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| RESEARCH CRUISE 2008, WEEK FIVE
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July 22, 2008.
Lots of news in the Broughtons. We learned the following from Mike Plate, the assistant at Shawl Bay, while Lorne and Shawn were in Port McNeill to bring son Robbie back home. A couple weeks ago, Robbie had taken their water taxi boat to Port McNeill in rough weather, and was returning in quiet conditions. The last things he remembered were everything going black, then waking up beached on the rocks. His chin was bleeding from a deep gash, four teeth were loosened, and his ribs hurt. Robbie was able to call Lorne on the radio, and Lorne brought Robbie and the damaged boat back to Shawl Bay. Robbie had to spend several days in the hospital. Tests show that he has a blood sugar problem, and must eat only the right foods, several times a day.
The boat suffered considerable fiberglass damage, and the Honda outboard will require extensive repairs.
At Jennis Bay, a large wolf attacked Bravo, who is not a small dog. Bravo was saved, but badly injured. We were told that a visiting boater paid for a float plane to take Bravo to the vet.
At Greenway Sound, we are told that an eagle swooped down and picked up a dog. The dog must have been too large, or maybe it bit back. In any case the eagle dropped the dog in the water. The dog, we were told, needed treatment for the claw marks but will be okay.
At Sullivan Bay, they heard a plaintive cry from the water, and discovered a small fawn struggling to reach the floats. They reached in and pulled the fawn up. It was too weak to stand. The fawn was carried inside, dried, and covered with a blanket. Several phone calls resulted in advice to feed the fawn goat’s milk from a baby bottle, while rubbing its bum with a warm towel. Mother deer apparently lick the fawn’s backside while it feeds, bringing forth elimination. Goat’s milk and warm rubs had the desired effect.
The fawn was at Sullivan Bay for five days until it could be taken to a deer rescue habitat in Comox. During that time it became a pet, working its way into everyone’s heart. Debbie, the manager, shed sad tears when the fawn left. A photo of the fawn and a girl from a visiting boat is on the wall in the Sullivan Bay café. It’s easy to see how the fawn captured its rescuers.
As noted in a separate item on this web site, at Echo Bay, Pierre Landry and his business partner have concluded a two-year lease with option to buy the Windsong facility across the waterway. Carol and Jerry, the caretakers, will be there at least for the rest of the season, although I’m not sure just who will be doing what. Carol will have her gallery open this year.
Pierre’s at Echo Bay is roaring. The store is well stocked, the fuel dock is pumping, Tove (pronounced “Tova”) is her usual crazy self, and Pierre works 18 hours a day to keep everything going. The docks were full when we were there.
Lady Di’s Lighthouse Bakery remained at the original Pierre’s Bay location between Powell Point and Scott Cove, where it will be for the rest of this season. Order your sticky buns, breads, and pies today and they will be fresh-baked and ready tomorrow. Call Di on VHF 16.
Smoke notch. An experienced coastal mariner described speeding up as putting the throttle in the “smoke notch,” meaning wide open with smoke pouring out the stack. This morning another former coastal commercial mariner mentioned the “slow notch.” What wonderful terms. I hope I don’t wear them out.
Cape Caution. This year’s southbound crossing of Cape Caution made it a total of 24 times for Marilynn and me, 12 times up and 12 down. We learn something with each crossing. This year we approached Cape Calvert, the south tip of Calvert Island, in flat calm, with nothing but calm visible ahead. It was late afternoon, however, and the weather prediction was for 15-20-knot westerlies in the early evening. The BC Ferry Queen of Chilliwack was several miles ahead of us. I called the ferry on channel 11, the VTS channel for that area, told them I was considering crossing, and asked for a wind and sea condition report. They answered that they weren’t far enough out to report. A short while later the radio said, “Surprise, Queen of Chilliwack, channel one-one.” They had a report: three-foot moderate seas, 15-20 knot westerly wind. On the weather channel, the Egg Island lighthouse reported the same conditions. But where we were, the sea was oily smooth with nothing but calm ahead. Furthermore, the West Sea Otter buoy reported only 0.8 meter of swell and wind wave. As the Waggoner bravely notes, if West Sea Otter is one meter or less, logs could be towed across. We pressed on. Halfway across the mouth of Rivers Inlet the westerly, with its three-foot “moderate” seas, found us. After a few minutes of splashing, a big splash settled the matter. We turned back and made for Fury Cove – where, we found, the sun was shining and there was no wind.
We had a superb supper of salad, barbecued steak, baked potato with sour cream, crumbled bacon and chopped onion. Supper was in the cockpit, with the sun warming everything. First time this year. Elegant.
Next morning we were under way at 0530, first light. Little to no wind all the way around Cape Caution, over to Pine Island, and down to Quarterdeck Marina in Port Hardy. In the afternoon the westerly filled in. Hardy Bay was covered with grazing sheep (white caps).
Lessons learned: First, a predicted afternoon or evening westerly is should be counted on to meet predictions. Second, West Sea Otter must be viewed with the knowledge of the coming wind. Third, Egg Island and Pine Island lighthouse reports are given for a reason. Last, three-foot moderate is not moderate to us. With anything more than two-foot chop, we’ll probably wait.
Waddington Bay. We try to make most of our marina stops on our way north, with the trip south devoted to picking up loose ends and trying the anchorages. Right now the time is 6:30 p.m. We are anchored in about 35 feet in Waddington Bay, near the outer edge of the Broughtons. The westerly is blowing 15-20 knots with gusts to perhaps 25. Ten other boats are in the bay with us. All the boats are swinging back and forth, but the bottom is sticky and no one is dragging. The bay is almost fully enclosed. Despite the wind there are no seas. We expect the wind to die overnight and the morning to be quiet.
Later. A quiet morning took us down Johnstone Strait. That report will be included in next week’s installment.v
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