Day 33 Ucluelet Public Dock (Found out the nickname for Ucluelet is Ukey and the boats that take the sports fishermen are called Ukey Pukeys.) Dave picked up a new motor for our refrigeration cooling system. No crab in the trap -- left Ucluelet around noon with sunny skies. There is a pow-wow or music festival going on – on an Indian Reservation – for the next 2 days, we could just hear the bass of the music coming across the water to our anchorages.
We stern-tied up at the Stopper Islands and hiked across an island to the beach -- and got 7 crab in our trap (and another 7 the next am). Beautiful quiet nook in Barclay Sound.
Day 34 As we toured around the islands, met up with Yola – the last we saw of them as they were heading home. Dropped our anchor at Brabant Island and had a crabby lunch – every long sandy beach has kayakers – a few of the sites supply fresh water. We’re now in the Broken Island Group – many sheltered places to anchor – could spend many days just putting around.
Anchored in Joe’s Bay, Turtle Island with other vessels in this large bay. Dave and I dinghied around the Island and beachcombed a little. The guys watched “Firewall” with Harrison Ford -- MaryLou and I found it too scary (you understand, don’t you, Carol?) and buried ourselves in our books. But I had to know the ending – of course, they survived!
Day 35 Effingham Bay Anchored in cove at end of bay and did a 20 minute gorgeous hike through forest to beach. MaryLou’s nemesis (snakes) were there in great number and also great size! We met couple in Sea Reach and visited with them in their 44’ Spencer sailboat. They were doing all their sailing by dead reckoning – no electronic charts – were doing pretty good as they maneuvered through dense fog in Barclay Sound and didn’t hit any rocks! Came back from hike to find our boat stranded on the rocks – we knew the tide was going down but that much??
Day 36 Arrived in Bamfield and fueled up then tied up at public dock. “Sea Reach” also joined us. West Bamfield has a ˝ mile boardwalk along the waterfront – the idea of the mayor when the town received a big shipment of lumber by mistake. It’s great! Picked up expresso icecream cones and then hiked about a mile by road to Brady Beach (on the ocean side) -- very picturesque with jagged huge rocks and a sandy beach. A neat idea – Bamfield has 4 pathways -- Penny Lane (covered with pennies), Key West (covered with keys), Button Alley (strewn with buttons) and Mussel Bench (surrounded with mussel shells). Later we visited with Sea Reach and planned the next day’s trip to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Day 37 The big day – we’re going to head out and depart at 4:40 am to catch the lightest winds. Headed back when we listened again to the weather – gale warnings and already we were in rough seas just at Cape Beale. So headed back to good old Bamfield – arrived at Grappler Inlet at 7 am but didn’t like the anchorage so tied up at public dock (this time on East side of Bamfield). There’s also a grocery store/café/complex on this side of town. We heard about a one hour hike to Pachena Bay (ocean side) along a paved road to the campground – on an Indian Reservation. Norm, MaryLou and Marg bravely headed out while Dave did a few boat projects -- re-routed the water line from the watermaker so it wouldn’t get airlocks – then he wondered why he hadn’t installed it that way in the first place.
Our hike turned out to be quite arduous but about 2/3 of the way, a car picked us up and drove us right to the campground. The bay is wide with sandy beaches -- driftwood on the edges. The diurnal winds were in full swing when we got there – would have been great for kites. This is a very popular campground and reservations are required. We putted around for an hour or so and then started back through the campground and alongside the native village. . The campground hosts the headquarters for the Westcoast Trail – (6000 – 8000 people a year do this hike – reservations are required for the hike also.)
We walked about 30 minutes when a car stopped for us! Believe me, we were grateful to be sitting among the empty beer cans in the back seat! We even got to the store before it closed to pick up a frozen pizza for a supper treat and to go home and let Norm rest his tired feet!
Day 38 Early start for the Juan de Fuca Strait (again!) Perfect weather and everything was going along blissfully until our engine died at 7:30. The swells were long and gentle and we watched wistfully as the other 4 sailboats passed us - about 30 min. apart. Sestina and Sea Breeze both were aware of our plight and offered to help but we knew that there were lots of fishing boats not too far away if we had major problems. The engine had stopped suddenly so it was quickly decided that we had a fuel problem. Norm remembered that when we filled up with fuel, the attendant (owner?) had mentioned that he had just had his tanks filled up. Bad fuel!!!
We tried to keep the boat heading away from shore – we weren’t that close but the current was slowly pulling us to shore – Norm spent about 2 hours faithfully tending the sails to catch the breezes. Dave went below and switched to our alternate small filter – this worked okay for maybe 30 minutes and then ….dead in the water. So back to the dungeon, Dave’s trying to remove the fuel filter. He spent over an hour trying to remove the filter – hammered a screwdriver through it to use as a lever – finally, it came loose and he put on the spare filter. (Dean, the one you gave him). Then, he came up, green around the gills and was out of commission for 30 minutes while he was hoping the fuel would be supplied by gravity to the new filter. We tried to start the engine to fill up the new filter but only air went in and killed the engine. After he bled the lines, still green around the gills, we finally had engine power. While it was being bled, he turned off the cooling water. The sound of the motor and the black smoke reminded him that he had forgot to turn the water on again! No harm done. Finally, underway, we passed Cape Beale for the 5th time! MaryLou also had her first bout of nausea on that trip – between the swells and the diesel smell – as she had stayed below to use her computer. Marg, by the way, even though up and down, was perfectly fine, thank you. But, she had taken gravol!!
Well, anyone listening to their VHF could know that the fuel was bad at a Bamfield fuel dock, by the time we finished discussing our problems with the other sailboats. The wharfinger at our dock, where we returned for the 2nd night, said he would never buy fuel at that particular place! Mike, on Sestina, said he always filters his fuel (he actually carries jerry cans and filters into them himself.) Mike and June have been sailing for 50 some years or more, all around the world, so would have had many experiences. Experience is the best teacher!
Dave felt a little under the weather the rest of the afternoon – we walked up to the local marine store and found they don’t have many supplies for diesel engines and most of the boats here use gas. The owner arranged to have a local fellow pick us up some filters in Port Alberni – also we requested a filter wrench. The parts may arrive by 9 pm and, if no later, the owner will deliver them to our boat. But, here is a moment of serendipity……. There are 2 Hunters docked with us - and they had bought a case of filters and split them between the boats. They didn’t work for one of the boats, so they had half a case to spare! Dave ended up buying 5 for $100 (we have no idea what they are worth and neither did they although they thought maybe $25/ea.) What are the odds?? Maybe MaryLou prayed??
As the marine store owner had gone to such efforts for us, we’re still waiting to see if that order comes tonight and we’ll also buy them! The school here has internet for the public from 12 – 7 (Wed – Sun) but closed today (Wed) at 5 so Dave & I missed it. At least Norm & MaryLou finally got their e-mails off.
Day 39 5 am Underway again – Third times a charm? Good sailing weather for the next couple of days. Didn’t get our filters from the marine store – so we’ll have to sort that out when we get home – left him a note squeezed through the store door. Sunny morning as we pass Cape Beale the 6th time! At noon the boat died – Dave switched over to his small filter and replaced (with difficulty – still had to stab filter with a screwdriver to get it out) Note to self: buy filter wrench (none in Bamfield store). Had a 13 ˝ hour day and anchored in Becher Bay. Didn’t enter so gracefully as we circled around crab pots at our anchorage with the hooks out to try to pick up Norm’s cap – success!! Gave a little entertainment to the 2 other boats at anchor. The trip through the Juan de Fuca Strait this far was perfect – Orca whales were fishing around us for a couple of hours (7 smaller ones and 2 big daddies. All in all, a mighty fine day.
Day 40 9 am Started off in heavy fog and messy seas – couldn’t really see much of Race Rocks – winds about 20 k. Then the fog lifted and sun came out – seas still a bit rough and we didn’t envy the natives in long boats (must have been a gathering or celebration – we think they may have been from the US side – some boats were all women ) They had power boats checking with them and trading paddlers. About 11 am we entered Victoria Harbour – absolutely stunning views from the water – this is definitely a do-again spot. Sort of got on the wrong side of the channel coming out (me a little worried about our “stop and go” situation) and a friendly, official Harbour Patrol was soon escorting us the correct way. (You enter and leave on the east side of the harbour hugging 6 yellow markers.) We entered okay but going out, Dave tried to follow a water taxi – wrong!
1 pm – boat died again – right at a bad spot – currents, rocks, shoals and going through Enterprise Channel at Trial Islands. Dave went below and switched back to the small filter. Soon the boat was acting up again and we limped (sometimes stopping and re-starting) into Oak Bay area. Dave left me at the wheel and said just head for the red marker – well, I thought he meant the red marker heading into a marina – couldn’t figure out for the life of me why he wanted to go there. Finally (we’re sailing, barely now in about 3-4 k of wind) he appeared in the companionway and I asked him to check things out. Found out which red marker he had meant – one into a clear open bay area!! That was tense for me – but we got turned around and headed the right way. 3 pm filter quit again – and we limped into anchorage at Sidney Spit. Dave had kept us putting along by tapping the secondary filter (not replaceable until we get parts, etc.) Amazingly, he was non-plussed through this. We went ashore in the dinghy and found out that it wasn’t the spot where you can hike around the spit – so the 4 of us got back in the dinghy and 2 guys “lifted” us into the water (no one had water shoes on) with some effort. They both looked quite strong – so we let them!!
Dave stayed in the boat fixing things while we did the shore/spit walk – the east side of the spit was very dry – could tell they hadn’t had rain for a long time. Hundred of deer inhabit the area so MaryLou got to get a picture. The west side of the spit was more lush with grasses.
Day 41 (Sat) Couldn’t get parts in Sidney (until Monday) so we decided to carry on to our new moorage spot in Ladysmith. Dave called ahead and explained we would eventually get there - Rob had a place for us – now our permanent spot until next March. (We still want to get into a place in Nanaimo but no spots available as yet). Underway at 9:30 and traveled at about 1200 rpms all the way (normally travel at 2800 rpms) so the filter (s) wouldn’t plug up. Every once and a while, it would stop and Dave would go below and tap the filters to dislodge the dirt. In spite of this nuisance, the voyage was scenic, calm and warm – a different feeling from the more rustic west coast. We were welcomed home with the first bit of rain in over a month. Just before we pulled into our spot, with Rob in sight, it died again – but restarted and …. Phewwwww…… we’ve made it!
Norm & MaryLou ‘s son Ron picked them up that afternoon with his pick-up – to carry home MaryLou’s many bags of driftwood and beach treasures!! The next afternoon, Pat & Jim delivered our vehicle so we’re landlubbers once again!
What a wonderful trip – next time we think we’ll go up from the bottom and re-visit Barclay, Clayoquot and Kyuquot Sounds -- exploring more of the islands and inlets.
Later……As we leave you (now Tuesday), we’re heading to Ladysmith with Carl & Marina. The guys are going to pump out the remaining 50-60 litres of dirty fuel and we’re going to clean it up in our garage in Nanaimo. New secondary filter is on order – filter wrench has been purchased – boat is cleaned from stem to stern and we’re soon ready to do some shorter ventures!