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BREAKING THE RULES ON QUEEN CHARLOTTE SOUND AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT
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December 2, 2004. We met Bill and Rebbie Bates at the Westview Marina (Powell River) in June 2003, when Rebbie brought over a batch of cookies she had just baked. The wind was blowing outside, and it was a good day to remain marina-bound. In this note, Rebbie goes against all the advice about crossing Queen Charlotte Sound, the potentially ugly body of water immediately north of the north tip of Vancouver Island. They crossed in the middle of a 15-foot ebb tide, which is generally considered a big no-no, and they went when the West Sea Otter weather buoy was jumping around a bit. Maybe a boat as handsome as their 50-foot powerboat (which they live aboard) makes its own good luck.
We cruised to Alaska this summer and would like to add our thoughts about crossing Queen Charlotte Sound in relationship to the sea height reported at the West Sea Otter ocean buoy.
We crossed heading north on June 6, 2004, leaving from Blunden Harbor around 0530 and arriving at Green Island Anchorage around 1130. Before we left Blunden Harbour, the West Sea Otter buoy report said 2.8 meters. As the morning progressed, the reported sea height dropped to 2.5 meters and then 2.2 meters. During our crossing, the wind was never over 5 knots. We had 3- to 6-foot swells spaced far apart. It was a very easy crossing, and I never got seasick! We think that a low wind speed is a critical factor for a comfortable crossing.
Rebbie Bates
M/V Rebozo
(The cookie maker at Westview Marina in June, 2003)
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