Boat Bay

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 5 Jun 2015 04:28

Position: 50 31.41 N 126 33.84 W
At anchor Boat Bay
Wind: calm
Weather: sunny, warm
Day's run: 27.1 nm sailed, 20 nm made good

It has been another disappointing day with very light and fickle winds. However, at least we had enough to sail for most of the day, covering 27 miles in nine and a half hours, so that is not too bad, at an average speed of just under three knots. Every other yacht we passed was under motor, and as one went by I could hear a man's voice carry across the water above his engine noise. “Now there is dedication for you,” he said, obviously referring to Sylph and crew, as we drifted, sails limp before a near non-existent breeze. He clearly did not realise that his voice carried so far over the calm smooth water.   I replied, “You bet,” but he clearly did not hear me above his engine.

A mildly exciting part of the day was transiting Weynton Passage. The tidal stream was quite strong running through the passage and had Sylph and her dinghy, in tow astern, spinning in some of the eddies caused by the confluence of the various channels. As we were half way through the wind died completely and we lost steerage way. I was hoping that the stream would carry us through safely but instead it started to push us towards some rocks at its southern entrance, forcing me to start the engine to get clear of them.

Once through Weynton Passage we were in Johnstone Strait. The forecast in this area was for a fresh north westerly breeze late in the afternoon, and while a hint of a light north westerly had me hopeful for a while, it never amounted to anything. At half past six, with the nearest anchorage about three miles away, no wind, and the current about to turn against us, I started the engine and motored to our anchorage for the night, a nook behind a small island and some rocks at the western end of Boat Bay.

All is well.