The Pearse Islands

Our plan for today was to go to Pearl Pass as a positioning stop before traveling to Port McNeill tomorrow. We decided to go “the long way” out into Johnstone Strait, hoping to see whales.

Our route took us down Baronet Passage until it intersects Johnstone Strait. A quick look around Johnstone and listening to the whale watching boats – no joy. Then back north through Blackney Passage along Hanson Island, past the Plumper Islands through Weynton Passage and finally on to our new destination, the Pearse Islands.

This is historically a good area to spot humpbacks and as the name Blackfish Sound implies, Orca. We were monitoring three VHF channels, 16, 7 and 10. The latter two are used by the whale watching boats in the area and can give you a good idea as to what the activity, if any activity, you might find. Unfortunately, the report was that the Orca had gone back into Robson Bight and therefore we would not be seeing any of them today.

We had just about given up when passing the last of the Plumper Islands and rounding the corner between them and Stubbs Island I caught what I thought was a log just off our starboard forward quarter, not two boat lengths away. The log quickly resolved itself to be a fin of a humpback about to cross our bow.

Always enjoy seeing a humpback whale

Engines quickly into reverse and as we came to a dead stop the humpback passed just in front of us. Seemingly unaware of our presence. We know he knows we are here but he has no interest in us. I’m glad we were only at a slow cruise speed, as it allowed us to stop quickly. The mammal was fishing a circular pattern in the relatively shallow shelves off the Plumper Islands.

After watching a couple of shallow dives, and letting the humpback get a safe distance away, we resumed our course for the Pearse Islands.

This might be our third visit to the Pearse Islands, which are part of the Cormorant Channel Marine Park. We anchor in the center of the main channel in 20 feet of water abeam a break in the islands to the north. The current runs strongly, and your boat tugs on your anchor to the East and then to the West. I useed a generous 5 to 1 scope to help the anchor set in the rocky bottom that is covered in kelp.

our anchor spot with a view in the Pearse Islands

What that anchor spot looks like on the Navionics chart

Looking out to Cormorant Channel

I like to leave time to experience the current change to ensure the anchor holds in both directions. We did end up resetting once. When we weighed anchor, it took time to offload the kelp ball on the anchor.

A note. The channel is a favorite pass through for small local boats. Having said that, they are almost all very courteous and slow down as they pass. Either that, or we are a curiosity that requires closer inspection.

Sunset in the Pearse Islands