Position Report and Sail Plan

We are continuing “off the grid,” and going further away from civilization. Today, we anchored in Barnard Harbour after an uneventful trip from Bishop Bay. No whales in Whale Passage, unfortunately, but two frolicking humpbacks greeted us with spouts and arching dorsal fins as we left Bishop Bay.

The North Pacific High (at least the northern part of it) is getting quite unstable. As a result, our wonderful summer weather turned distinctly autumnal, with a handful of squalls splashing us as we traveled. Tomorrow, I’m expecting a fairly continual drizzle as we travel. I’m watching for the North Pacific High to re-establish itself, but I’m beginning to bet that we will be going inside of Vancouver Island rather than the outside. Can you imagine our hard luck at having to spend more time in the Broughtons and Desolation Sound? Oh well.

Tomorrow we head down to Hague Cove in the Kitasoo Spirit Bear Conservancy. We may end up spending a couple of days there, depending on how this little storm shapes up. There are supposed to be two great salmon streams into the cove, and with luck, we’ll see some spirit bears (a white black bear with a double recessive genes for fur color). After that, it will be a trip through Meyers Passage to the First Nations village of Klemtu (where we may pick up a cell signal), and then across Seaforth Channel for another fjord exploration. We’ll then stop in Bella Bella/Shearwater for some diesel, clean clothes, and provisions.

Then it’s south, and we’ll find out whether we go straight (outside of Vancouver Island) or turn left (into the Broughton Archipeligo). Stay tuned!