July 6th Naniamo to Campbell River

Wow and I thought we had the market on rough water. Boy was I wrong the Strait of Georgia is a close second only it goes on for hours instead of a couple of miles.

I woke up this morning around 5:45 to dark clouds and pouring rain and some wind. Not what I was hoping for on this stretch of the trip the longest and most exposed. Chatted with a number of long range cruisers that were heading North about their plans and their experiences and thoughts. The best I could figure out was that the older one gets and when traveling with the same aged wife you stay in port for a better weather window.

Solo and young I unhook the boat and head out of the harbor around Protection Island and hang a left to run on the outside of Newcastle Island before I settle into a steady rocking of quarting waves on my right side. "maybe this wasn't the best choice" When I pass Hudson Rock in Horswell channel the waves seem to settle down now that they are being blocked down. Speeding up to 23 knots I think that things are getting better. About an hour out I get a call on VHF 16 from the folks on Noon Ballon to find out what the straits are like. I am not sure what he chose to do as I was just out of range to for my boat. Pressing on listening to Willys Place on XM the day was passing by mile after mile. The view wasn't so good as the rain storms were passing through and showed up real well on my radar. Felt a bit weird not having my salty brothers on VHF or MMSI around in case something happened, but I pressed on. I kept Ruth Island on my port and Ada islands on my right and the water smoothed out some more. Though it was still not very smooth. This leg was almost long enough to start talking to myself but I managed to keep it togethor.

Hours mow by and I think that Comox will be my destination for the day as the weather is starting to get a little worse. As I start to approach the bottom of Denman island and Hornby island I decide to split the two and head into Comox when the Canuk CG put out a call to boats in the area of Mapleguard Point to a vessel adrift. Always looking for extra points to put in my book for later on I call the CG at Comox and let them know I am just a mile away and will call in. As I approach the vessel I think to myself that they might have their hands full with what appears to be a tow rope caught in his shaft drive. He isn't that concerned about his current state but sure wants to get his POS dingy back under his control. I slip up with my bow to pick him up and drop him off on his POS and he holds on to my side as I drive him back to his boat. When he could reach his boat I kick him free and let him know the CG is on the way This Canadian wood tick didn't like the sound of that but they were pulling up about that time. No radio, no pfd, no power, and a POS boat. Crazy. After that side track I head up Baynes sound towards Comox when I decide to push on to Campbell river as it is only 30 miles more for a total of 78 miles in one day. 5 miles into the Comox to CR push the weather gets worse and now I wish I would have pulled into Comox. Keeping a strait line is hard enough but add a wall of low clouds it makes it a radar/AIS/chart plotter and windshield day. To finish the day off as I shot my approach into Discovery Passage my timing of tides and wave direction gave me 5-6 foot standing slop for almost a mile. This water had to have been running at least 6 knotts maybe even 8 as it took some power to get through to the other side. Finished the last 2 days out with a 179 mile trip on 68 gallons of fuel. Topped off with some canuck fuel and found a slip for the night. I am tired for sure.

fishing in the morning.