More Boating Adventures in the Northern Strait of Georgia

Fish cleaning station at Discovery Harbour Marina.

This summer we've taken our 2452 Bayliner out on the chuck (ocean) more than usual. In less than two hours can reach exciting destinations. This is one of the reasons we decided to retire in Powell River, BC.

We retired early from our careers in education so we could enjoy experiences like this. I just read an interesting post by Debbie Dabble about early retirement. She has lots of good suggestions if your are planning or beginning yours.

Harbour seals waiting for a free meal in Campbell River.

Back in Campbell River at the Discovery Harbour Marina we watched fishermen clean their salmon and the harbour seals and gulls waiting for a free meal.

Sunset over the Heriot Bay Inn Marina.

At the Heriot Bay Marina we enjoyed a quite dock with wonderful sunsets and tasty dinners on their Inn's Herons Restaurant's outside deck.

Heading home passing Cortes Island in the Northern Strait of Georgia.

After four nights out on the chuck we caught a good weather (light winds) window to head back to our homeport, Powell River's Westview Harbour.

 The way the waves were rolling, it reminded me of the introduction to a 1950s TV show from my youth, Victory at Sea. Well, maybe not quite that big! -- Margy

Available Online: "Farther Up the Strait" by Wayne J. Lutz

from
PowellRiverBooks.com

Farther Up the Strait

Coastal BC Stories

Boating on the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, and the islands to the north. Read stories about the people and places of coastal British Columbia, where the mountains drop into the sea and lifestyles focus on self-reliance and a different sense of purpose. This book, based on the original Up the Strait, has more great boating stories and adventures.

Go to PowellRiverBooks.com 
or use one of our online partners.

Print for $16.95
Kindle for $1.99
Other ebook formats for $1.99

Favourite Ports of Call

Heriot Bay Marina, Quadra Island

Do you find yourself returning to favourite destinations? We do, especially in our boat on the Strait of Georgia. Within two hours we can reach half a dozen marinas. If we anchor, there are dozens of bays to choose from.

The weather has been perfect for cruising, sunny, not too hot and light wind. We took advantage of five days of good weather to return to two favourite ports of call, Campbell River on Vancouver Island and Heriot Bay on Quadra.

Campbell River is midway up Vancouver Island's east coast. There are three marinas: Fisherman's Wharf, Coast Marina and Discovery Harbour. Discovery Harbour is our favourite. It's next to the fuel dock and Discovery Harbour Centre with restaurants, stores and shops.

Campbell River is a great resupply spot for boaters. It's also a major centre for fishing, whale watching and large animal tours. Our moorage spot was next to a fish station. Harbour seals were benefiting from the Chinook salmon run.

A harbour seal waiting for a fisherman to finish cleaning his catch.

After two nights in Campbell River we went to the Heriot Bay Inn on nearby Quadra Island. They have a quiet marina that almost always has space. We usually call ahead to make sure. They have fuel, a restaurant and pub, and there's a grocery store within walking distance,.

The Inn has well maintained grounds with places to sit in the shade of mature maple trees. It's a perfect place to kick back, relax and read.

Dock time at Heriot Bay.

We almost overstayed our welcome. What was forecast as 5 to 15 winds from the southwest turned out to be more like steady 15 or more. The swells were tall with deep troughs by the time they ran all the way to the northern Strait of Georgia.

Rain follows us all the way home to Powell River.

Wayne slowed from our normal 20 to 5 knots. With my new armrest I felt secure, but it couldn't eliminate the pounding. Once we rounded Hernando Island we were in the lee of the wind driven waves. We used up another fair weather stretch.

You don't have to have a boat to enjoy Campbell River or Heriot Bay. BC Ferries can get you and your car there for the adventure of a lifetime. -- Margy

Coastal British Columbia Cruising

Puffy clouds on our way through the Thulin Passage.

On my Powell River Books Blog I shared about our recent summer cruise on the Strait of Georgia. I encourage you to follow the link for more details.

The weather was wonderful and I ended up with more pictures than I could include. Here are some of the outtakes.

We left Powell River under blue skies with puffy while clouds. The wind was mild so it was easy going.

Our first night was at Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island.  We came by boat, but you can visit Cortes via Quadra Island using BC Ferries from Campbell River on Vancouver Island.

Calm water at the Squirrel Cove public dock for our overnight stay.

There were a few towering cumulus clouds, especially over the mainland, but no rain either night we were out.

Dark clouds but no rain or wind.

Our second night was at nearby Refuge Cove on West Redonda Island. It's a popular resupply spot for boaters coming to enjoy the Desolation Sound Marine Park.

Sunset reflections at the Refuge Cove marina.

We made it home with good weather holding. There were lots of reflections on the calm seas while heading into the Westview South Harbour in our hometown of Powell River, BC.

Heading in for fuel to be ready for our next Coastal Cruise.

Thanks for coming along on our Coastal Cruise on the Strait of Georgia. You can read more about our boating adventures in Wayne's book Farther Up the Strait.

Each chapter takes you on voyages to remote inlets and anchorages. E-books are available online at Kindle, Kobo and Smashwords. Print formats through Amazon, many online booksellers and locally in Powell River at Coles. -- Margy

Available Online: "Up the Strait"

A Great Book
for the Boating Enthusiast

Up the Strait

Coastal BC Stories

It's cruising time again. Jump in the boat and head up the Strait of Georgia with us to magnificent anchorages and exciting adventures. Drop your hook in world famous Desolation Sound, discover hidden coves and meet some of the locals. Read Up the Strait by Wayne J. Lutz and then join us for the cruise of a lifetime. You may never want to leave. 

Go to PowellRiverBooks.com for more information.

 Print for $12.95
Kindle for $2.99
ebook for $2.99 at Smashwords
(prices may vary in Canada)

Strait of Georgia Fair Weather Clouds

Halcyon Days in the Powell River North Harbour.

Wayne and I are back in British Columbia. We'll be here through summer living in our float cabin.

When we're in the States, we have a rolling RV. Up here we have a floating one, a Bayliner 2452 we call Halcyon Days.

Powell River is on the east side of the Strait of Georgia. From our moorage in the North Harbour we can easily set out for cruises on the salt chuck, chuck for short. That's what locals call the ocean.

John backing Halcyon Days into his driveway.

Last week we got our Bayliner back into the chuck after spending the winter up the lake at the cabin. But first there was a stop at our friend John's house for maintenance.

Then he took her down to the North Harbour for us. He's a full service kind of guy.

We'd prepared the boat for the cruising season while it was still up at the cabin so we decided to take her right out on a trip.

Our five day cruise took us island hopping north and west of Powell River. We started in Campbell River on Vancouver Island, then Heriot Bay on Quadra Island and finally Gorge Harbour on Cortes Island.

The narrow entrance into Gorge Harbour.

There were beautiful blue skies with fair weather clouds to enjoy and add to our photographic images. The seas were calm except for one day while in Campbell River.

A sampling of our fair weather clouds.

Oh, I forgot to mention. While John was doing maintenance he installed an arm for my chair. When the seas are rough, it's like riding a bronco. Now I have something to keep me from getting bucked off.

If you would like to read more about our cruise, stop by the Powell River Books blog. There you'll find out more about our trip and destinations. -- Margy

5 Favourite 2018 Margy Meanders Posts

Each year I like sharing posts that were favourites with my readers. Here are the top 5 for 2018 in order. Click the titles to read the posts.


1. Gumboot Girls:  I participate in a monthly online book club. My review of the memoir anthology Gumboot Girls edited by Lou Allison and Jane Wilde was a hit. They have recently released a new book Dancing in Gumboots about the Comox region on Vancouver Island.

An anthology about women's lives in the 60s and 70s.

Related Post: Darkest Before the Dawn by Canadian author Mike Martin.


2. Lake Washington Ship Channel:  Wayne and I enjoy traveling for college sports. The University of Washington is within driving distance from our part-time Bellingham condo. Here we enjoy football, basketball and softball games, plus sightseeing.

A cruiser heading through the Montlake Cut.

Related post: USC Basketball Sport-cation.


3. Cruisin' to Campbell River's Discovery Harbour Marina:  We keep our 24' Bayliner at the marina in Powell River. From this home base we can explore many destinations along the BC Coast and popular Desolation Sound.

Our 2452 at the Discovery Harbour Marina for the night.

Related post: An overnight cruise to Van Anda on Texada Island.


4. Tofino and Ucluelet, BC:  Last May I had lots of fun on a trip with my friend Yvonne Maximchuk to the west side of Vancouver Island. We visited galleries, beautiful beaches and then the Filberg Lodge in Comox for her art show.

Here I am at Chesterman Beach on a misty day.

Related post: Drawn to Sea by Yvonne Maximchuk.


5. Make Ahead Breakfast Enchiladas:  I find lots of interesting things to make by following blog parties and hops. I enjoy cooking in our float cabin home the best, and love testing out new recipes. The one you liked best was easy breakfast enchiladas.

Related post: Ginger spice cake.


2018 was a very good year up the lake at the float cabin and meandering around. We hope yours was as well. - Wayne and Margy

October Sailing

Motoring out looking for some wind.

We've had an amazing run of warm sunny days this month. October is usually more erratic, but with a stationary high sitting over the Pacific Northwest we've had some amazing weather.

We decided to take our 19' O'Day Mariner daysailer to town on the weekend rather than our Hewescraft. We knew it would take longer, about four hours if we sailed tacking the whole way (which we didn't), rather than 25 minutes in the powerboat. But the thought of all that warm sunshine helped us make the decision.

The beautiful maples on the hillsides turning to fall yellows and orange were a bonus.

Colourful maples on the south side of Goat Island.

The next day we used our spinnaker to get a push. We made better time and had to motor much less. We got two thirds of the way before the wind shifted. We took the sail down and used the outboard kicker to get us through First Narrows and back to our float cabin home.

Wind in the spinnaker taking us home.

What has your October weather been like? There've been some terrible hurricanes, storms and snow. I hope you didn't had to endure any of those. -- Margy

Cruisin' to Campbell River's Discovery Harbour Marina

Our good friend Kurt from Southern California flew up to our neck of the woods again this summer. He arrived in his Aviat Husky after a stop in Bellingham, Washington, to exchange his southern wheels for his northern floats.

That gives him the flexibility to travel far and wide, hopping from lake to lake throughout the province.

Here he comes now!

Kurt's wife Leslie came to join him for a quick vacation. Wayne and I made arrangements to meet them in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. They drove up by car from the Courtenay Airport and we took our boat from Powell River across the Strait of Georgia.

The cruise across the Strait of Georgia was smooth and the sun was shining. You can't ask for more than that. We got fuel at Discovery Harbour Fuel Sales and went to our reserved slip at the Discovery Harbour Marina. 

Our 2452 at the Discovery Harbour Marina for the night.

We met at the nearby Real Canadian Superstore (Walmart on steroids) and the four of us got in our Bayliner 2452 to cross Discovery Passage for dinner at April Point Lodge. Wayne timed our reservation with slack tide so the crossing would be comfortable. We had a delicious dinner on the deck with an outstanding view. If you don't have a boat, you can take a water taxi from their sister property, Painter's Lodge.

Kurt and Leslie with April Point Resort in the background.

For boaters and non-boaters alike, Discovery Harbour Marina has lots to offer.

It's a full service marina offering moorage for 300 boats from 16 to 150 feet at daily, monthly, 6-months and annual rates. There's electricity, water, washrooms with showers, laundry and trash disposal included. The adjacent Discovery Harbour Centre with lots of stores for provisioning and restaurants is a huge plus. Other services at the marina include lots of boat adventure and fishing tour operators. After all, Campbell River is the "salmon fishing capitol of the world."

• Aboriginal Journeys Wildlife and Cultural Tours
• Springline Charters and Saltwater Adventures
• Mid Island Cruiser Boat Rentals
• Eagle Eye Adventures
• Hurricane Jack Adventures
• Campbell River Whale Watching and Adventure Tours 

Cruise on over to Campbell River on Vancouver Island in Coastal BC in your boat, car or by airline.

Then "discover" a marina with a little something for everyone. -- Margy

An Overnight Cruise to Van Anda on Texada Island

Approaching Westview Fuels in the South Harbour.

We are a little late starting our summer cruising season, but finally got our Bayliner 2452 in the water at the end of June. To make sure everything was shipshape, we decided to take a cruise over to nearby Texada Island.

First we stopped by Westview Fuels in Powell River's South Harbour to gas up. It's an easy spot to reach with gas, diesel, water and other boating supplies available. Next door to the visitor docks it's handy for locals and guests to the Westview Harbour alike.

Looking towards Powell River from the Sturt Bay breakwater.

Texada is about half an hour away from our home port in Powell River. It's a fun place to visit. The Texada Boating Club has a visitor's dock (Dock 4 on the outer edge). It's a private private club dock in Sturt Bay, but welcomes guests on a first-come, first-serve basis. When we were there the cost was $.75 a foot with power available for an extra charge, For more information you can contact the wharfingers Bob and Maggie Timms at 604-414-5897 or VHF 66A.

Our Bayliner on the visitor's dock at the Texada Boating Club marina.

The marina is within walking distance of the village of Van Anda. This island community is the largest on Texada Island. It's rural in nature where gardens abound. Forest rings the town so many deer can be seen walking the streets and nibbling yard plantings that aren't protected with tall fences.

Mary Mary's Cafe in Van Anda on Texada Island.

You will find an elementary school, store, museum and several places to eat. The pub and restaurant at the Texada Island Inn (Gillies Bay Road) have reopened. Rooms for overnight stays may become available by 2019. We walked up the hill for a nice dinner.

The next morning we walked over to the Mary Mary's Cafe (1989 Marble Bay Road) for breakfast with the locals. That made for an easy overnighter without meal preparation.

Historically, Van Anda was a much larger thriving mining community. Today, mining is still a major part of the economy, but the town has become much smaller and relaxed. You can read about it in Heather Harbord's book Texada Tapestry: A History.

Wayne relaxing on the back deck on a warm sunny day.

If you don't have a boat of your own, you can still visit Texada Island. Driving by car you can take the ferry from Powell River and explore the island at your leisure. You can also reach Texada by air using scheduled KD Air flights or your own aircraft. Please note there is no public transportation on Texada once you are there.

You can read more about cruising Coastal BC and the Strait of Georgia in Wayne's nautical themed books Up the Strait, Farther Up the Strait and Up the Inlet.

All of the books are available in print and ebook formats at Amazon and other online booksellers. -- Margy

Gorge Harbour, Cortes Island BC

Our Bayliner 2452 at the Gorge Harbour Resort Marina.

During the summer we keep our Bayliner 2452 in Powell River's Westview Harbour so we can go cruising. We live in a boating paradise known worldwide. We have the Gulf Island to the south and Desolation Sound to the north. To the west is Discovery Passage between Vancouver Island and the many smaller islands dotted along the Inside Passage leading to Alaska.

Last week we took our boat north to Cortes Island. Our destination was the Gorge Harbour Resort Marina.

Heading to the marina for fuel and docking.

We didn't know there was a Ranger Tug rendezvous in progress. Originally we were told they were full, but after we gassed up they found a spot for us. It was right next to the fuel dock so we could use our lines to move the boat and tie up for the night.

The resort is both land-based and marina-based.

Because the people in the Ranger rendezvous were having their own BBQ, it was easy to get dinner reservations at the resort's Floathouse Restaurant. Dinner outside on the deck was wonderful. We splurged with raw oysters and beer to start. Yum!

Dining in style at the Floathouse Restaruant.

Gorge Harbour Resort has something for everyone. There's a lodge and cottages, RV and camping spots, the marina, a small store for provisions, a swimming pool, fun activities for all ages and even entertainment during the summer months.

The resort is constantly updating and improving. Our first trip there was in 2006. We offloaded our bikes to ride to Whaletown where the car and passenger ferry from Quadra Island arrives.

Gorge Harbour Marina Resort back in 2006.

We exited back out through the Gorge that gives the protected bay it's name. Using the docks or anchoring here is good in all seasons and weather conditions.

Exiting through the narrow gorge.

Then we were on our way to another favourite spot, Heriot Bay. There are so many places to explore in Coastal BC. I invite you to come visit and see for yourself. No boat, no problem. Explore using BC Ferries routes. -- Margy

Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer

Mother Nature uses morning haze on the Strait of Georgia to paint a watercolour picture.

 We had plenty of time to enjoy the view while trolling for salmon on the calm seas.

Summer is such a wonderful time of year. What have you been doing for fun? -- Margy