Today our itinerary plans were from Matheson to Rose Inlet near the southernmost tip of Moresby Island. Dolomite Narrows passes inside Burnaby Island but it is too narrow and not well charted for our boats, so it requires that we travel on the outside for most of the journey. We departed glassy calm Matheson Inlet under light winds and a favorable forecast.

As we departed the inlet, we could feel the gentle ocean swell. Shortly after departing, we noticed an eagle perched on a small island with dramatic vertical basalt columns topped by a few wind-swept bushes. The waves were building a bit when we noticed three or four orcas off Huxley Island. We watched them as we passed by approaching Burnaby Island. The seas built along the point of Burnaby  Island so Chris decided shorten the journey and take refuge in nearby Poole Inlet. It wasn’t long before we were again anchored in a flat calm inlet with no hint of any wind.

Poole Inlet was a beautiful bay with excellent kayaking around smooth rocks and submerged meadows of pickle weed. Deer grazed on the shore and were unfazed and even approached Jane as she moved in closer for a photo. Black oyster catchers with their long, bright orange-red bills blended in so perfectly with the black rocks as we kayaked right past them without noticing them until they called out their characteristic piping whistles. Along the shoreline were towering old trees with moss-draped branches. Two eagles perched nearby their massive nest to keep an eye on their offspring.

That afternoon, the crew on Deception invited the fleet over for some refreshments and socializing. Captain Chris made an announcement that the forecasts for the foreseeable few days were not conducive to traveling any further south in Gwaii Haanas. High winds and a high-pressure system had moved in, and conditions would not allow a safe passage across Hecate Strait in three days as planned. Instead, we would travel north to Queen Charlotte City and await better conditions to cross in a few days.

The fleet was all in agreement with the revised itinerary and keen to explore some other areas that we had not visited. Chris spent the evening designing a new Itinerary that he will distribute tomorrow morning before we depart Poole Inlet.