Travel out to Nanaimo is starting to become a regular kind of a thing. NYCSS needed an Instructor on short notice and of course I couldn't say no. A third trip out west - how lucky can I get?
The Crow Bar chocolate that I got on a previous trip to Ganges was a big hit and there was a request for more. It was not a certainty that I would get to Ganges this time so I decided to find out if there were any outlets elsewhere. Little did I know that Crow Bar chocolate was made by the Salish Sea Chocolate Company based in Ganges and they did have an outlet in Nanaimo.
Soon after landing in Nanaimo and getting squared away on the boat - thanks to Connor for picking me up at the airport and thanks to the NYC team for getting the boat ready for me - I was off in the Boatyard car with stick shift down to the Nanaimo waterfront. After parking illegally and sprinting into the shop, I took all that they had of the Dark Chocolate w. Sour Cherries as requested - got 6 bars. They had other kinds and I should have taken a photo so as to send back home.
Main task for the week - completed!
I had dinner on the boat which consisted of soup that I picked out of the charter base. Soon to bed and likely an early rising next day
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| Stones Marina in the Calm Morning |
Day 1 - Saturday, 29 July - Harbour Day in Nanaimo - Preboard
I had arranged to keep the Boatyard car so that I could go for breakfast and coffee at Tim's - which I did. After showering and checking the boat out I kept on with my checklist of things to do for the course - it was getting very long.
Mid morning I decided to take another trip to the Nanaimo waterfront to see what other flavours of Crow Bar chocolate that might be of interest back home. Picked up 6 more of 2 more flavours. My baggage allowance was being severely challenged.
Students Janis and John arrived after lunch - they came from the Ferry at Departure Bay while Connor had gone to Duke Point to pick them up. Connor doesn't get out much so he enjoyed the extra time away from work.
We would meet up later in the afternoon when student Connor was done working for a crew meeting to discuss goals, objectives and duties for the course.
Made burgers that threatened to become hockey pucks on the bbq - came out alright by chance.
Early to bed as we would be up at 7:00am in order to get on with preparations by 8:00am the next morning.
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| Spirit of the Winds or SPOW in NYC Talk |
Day 2 - Sunday, 30 July - Nanaimo to Evening Cove - 21.2 nm
The weather forecast for the duration of the course was good weather - sunny skies and warm temperatures - there was even a prospect of having decent winds for a good part of the period - yes!
As determined the evening before we had set a departure time of 0945 in order to get to Dodd Narrows slack.
We went through various things that included safety equipment, checklists, water, some minor charter base extras and before you know it we were off. Connor drove us out - there was no wind - just blue skies.
Of course at slack, Dodd Narrows is a no brainer. It would probably be more of interest to go through before or after to have some fun. Another time maybe.
After a chalk talk on sailing, we hoisted the sails and made our way to the evening's destination, which was an anchorage that I had not been to before - Evening Cove, it is just around the corner before going into Ladysmith Harbour. There were a few boats already in the cove but there was a lot of room so the anchor went down in West Bay and we looked to enjoy this very pretty location. There was still a bit of wind coming into the bay but it was expected to shift around to the north for good protection during the night.
Janis made a terrific Spaghetti Bolognese where she made good use of the spices that we had gotten out of the charter base earlier in the day.
Time for bed - off to Genoa Bay next morning.
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| Our Evening Cove Anchorage |
Day 3 - Monday, 31 July - Evening Cove to Genoa Bay - 27.4 nm
I was up promptly at 0700 and on duty to make my regular all aboard full meal deal breakfast of bacon, sausages, eggs and toast.
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| Morning View Southeast to Saltspring |
After raising the anchor we saw that we had some wind and raised the sails. John had a great time sailing downwind across Stuart Channel towards Sansum Narrows - then the wind died - no more helming for John.
Janis was on the helm next and rode some wind through Sansum Narrows at slack. We did some gybes through the narrows and then rode the wind down and into Cowichan Bay. We had decided to stop off at Cowichan for lunch and a quick tour of the village. It took a little time before deciding to dock after considering a few places and trying to drop anchor.
Once the pit stop was over we got underway and sailed back and forth across the harbour - everyone got some sailing in with some nice tacking - before finally tucking into Genoa Bay and dropping the anchor among a few other boats. The marina was quite full and fun to be here again after stopping in on the last course in July. Again a bit of wind was coming into the bay on our nose but again the forecast was for it to come in from the north through the night for best protection.
This was my first time anchoring here, I had been to the Marina a few years ago on a charter with the kids.
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| Genoa Bay Anchorage |
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| Genoa Bay Marina |
I made baked potatoes, veggies and chicken thighs for dinner.
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| Our Genoa Bay Anchorage |
Day 4 - Tuesday, 1 August - Genoa Bay to Ganges - 24.2 nm
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| The Big Green House at Genoa Bay |
Woke up to a very calm morning - no wind but a clear day, sort of. There was a light haze in the sky, it made the sun appear a bit yellow. Later on we would determine that it was a smoke haze from all of the forest fires on the BC mainland. Couldn't smell anything but could sure see it.
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| The Very Motley Crew |
We crossed Satellite Channel, avoided a few ferries and made our way past Russell Island and spotted some wind coming our way. Raised the sails and had a nice ride back and forth towards North Pender and then up Captain Passage towards Saltspring Island.
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| Tangling with the BC Ferries |
After motoring into Ganges Harbour with Janis on the helm - we went looking for a berth at Kanaka Wharf. It was all full up. Then I got on the VHF to call Ganges Marina for a slip - all good, we would have B38 for the night. Janis took us in nice and slow, tied ourselves up, connected to shore power and it was time for beer o'clock.
I had some chores - garbage, beer, hardware store, Crow Bar chocolate - I would be busy. Success on all fronts including a new flavour - Dark Chocolate with Blueberries, and a Leatherman at Mouatt's. It was another great day in Ganges.
It was a quiet night in the Marina, music drifted over from the Oystercatcher. We could afford a later start next day but first we would do some docking practice on our favorite dock at the outer edge of the Marina.
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| At Ganges Marina |
Day 5 - Wednesday, 2 August - Ganges to Clam Bay - 27.7 nm
It was tough to get up - not really sleeping, just enjoying the lying in bed part as much as possible. Day light starts to creep in very early, around 5:00 am.
It took a bit of work to get going. We couldn't top up the water tanks due to water restrictions at the Marina - we would have to make do.
Off to our docking practice - everyone drove the boat in and did a number of springing off the bow and the stern - no problem with space, wind or current.
After getting out to Trincomali Channel, we raised sails and made our way tacking northwards. I had thought to go to Wally's Bay on the south side of DeCourcy Island but given our progress thought that Clam Bay would be the better anchorage with an earlier arrival.
We did a lot of tacking until finally arriving just east of our destination. The weather was predicted to swing around from its current NE/SE direction - to the north where we would have good protection on the north side of the bay, from Thetis Island.
We dropped our anchor in the spot selected but had to try again as it did not take hold - it dragged and vibrated on the set. All the way up and all the way down again - this time it held. We were still exposed to a good bit of wind but hung in as it was expected to shift. I was thinking of that little 22 lb claw anchor and chain that was keeping us in place - good job guys!
There were a good number of boats in the bay with one even a bit close for my reckoning. I even wondered about their rode as it had quite a steep angle on it that might have suggested being all line with little or no chain. Our angle was quite vertical as I felt that we had laid a lot of chain out and that we were swinging on that rather than the anchor itself.
Got through most of the workbooks, determined when we had to leave to get through Dodd Narrows next day - then dinner and to bed.
The smoke haze had been very visible for the last couple of days - the sun was yellow during the day, orange in the evening and red as it set down.
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| The Sun Going Down in The Cut |
The wind did shift and it was a calm night as predicted.
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| Our Clam Bay Anchorage |
Day 6 - Thursday, 3 August - Clam Bay to Nanaimo - 27.2 nm
The wind was up a bit today - good for sailing. Finished breakfast, did Coastal Navigation workbooks and then talked about Crew Overboard and Recovery.
Got going and had a nice wind while rounding the top of Thetis Island. Got clear of all the hazards, did a fair number of COB's and started making our way to Dodd Narrows. The sail was vigorous and we made good time to be there a half hour before slack.
Conditions were lumpier and windier in Northumberland Strait once through the narrows. Sails went up again and we sailed most of the way back to Duke Point.
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| The Duke Point Ferry Coming Up Our Stern |
Connor took over on the helm to drive us the rest of the way back and into the fuel dock. The wind was good and on the nose coming up through the channel. Got into the fuel dock with no issues, fueled up and were off again with John to take us into the slip.
Our strategy to reverse in against the wind all the way into the slip proved to be effortless, and docking was a breeze. No NYC team at the ready, or even needed or desired - we were a training vessel don't you know!
I did some paperwork, took it to the office - no one there, got some beers and we had a final one on the boat before everyone headed off. I took Janis and John to the Departure Bay ferry terminal and then went back to the boat and had a beer with Ian.
A very good trip, great sailing - I even had the helm for a while tacking up to DeCourcy before Dodd Narrows - great fun!
I spent the rest of the evening puttering about packing, tidying the boat before the early morning departure back to Toronto.
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| The GPS Track |
