Tides make the day and the way

We got underway just after 0800, waving goodbye to our lovely loving wives.  In spite of the weather forecast for moderate Southeasterly winds, we found a totally calm and smooth sea with no wind.  The mainsail was raised more for stability than drive, as we motored northbound.  In order to catch a push from the tide, it was necessary to get 5 miles offshore from Vancouver Island.  A ressonably uneventful motorsail then ensued, but we managed to finish off a couple of pots of coffee, a few strudels, and we chatted on the radio to a friend from Comox Coast Guard Radio (JM), and sailing buddy Gary, who hailed us from his home as we passed by.   By 1230, we were past Mittlenatch  Island, with the promised southeast wind coming up.  We continued motorsailing, but now getting an assist with the genoa out, and with 10 knots of wind were motorsailing at close to 7 knots.  Timing seemed to be right to make the tide to run through Surge Narrows, east of Quadra Island....but not enough time to make it through Yuculta/Dent Rapids beyond it.  We'd decided not to go through the other option - Seymour Narrows to Johnstone Strait, as Johnstone gets nasty with the forecast Northwest winds and a following tide (pretty much need the following tide, and southeast winds, or take the other way to the east).  So Surge Narrows it was....and we arrived right on time at 1600, slipping through the calm waters which roil and boil at any other time other than slack.  Five miles beyond, and we were securely anchored for the night in Waiatt Bay.  A few cocktails later, we were ready for our roast chicken dinner.  and an early bedtime.
Early because of the tide, again.  We had to make slack water for Hole-In-The-Wall, another roily bit which calms down at slack water.  So up at 0500 and underway by 0530.  We timed the slack nicely and motored through the rapids, proceedin a couple of miles to the end of the channel.  Interestingly, the tide runs opposite to the channels on either side (Okisollo and Calm Channels), so we could transit this one on the beginning of a flood tide to get to our next challenge - Yuculta and Dent Rapids.  It was still early in the tide change, and we were able to use the backeddies along the shore to transit Yuculta Rapids into Big Bay on Stuart Island.  Here we found the community docks, where we presently sit tied up, waiting for the next slack water to continue across the bay and transit Dent Rapids at slack water, becoming an ebb tide.  So we've spent the first two days working the tides, and hopefully by this afternoon will be north of these intersting challenges to continue northbound.  Next challenge will be the forecast Northwest winds, supposedly coming up fairly strong by this afternoon....so we may still end up "holing it" for a few days, waiting for weather.

Waiatt Bay Anchorage

Not so turbulent Hole-In-Wall