Coal Harbour, Marple River, Julian Cove

Before our one-hour cruise over to Julian Cove today, we spent part of the morning visiting Coal Harbour by dinghy (about 3 ½ miles) We wanted to visit the “museum” housed in the old RCAF Seaplane Hangar. It is a bit of a hoard of relics, but nevertheless has some fascinating items from the area’s past, including WWII memorabilia, a wall of chain saws, a bear with a flintlock, and a Ford Model A and T. Worth a trip if you’re in the area. Entry is through the AirCab office.

Old RCAF Seaplane hanger. Now aircab.

inside the massive hanger.

jawbone from a 92 foot blue whale that was shot in 1962.

one of the many rooms dedciated to the history of the area.

RCAF and other aviation artifacts.

security officer on guard.

aircab docks

Our early afternoon excursion was a trip back up the Marble River. This time we had another foot under our keel and there were breaks in the clouds which made for even more spectacular scenery than yesterday. It’s a must-do trip and the highlight of Quatsino Sound for us.

The advice on going with at least an eight-foot tide is spot on. Two feet less and we probably would not have made it past some of the shallows. Leaving the boat an hour before high tide at Makwaziniht Island let us reach the end of the navigable water at the big cave and the 90-degree bend in the river. There is a nice rock pile upon which to beach the dinghy and get off on the shore opposite the cave. Also, there is plenty of water in the cave to go all the way in and see the weathered formation up close.

We like to drift in the still water within the cave before riding the river current slowly back out. We saw eagles and seals on our journey.

We truly enjoyed our time in Varney Bay.

Moving to Julian Cove was a strategic repositioning for tomorrow’s cruise to Klaskino Inlet. The currents were favorable in Quatsino Narrows, so off we went.

Julian Cove is a well-protected anchorage in Buchholz Passage with tall mountains at the head. We anchored in 40 feet after first determining where the south seabed quickly rises. Make certain you scout out the shoals before picking where you drop your hook.

View looking out from Julian Cove. THe islet with the solo tree is a memorable feature of Julian Cove.

We were the only boat in Julian Cove and had a quiet night.

North Harbour via Cape Scott

Today is the day. The rounding of the dreaded Cape Scott. Well not so much. Neptune has been kind to us the previous two times we rounded the Cape and today he outdid himself. Winds were never more than 5 knots, usually less than 3 and the seas rippled.

As we did the previous two roundings, we chose the Tatnall Reefs route which lets you avoid the Nahwitti Bar and time your arrival at Cape Scott for slack. We were off bright and early, none of the other boats in Bull Harbour were moving when we left and we never spotted them on AIS.

Flat seas are always nice. In addition to the ride, the visibility for spotting critters is vastly improved. Sea otters are easy to see as they lay on their backs and give you the “look” as you pass them by. The whales were all fishing shallow waters which meant no flukes as they gently dove. If it were not for the flat conditions, I don’t know if we would have seen them at all.

As the conditions were “perfect” there is not much to report. We saw only small fishing boats and no other recreational vessels.

an ideal rounding of Cape Scott

Boat chores filled the day are we traded off the helm in two-hour shifts. Though the ride was stellar, we were happy to see Quatsino Lighthouse as we rounded into the Sound. There was a large Canadian Coast Guard Ship, the Sir Wilfred Grenfell anchored off the lighthouse – she’s a patrol vessel built in 1987 and is 225 feet long. Also a welcome sight!

Sir Wilfred Grenfell

North Harbour is not much more than a place behind a small island, but it provides protection from the Pacific and is only three miles inland after you round Cape Perkins. We’ve never been alone here in the past but this year we have it all to ourselves.

north harbour anchorage

Winter Harbour is only a two-mile dinghy ride from North Harbour. There you find the Outpost store, open only in the afternoons, which has a reasonable selection of provisions (mostly packaged/canned) and an outstanding offering of anything having to do with fishing. Why? Winter Harbour is a destination fishing spot given its easy access to prime locations for salmon and halibut.

Given we had such a peaceful rounding of Cape Scott, we were more than ready for take the dinghy over to the Outpost. As I brought the dinghy up on plane enroute to Winter Harbour, my right foot reported it was getting wet.

 “RED ALERT, FULL STOP!”

No, I did not leave the drain plug out of the dinghy. (Karen’s first question) What’s happening? Nothing at slow speed. But once up to speed again, we see water intruding where the dinghy pontoon and the aluminum hull meet. We do a 180 and return to OceanFlyer slowly as we monitor the issue.

After getting the dinghy up and floating on the Steelhead davit at my eye level, I could see that we had a one-foot area where the bond between the pontoon Hypalon and the hull was broken. In the center 3 inches, I could poke my finger through and see that there was a clear path for water to intrude.

We’re going to need some better glue

After looking up repair options online thanks to Starlink and reaching out to my Bellingham buddies s well as aone other friend who had just replaced his pontoons last winter, I developed a plan for repair. We were determined not to be without the dinghy for the rest of the trip.

The Hypalon contact cement in my dinghy repair kit was approaching 5 years old and was rather gelatinous. Also, trying to use contact cement where you first need to keep the two surfaces apart as you apply the cement and as it dries to a tacky surface just wasn’t practical.

One of the internet postings talking about successfully using West System G-Poxy. I am very familiar with that product and have had great success in other applications. As a bonus, I just replaced my supply with new product this Spring, so I knew the epoxy was fresh.

I used the coarse sandpaper that came with the dinghy repair kit to prep the aluminum and the Hypalon, then cleaned the surface with acetone to remove sanding particles and grease.

After applying a generous amount of G-Poxy and squeezing it into every part of the delamination, I covered it with the Gorilla tape to hold everything in place while the epoxy set. The instruction recommends waiting 24 hours before “hard use” if curing at 77 degrees Fahrenheit. As the ambient temperature is not getting out of the low 60’s, I applied heat with my heat gun every hour or so. I also planned to wait 48 hours instead of 24 just to make certain the epoxy has time to fully cure.

Fingers crossed, we settled in to stream TV via our newest friend, Starlink, and had a peaceful evening.

Easy dinner after a long day

North Harbour Senset

Bull Harbour

We planned our departure from Port McNeill around 9:50 am to catch some portion of the favorable current heading our way. The morning was dead calm with flat seas and though the wind picked up some, it was a great 5-hour ride. There was not a lot of boat traffic, other than some smaller fishing boats in and around Port Hardy. We saw some porpoises along the way, but they were busy and did not come over to swim in our bow wake.

Just north of Port McNeill there is a massive gravel quarry. The only evidence of it from the seaward side is the impressive conveyor belt used to load barges.

pulteney point lighthouse

idyllic weather ahead

idyllic weather behind. We’re engulfed in the most pleasent of conditions.

Our destination, Bull Harbour, is the classic last stop before rounding Cape Scott. We’ve launched our West Coast of Vancouver Island Trips from here before (2012, 2018).

Bull Harbour is a nice functional anchorage – very well protected. There is a main dock in the bay run by the local tribe. There are no additional services such as water or power offered for the fee they collect. There is a big sign at the top of the ramp that effectively says, no access. This is echoed on their website.

Restricted access to First Nations land appears to be a trend. In the case of Bull Harbour, it’s a shame, as the walk to and view from Roller Beach is fun and worthwhile. The website alludes to the tribe working on a plan to reopen visitor access, which would be very welcome.

In Goletas Channel, we were behind a tug called the Island Yarder. Turns out he was headed into Bull Harbour about the same time as we were. There is a large fish farm at the entrance, and that is where he headed to deliver his load.

We were the 3rd boat in the anchorage, joining S/V Viking Spirit and S/V Cookie Cutter. Three more boats joined us later that afternoon. In total, there were 2 power boats and 4 sailboats, with 2 tied to the main dock and one anchored in near the free-floating dock nearer the harbour entry which was used by a boat from the fish farm to overnight.

Bull Harbour MAin Dock. False channel seen on the right.

floating dock in the entrance channel to bull harbour

The weather forecast is very good for tomorrow at the Cape. We’ll keep monitoring the forecasts and buoy reports as our departure time approaches.

Port McNeill

Port McNeill is a favorite stop for boaters as they make their way North or on their return trip. North Island Marina is friendly and full service. You can even fuel your boat at your slip with a system of very long hoses. You’ll berth among a range of boats - mega yachts to small fishing boats. There is something for everyone. This marina is extremely popular so be sure to make reservations.

pot mcneill, north island marina in the foreground

North Island Marina is a busy place. Reservations recommended

fueling at your berth is a unique feature of north island marina

The IGA grocery store, a couple of restaurants and a laundromat are all withing walking distance, not to mention the Shop Rite Home Store that has all manner of hardware and marine items.

found oil for my dinghy here

It is not a town for foodies but establishments such as Gus’s Pub, where we enjoyed fish and chips for lunch, have been around since our first visit more than a decade ago. The brew pub trend has also made it to Port McNeil in the form of the newer arrival — The Devil’s Brewing Company — where the beer was very good, the pizza was just fine, the African Peanut soup was great — and the kitchen was very slow. They are not alone in staffing issues. We spent an hour and a half at Gus’s for food that came from a frier. The grocery store posted a sign saying they are now closing at 7pm because they are short-staffed. This seems to be pervasive since we left Sidney.

gus’ pub

Devils’ Bath Brewing

going to “town” can have its rewards

Our visit is planned for two days. Day 1 was mostly chores, with the second day’s highlight being a short ferry ride so we could visit Sointula.

The BC Ferries are the life blood of the island communities in British Columbia. The equipment is well maintained, and the crew members are more than polite. The ride to Sointula from Port McNeill is only 25 minutes, so we planned a half-day trip as it has been many, many years since we visited.

When I approached the ticket window and said that I wanted two tickets to Sointula, the kind person queried us be to be certain we understood that there is nothing much to see or do in Sointula if traveling by foot. “If you just want to go over and have a coffee, that’s fine, but it really is a place to take your car and drive all-round the island,” she cautioned. We acknowledged her advice and explained that we were familiar, and we would be OK.

one of the locals has a warm welcome for you as you walk off the ferry.

Sointula is pleasantly not a tourist destination. We enjoyed visiting the cultural center of the island, the Co-Op, for a couple of provisioning items and the History Museum that makes up for its petite scale with the generous enthusiasm of the volunteers who are eager to inform. (Key highlight: the gorgeous blue/green rugs made from old fishing nets).

the hub of Sointula, A.K.A THe Co-OP

check out the newborn registry at the Co-op

local custom of honoring the high school graduates

sointula museum is full of local history, not to be missed

the story behind the settlement of sointula is facinating

Words of wisdom from Sointula

However, there was a special treat in store for us. The Malcolm Island Food Company is amazing. It just opened this year. The couple who run it came to the island a few years ago with a restaurant background. They first worked at Coho Joe’s for two years, then transitioned into making food to-go for their fellow islanders and have now opened a stand-alone shop in a beautifully converted garage. They enticed us in for their baked goods, but also specialize in prepared frozen meals. We stocked up on sweet and savory items for breakfast including a killer quiche and a frozen Shepards pie for dinner that night.

a must visit when in Sointula

bicycle art can be found around Sointula

a walk to the south and you’ll find a nice beach

our ride back to port mcneill arrives at Sointula

you got to love Sointula

The last new-to-us treat in Port McNeill was the food truck, Lata’s Kitchen, located in an unused portion of the “up-the-hill” Shop Rite parking lot. The location has a commanding view of the harbour. The “picnic benches” are the nicest, most substantial I have ever seen. I’m not much for picnic tables, but these are so comfortable. I enjoyed the fish & chips and Karen had a gourmet brie and fig chicken sandwich. Yummy.

lata’s Kitchen

While we sat there, a steady stream of residents came in their cars and picked up takeout. When you see the locals support an establishment, you have hope it will be there the next time you visit.

the view from lata’s kitchen back down to the port mcneill harbour

I know this sounds like a restaurant tour of Port McNeill, but we do make it a point to eat off the boat when we can, because it will be many weeks before that opportunity presents itself again.

The last location to put on your list when you visit Port McNeil is Mugz 2.0. It is a reincarnation of Mugz and is a small coffee shop with breakfast and lunch items. I picked up a couple of very large apple caramel scones for the ferry ride to Sointula. Delicious, and they held us until dinner time!

a little port mcneill “TV” as this barge beached and unloaded heavy equipment

Hopefully our fun time in Port McNeill has topped off our energy stores to sustain us for the 5-hour run to Bull Harbour and the following 6-hour day around Cape Scott to North Harbour in Quatsino Sound.

port mcneill sunset

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