Ursula Channel is one of the most stunning sections of coastline along the Inside Passage and this morning did not disappoint. A few clouds clung to the peaks, but blue skies and sunshine ruled the day.
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| Stunning Ursula Channel |
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| No bad views out here |
We did have a bit of drama this morning. Gypsy River, the C-Dory 22, reported a hydraulic fluid leak at the helm. John topped off the reservoir but was worried he might lose the steering altogether. He asked that I take Babette, his girlfriend, on my boat.
I’m neither licensed nor insured to carry passengers for hire, but given the circumstances I somewhat reluctantly agreed.
I took the dinghy back to my boat and got things ready to go: engine room checks, stowing gear, a quick breakfast. Meanwhile Kevin took the dinghy over to the dock to pick up Babette. They returned with about five suitcases of clothing and gear. I thought I was giving her a ride for a day; she evidently thought she was moving aboard! I quickly made it clear that I’d take her to Prince Rupert but no further. I was happy to help her arrange transport from Prince Rupert (the nearest place possible, really), but I couldn’t carry her across the border to Alaska.
The trip to Lowe Inlet was mostly uneventful. Because I run the boat slowly most of the time, I try to run it to wide open throttle for 5 or 10 minutes each day. This is apparently good for the engine, and it also is a way to regularly “stress test” the drivetrain. Today when I throttled up I noticed a weird vibration and the engine wouldn’t turn all the way to its usual 2800 RPM. I stopped, gave the throttle a jolt of reverse, then ran back to WOT. Perfect. I suspect a piece of kelp or line was wrapped around the prop.
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| Boats anchored in Lowe Inlet |
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| Happy hour on Safe Harbour |
Unfortunately the salmon aren’t running yet, so there were
no bears fishing at the waterfall. Still a beautiful spot.
44.01 nm today
612.83 nm total
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