Desolation Sound (2008)

Capital K (my first Windows Movie Maker attempts....)

Taas — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:51:00 GMT

We're in the middle of Autumn storms. Who remembers Daylight Saving Time? Most charter companies have their fleet on shore for maintenance. I could've choosen to do something useful, like enrol into a new navigation course. Instead I opened my laptop and discovered what Movie Maker can do for you.....

I'm afraid, I created a most dreadful piece of kitsch. Capital K!
But good fun to make!
Judge for your self..... ;-)

An old acquaintance.....

Taas — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:53:00 GMT

We're sailing from Flensburger Förde - in Germany - to the Baltic Sea. And a we're lucky... This season is usually dominated by frontal depressions and temperatures around 15°C; we are blessed with a 1036 mbar high pressure above north Denmark and temperatures around 20°C.

Not 10 minutes into our tour, we pass the Flensburger Schiffbau Gesellschaft. Obviously, they're building a new ferry, but on the yard they've got a smoke stack with a familiar logo....
BC Ferries!

From the guys that:
- put us across Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay (a beautiful crossing!)
- own the Queen of Burnaby that generously changed course just in time....
- employs the man, whose family we enjoyed beer and cigars with, on our last evening
- sank the Queen of the North in 2006 (and are now finalizing its replacement?)

BC's building a new boat, here in Germany, the Northern Expedition. Everything seems ready to launch its hull. A floating crane is stand-by, to place the two parts of the superstructure (deckhouse), from their pontoon, onto the hull.

We will miss the launch itself and only see the result of this week's events. After all we're not here for business. We're here to sail across the Baltic .....

“Flensburger” documented the launch of their “yard #748” on video:
http://www.fsg-ship.de/bcf748/5video/yard748_Videos/03/yard748_03_s.html

Allow me to introduce... "Sea-B-Que"

Taas — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:51:00 GMT

Arrived today, with TNT!

My first Sea-B-Que! A free standing, propane fired barbecue for on board. It's even better, if you mount it onto the railing, at the stern of your boat! The only barbecue that's fully resistant to - salt water - marine environment.

Personally I think, every charter company should have their fleet equiped with it! And every importer of yachts, should have it, in its options list!

Have the Sea-B-Que delivered to your home for € 299,--!
Leave a note in this post's comments, or send me a personal message.
Enjoy your meal.... ;-)

An experiment with Google Maps

Taas — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:01:00 GMT

All Desolation Sound pictures and our route in one Google Map....

For full size version, click here

Epilogue

Taas — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:44:00 GMT

Produce on Granville market

Three more days in Vancouver. A real epilogue that we spend strolling around the city's highlights (by then you've really seen them all!) and visiting the family.

Here's the Vancouver picture gallery.

By the way, this home page shows the newest posts only. All posts from Desolation Sound & Discovery Islands, are under this link: Desolation Sound

Boxed in...

Taas — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:29:00 GMT

Flying boxcar (Shorts SD3 60) from Comox (YQQ) to Vancouver (YVR)

Looking down on our cruising area

Only when the fat lady sings....

Taas — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:20:00 GMT

We're safely back on shore. Para Handy has been cleaned out and the last supplies have been donated to people who will leave in the morning.

We have a good beer with the crew from the Yemanja next to us, who returned from Tekaerne Arm that night (!). Tomorrow we'll leave for Vancouver and marvel at our first traffic light in two weeks....

For whom the bell tolls

Taas — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:18:00 GMT

Sturt Bay to Comox

In the morning it is obvious that we've returned to the developed world. Remember that we have seen our first car, in two weeks, yesterday on Texada Island. We see the departure of BC Ferries' North Island Princess, en route from Powell River to Blubber Bay on Texada Island. At the same time Queen of Burnaby arrives from Comox.

When we are between Rebecca Rock & Texada Island, the Queen of Burnaby leaves Powell River. The overtaking ferry's red & green remain visible until it's so close, that I almost raise it on VHF to ask them what their intentions are. At less than half a mile , it finally makes the minor course correction neccessary to overtake us on port....

I would not have hesitated to call Queen of Burnaby on VHF, if I had known the following story!

In the evening, our neighbour in Comox Harbour tells us about 'Queen of the North'. Now, if you overlook the granite Gil Island, would you notice plastic Para Handy? The whole story about the sinking of 'Queen of the North' (2006) is interesting reading. For the facts, begin with the BC Ferries' own Divisional Enquiry. For the juice, end with the rumour why 2nd & 4th officer refused to give a statement.

Leaving Rebecca Rock behind (and Queen of Burnaby on its way to Comox), the big search for Cape Lazo's East Cardinal begins. For us, this Cardinal marks the approach to Comox bar. It is one of those “will it sail or will it not?“ days. We keep working on both sails and engine, but still manage to maintain 4 knots with minimum hours on engine.

Red bell buoy P54, marking Comox Bar, literally & lazily rings out the end of this tour. Or should I say tolls? In an hour we'll put Para Handy back into its slip....

Georgia Strait's secret

Taas — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:28:00 GMT

Grace Harbour to Sturt Bay (Texada Island)

Tonight will be the last night before we bring Para Handy back to Comox. Choices are limited between Grace Harbour and Comox, so we have no real expectations. We know Lund and the West View marina in Powell River does not seem appealing. Therefore we decide upon Sturt Bay - or Marble Bay as it's called locally - on Texada Island.

Exiting Malaspina Inlet & passing Sarah Point, we steer towards Baker Passage (between Hernando Island & Twin Islands); see overview chart. The reason for this is the light (5 - 10 knot) wind from the NW. We hope to catch a little more wind - coming down Johnstone St. - in Georgia Strait than in Malaspina Strait. It will lead us past Mitlenatch Island (nature park) and the Grand Reefs.

And yes! We saw killer whales in today!

The docks in Sturt Bay are operated by the Texada Island Boat Club and are sheltered moorage for residents & visitors to the Van Anda community. Van Anda's public wharf is a “no go“ for overnight moorage; way too exposed to both SE & NW winds. You just can't miss Sturt Bay's wharfinger couple Mr. & Mrs. Soepboer. Besides enjoying their hospitality and having a chat, you've got to “watch your Dutch“. Mr. Soepboer is from Friesland (The Netherlands) and understands both the Dutch and Frisian language. Mrs. Soepboer, if we have to believe our neighbour's rumours, has a very consistent choice of dress over the years. She also has a certain degree of authority over her husband...

Texada Boat Club, really is a pleasant surprise! The friendly wharfinger couple, the docks recently extended with picknick benches (happy hour!) and the very reasonable prices for moorage & services. Compare the $ 2 fee for garbage disposal to the $ 15 from Dave's Garbage Barge....

Mid season, it's really increadible how quiet & peaceful this place is!

View from the dock towards Powell River

A surprise at sunset. A bag piper walks to the N breakwater and closes the day with a series of Scottish tunes. How fitting for Para Handy's last night with us......

Sun seekers

Taas — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:07:00 GMT

Melanie Cove to Grace Harbour

We wake up to one of those blistering days, in Melanie Cove. Not much wind today, so we pick our destination. Not too far away. A place with a lot of sunshine in the afternoon and evening; Grace Harbour. It will take us into Malaspina Inlet, turning out to be kind of deceiving. Somehow scales seem different from the ones on the charts and our plotter; it seems... bigger... wider...

Grace Harbour just begs for exploration by dinghy, but all things at their own pace.....

In this weather, Grace Harbour is everything its name promises. A pure blessing of relaxation with warm water and a trail to a fresh water lake on the NE side. We find a spot at the S side that must have “sun for ever” tonight, close to a rope swing.

Boats anchored in Grace Harbour; seen from the trail to the lake.

Again the most perfect reflections in the water; watch the rope swing at the right....

Only at the very end of the day, when the sun's almost down, we need supper....

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