Safe Harbour: Day 4: Pender Harbour to Prideaux Haven

Friday, June 6, 2014

Day 4: Pender Harbour to Prideaux Haven

I awoke at about 4:30 a.m. and took the dinghy out to Malaspina Strait to check the weather. Wind was only blowing about 10 knots and the waves were about a foot high, so I sped back and awoke the group. I’ve been waking people up early and haven’t gotten any resistance yet…

The boats filtered out. I stayed with Lady in Waiting, since they needed to pick up their outboard from the shop at 9:00 a.m. In order to get across the bay, I needed to tow their dinghy with my dinghy.

We picked up the engine and it ran well (finally!), but we noticed a new problem when we returned to our boats. Their davit, recently installed, was pulling right out of their transom. After a call to the installer we formulated a plan. They’d tow the dinghy, I’d carry the outboard in my cockpit (no place to put it on the sailboat), and the original installer will fly to Port McNeill on Saturday to make a repair.

Then another problem emerged: Ocean Alexandra, the 58’ Ocean Alexander, was losing transmission fluid through a leaking hose. They diverted into Westview/Powell River, got a mechanic on the boat, and ordered the correct parts. They’ll be in tomorrow morning and should be able to catch up with the group in Blind Channel.

Finally around 11:00 a.m. we pulled out of Garden Bay. The wind had picked up a bit, and Malaspina Strait was filled with whitecaps, but the ride was just fine. The 2-3 foot chop on the bow that was so uncomfortable on the C-Dory is just a minor nuisance on the Nordic.

We had a long run up Malaspina Strait, right into the wind and current. By about 6:00 p.m. we had the hook down in Prideaux Haven. Kevin and I took the dinghy around briefing everyone on the plan for tomorrow (early start for the rapids) and finally got back to the boat around 8:00 p.m., hungry and tired.

Lots of spray on the windshield. Note the piece of seaweed.

Kevin is useful as a window washer.

Oh yeah, did I mention the sunshine? The weather (besides the wind) has been glorious so far. Lots of sunshine. I took a swim yesterday in Pender Harbour, and would have in Prideaux if we had gotten in earlier.