Tsehum Harbour

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Wed 2 Sep 2015 05:22

Position: 48 40.35 N 123 24.56 W
At anchor Tsehum Harbour, Vancouver Island
Wind: South-east to south-west, F3-4 moderate to fresh breeze
Weather: overcast, occasional showers.
Day's run: 29 nm (34 nm sailed)

Fortunately today the wind was not quite as fresh as yesterday, and the waterways were not as open, so the seas were much smoother. Consequently, I am pleased to say, Sylvia was not seasick, though perhaps the added precaution of a scopolamine patch might have helped.

We made a reasonably early start, getting under way at 8.35 to make use of the ebbing stream. The breeze, while a headwind, shifted back and forth in the channels allowing us to tack to the favoured slants and make reasonable progress down Stuart Channel. It took us four hours to tack down the thirteen miles of the mile wide Channel, arriving at the entrance to Samsun Narrows at 12.30 with an hour of ebb left. This was good timing as slack water was an hour later and, with the odd bit of motoring, we were able to make our way through its six miles of winding waterways before the tidal stream could build up too strongly against us.

We cleared Samsun Narrows at 14.30. A south-westerly breeze greeted us as we entered the broader reaches of Satellite Channel, allowing me to ease sheets and bear away to the south-east towards Sidney. As we approached the busy Colburne Passage where numerous ferries ply back and forth between Swartz Bay and the Gulf Islands and Vancouver, we were caught in a wind shadow. We handed sail and motored past the ferry terminal and on through the narrow rock strewn Iroquois Passage. Once clear of Iroquois Passage it was a short hop to the nearest shelter in Tsehum Bay. Tsehum Bay is pretty clearly a major boating centre for Sidney and presumably Victoria, so its shoreline is essentially one huge marina, and its waters are almost entirely filled with moorings. Nonetheless, we managed to find a spot with sufficient room to swing at anchor, and duly let go in six meters just on 17.00.

Tomorrow we will probably try to find a berth alongside for the day, so Sylvia can explore Sidney while I go and pick up the recently repaired satphone.

All is well.