Cruising up Lewis Channel in Desolation Sound a couple of years ago. Thought we might be out in the wonderful B.C. cruising waters this summer, but fate seems to have other plans.
Well, we thought we might be able to do some cruising this summer while we were staying on our boat during the time our house was on the market. Seemed like a good strategy to get out of the house so it would stay cleaned up and show better. But sometimes things don’t work out the way we plan.
In 2007, we had sunny skies and calm water as we headed from Desolation Sound toward Yuculta Rapids. This view always inspires us, as the Rapids mark the northern boundary of Desolation Sound and are the entry to North of Desolation Sound where the cruising becomes more remote—with magnificent scenery, more wildlife, colder and harsher weather, fewer services, and fewer cruising boats. It always represents adventure.
In June, we shot another short video during our morning cruise from Squirrel Cove, Cortes Island, to Dent Island Lodge. It was such a gorgeous morning and I was trying out a new camera, a Canon PowerShot N. It’s a cute little point-and-shoot with excellent optics and a generous zoom, and its small size makes it easy to have on hand for quick photos. Also, it is WiFi enabled, so it is easy to transfer photos from the camera to my iPhone so that I can email photos if I want. It uses a micro SD memory card, and it is easy to move photos from the camera to my computer from the SD card. I took many of the photos on our June-July cruise with the “N” to see how it works and also because I liked the results.
When we entered Desolation Sound in 2004, we had this spectacular view of the B. C. mainland mountains that lie behind the waters of Desolation Sound. Sarah Point is on the right.
Getting to Desolation Sound is always a “feel-good” event for us. We’ve cruised in and through Desolation Sound numerous times since our first cruise there in 1980. Each time, we look forward to the spectacular views of snow-capped mountains as we enter the waters there.
We left Desolation Sound behind under the clouds and headed south on a very calm Georgia Strait. You can still see the raindrops on our cabin sides, left over from last night’s persistent rain.
This morning’s marine weather forecast for Georgia Strait was “wind light.” That’s all. There was no mention of wind direction or velocity. We can’t remember ever hearing such a short forecast. It was cloudy with fog in places and Phoenix was still soaked from last night’s rain. But it was calm in Refuge Cove and the rain had stopped, so we decided it was time to head south.
The fog had cleared by the time we left Prideaux Haven. This was our view as we approached the entrance on our way out of the anchorage. The clouds had lifted a bit, and even though it was still cloudy, we could see some of the mountain tops.
Refuge Cove, on West Redonda Island, is a main supply point for boats traveling in Desolation Sound. The facility includes a fuel dock and a store with basic supplies, a small selection of fresh vegetables, dairy items, frozen foods, a full liquor store, a post office, and a small café/gift shop. Their moorage includes power and WiFi, so we decided to head over there.
When I was out in the kayak paddling around the Prideaux Haven anchorage, I saw this sailboat which was anchored with the best views of the nearby mountains. This is one of the prettiest anchorages we know. It’s even gorgeous with the heavy cloud cover.
We ended up staying two more days in Prideaux Haven, one of the premier anchorages in Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park. The unsettled weather persisted, including strong southeast winds in the straits. However, it was calm in the anchorage and was a good place to stay until we had better traveling weather. Our day started out cloudy and dry, but the rain set in by mid-morning and turned into a downpour for the rest of the day…and night…and next day…and night… You get the picture.
Cruising With Phoenix 