San Juan Channel. We cruised close to Spieden Island to see if we could catch a glimpse at the exotic wildlife that live there. Many sheep and deer were sighted.

As we approached the southeast tip of the island, we got a call from Sea Spree that the starboard engine temp was reading a bit high. Deception performed a rescue at sea by sending our first mate over to troubleshoot the problem. It appeared that it may have been a gauge problem, but nevertheless, Sea Spree now had a crew of three while Deception was down to two for our final trip into Bellingham.

It was great to be back on our hoe dock in Bellingham! The NW Explorations crew came down to welcome us all home and to meet the participants.

Thanks to the crew of Grand Adventure, Sea Spree and Sea Fox for helping to make this such a fun trip. It was great cruising with you all!

July 5 - Klag Bay to Sitka 
Our last full day of Leg 3 of Mother Goose 2009 began, as usual, at 8am. We pulled anchor and left Klag Bay behind us. Our destination for the day was Sitka. After weaving our way through the myriad of small islands at the mouth of Klag Bay, we once again headed out onto the Pacific Ocean. Fortunately, we were again lucky with the weather. The boats floated up and down on a gentle swell and there was barely a breath of wind. As we cruised along, the sun began to burn through the layer of high fog above us and blue sky began to show through.

Suddenly, off to our right, there were 3 jets of mist and a small group of humpback whales surfaced. One of them slapped the water with its pectoral fin, as if waving hello to us. Nearby, 2 Steller sea lions splashed around in the water, chasing fish. It was a good day to be cruising on the Pacific Ocean.

Eventually, we turned into the protected waters of Salisbury Sound and behind Kruzof Island. The last trace of the morning’s fog had burned off and the sky was crystal clear. We pulled into Sitka at around 2pm and fueled the boats before tying up.

In the evening, we gathered on Deception for our last supper together. Everyone brought the provisions they had left over and we shared one last feast before everyone departed the next morning. It was the end of another incredible leg of Mother Goose 2009.