Go West - If you Can!

Mon. 15 July – We'd talked with Jim and Barb on “Berkana” about visiting Anthony Island, aka Ninstints or S'Gang Gwaii. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the most preserved of the Haida Cultural visiting sites. The preferred anchorage is on the north side of the island, surrounded by rocks, and with forecast Northwest winds of 20+ knots, could be a bit dicey for a visit, as it would be impossible to see the boat at anchor (or not, if it's dragging anchor), while at the site. They were inclined to hire a zodiac from Rose Harbour in a tour group, but we opted instead to go as a group of 4 in one of our boats, and if it was rough, two people at a time could visit the site and two mind the boat. We ended up taking Jade-1, and were underway at 0845 with Jim and Barb onboard with us. We got a nice 2 to 3 knot current push out Houston-Stewart Channel, with clear skies and a 15 knot northwest wind. At 1100 we were off the northeast side of S'Gang Gwaii, and contacted the watchmen on the radio. They advised that the mooring buoy on the north side of the island had gone adrift, so we'd have to anchor there, or we could take a mooring buoy on the east side of the island (a secondary bay which was also on the leeward, protected side of the island). We chose the east bay, and were tied in a calm cove to a secure mooring buoy at 1120. We rowed the dinghy ashore with all four of us (it was a safe, secure spot), and were met by our guide/watchman, Ken Haas. Here we saw lines of poles and were treated to a very informative tour by Ken, who had studied fine arts, was himself a native carver and artist, and thus was able to explain much of the detail in the pole carvings, as well as some of the legends and stories that go with these carvings. Most of the poles remaining here are mortuary poles – the Haida equivalent of gravestone markers. The other, ceremonial, house frontal, and decorative poles have mostly been removed by museums around the world. Ken was also able to point out several longhouse foundations, with the tenon joints in the support beams still visible. At this site, as at the others, the poles and village remains are being allowed to return to nature. But here, they have been removing some of the moss as it grows, to slow down the decay a bit – they can't use any preservatives, and when things come apart they are left to return to nature – but they have managed to at least still have some very impressive carvings and works which an interested noviice like myself can still appreciate (I'd found at some of the other sites, I was having trouble seeing the bear, or sea-creature, in the carvings – but here it was much clearer). 

Jade 1 moored in kelp beds, east side of Anthony Island

Bear Mortuary Pole in S'Gang Gwaii

Support Posts on old Longhouse showing tenon joints

Watchman Ken explaining a Legend  carved into this pole

A line of mortuary poles in S'Gang Gwaii

More interesting Carvings

 After our tour of the village site, we took a hike on a trail which passes around the back of the village, in a beautiful forest setting, and passing some impressive rock faces. Our trail wound around until we'd reached the watchmen's cabin (there are 3 of them here). We signed the guest book (our entries were #621 and 622 for the year.....down a lot for an apparently normal one thousand or more for this time of year). We were also able to view some of Ken's artwork – a mask he was working on, and a couple of paintings. I was tempted to ask about the price of the mask, as that would be a great decorative piece for our home....but didn't dare, in case I ended up spending more than I can really afford. It will remain a memory only. We made our way back to the boat, and were off the mooring buoy at 1500, with the wind now behind us......perfect for a great little sail back to Rose Harbour, where we rafted onto “Berkana” once more. Jim and Barb had made arrangements with a woman named Sue, who runs a quaint restaurant in Rose Harbour, and invited us to join them for dinner there. It turned out there were 19 guests this evening, as mostly everyone who gets this far goes to her restaurant for a meal. She has a large and lush garden in her back yard, to provide the veggies for the meals. A large halibut was hanging in a shed at the back (there is no refrigeration/electricity here, and the preferred way to keep such food is by hanging it). They have a bicycle frame adapted to mill their flour and millet. We had a wonderful meal with lots of veggies and greens, halibut for the main course, and a tasty bundt cake for dessert. The company was interesting, with a charter boat of 4 and crew (including a photographer and writer doing an article on Gwaii Haanas for Air Canada's Inflight Magazine), several fishermen, folks from a large powerboat, and some friends of Sue. Also a fellow from Hornby Island, who we'd met earlier, and is now the newest owner of M'Dachai – another Ontario 32 sailboat (like ours). We returned to the boat at 2100, and being a bit early to retire, we had Jim and Barb over for some of our special hot chocolate (treated with rum, Kahlua, and Irish Cream). They are both experienced sailors, having sailed their boat to the Marquesas, Mexico, and Hawaii, as well as the west coast of Vancouver Island. Jim teaches offshore sailing, and Barb is a University professor. We had a very nice visit, and then called it a night.

Our new friends Jim and Barb (Berkana)

Tue. 16 July – We were up at 0830 to a cloudless sky, light and variable winds, and warm temperatures. With the dinghy on deck, we said our goodbyes to our new friends Jim and Barb (they are heading across Hecate Strait back to Bella Bella to tour more of the north and central coast), and left our raft-up/mooring buoy at 1100, with the wind now picking up to Northwest 15 – 20. We sailed out of Rose Harbour, but with the wind ahead started motoring by 1230. As we were eating our soup for lunch, I noticed our exhaust was emitting steam instead of water, so we shut down the engine and started sailing again, tacking up into Louscoone Inlet (our destination). A humpback whale followed alongside us for awhile as we sailed up the inlet. I soon found some weed in the intake, cleaned it out, and then went to start the engine – nothing. So it was a matter of checking all of the ignition contacts, cleaning and tightening. The contacts on the starter fuse appeared a bit dirty, so I cleaned them, and was then able to restart the engine. We idled up Louscoone to another water buoy to take on fresh water again – but we had to wait for the charter boat “Atlas” who had arrived there a bit ahead of us. When he left, we tied onto the buoy and topped up our water tanks again. We then sailed back down the inlet to a little bay halfway down the inlet, where we were to anchor. “Atlas” was also anchored in there, so we ended up sharing the cove with them. We barbecued some steaks for dinner, and just as we were finishing up, James, the skipper of “Atlas”, came over in his dinghy with a couple of pieces of delicious dark chocolate cake. Yum! By 2145 we had retired, with an earlier day planned for tomorrow.

Wed 17 July – We were up by 0730 and underway out of Louscoone by 0830. We saw another (or the same?) whale at the entrance to our cove as we departed....but couldn't get any pictures, as our timing was off and we could only photograph the splash. We motorsailed out of the entrance to Louscoone, into a thick fogbank, through a rock-strewn pass between Moresby and Anthony Islands. Clear of the rocks, we turned off the motor at 0930 and sailed west, offshore about 9 miles, then tacked northbound. By 1200 we could point at our destination, Flamingo Inlet. Visibility was still only ½ mile in Fog, but as we entered the inlet under sail, the fog started to lift at the entrance and we were treated to a beautiful clear sunny day. The charting here is limited and iffy, with no soundings on the chart, but our guidebook for the area was reasonably good, and we poked our way slowly into the Inlet and into Sperm Bay where we anchored in 30 feet of water. By 1500 we had launched the dinghy and motored further north into Flamingo to the head, called Staki Bay. Here, we'd been told, would be good beachcombing, with perhaps some glass fishing floats or other interesting debris. We did find lots of old nets, lines, plastic cans, styrofoam. There was evidence of garbage/debris from all over the world, including Japan, Russia, Argentina, Germany – and Canada. Ray found a nice ABS float, and I found a net bag possibly used to hold a glass float. By 1800 we were back onboard Jade, and roasted some stuffed chicken breasts for dinner. Tomorrow would be even earlier, so we retired at 2100.

Beachcomber Ray shows off a Japanese Detergent Bag

Thurs. 18 July – We were up at 0600, and underway by 0630 with a 30- mile run north ahead of us (more, with tacking against the wind). As we motored out of Flamingo Inlet a whale made a spectacular breach just ahead of the boat. By 0830 we were sailing offshore, and about to take a tack northbound for our next destination, Gaugaia Bay. The wind was becoming light, so we went to start the engine and again had no luck. By 10 30 I had exhausted all of my options to get the engine going, so we decided it would be unsafe to proceed into the rock-strewn bays and inlets of the West Coast of Moresby Island, and tacked southbound to sail to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. This would be the closest place where we could get any expertise on the engine problem, and with a light northwest wind existing and forecast, was a possible sail. By 1230 I managed to get the engine going again, and we had a bit of wind for sailing. We left the engine running until we'd cleared Cape St. James, the most southerly point of Haida Gwaii, and an area with strong adverse currents. By 1400 we were clear of the Cape, sailing on a broad reach, and working 3 hour watches. The wind held, and we continued to sail through the night, passing through a few fogpatches.

Friday 19 July - At 0145 we were still on a broad reach, sailing for Cape Sutil at the north end of Vancouver Island, and then Port Hardy. A sea of light started to show up astern of us, and my AIS plotter determined that it was a cruise ship, “Star Princess”, who was overtaking us at a rate of some 22.5 knots and closing fast. I called her on the radio to make sure they could see us. The response I got in a broad Greek accent: “Yes, little boat – I see you – we will alter a lot to port, and you alter a bit to starboard, and we will pass you at 1.5 miles”. Comforting – and cute. By 0700 the wind had died a bit, and we had slowed down to a point we would not make slack water at Nawhitti Bar, which is an area best transited near slack. So we started the motor (it started right off this time!), and motorsailed on, making 5 – 6 knots. I was able to contact Linda (my wife) in the afternoon to advise her of our plans, and see if she could meet us in Pt. Hardy – she agreed to come up in the morning.  Throughout this crossing, numerous Albatrosses soared by, and then seemed attracted to the boat, and landed nearby.

Friendly Albatross

 At 1700 we were approaching the bar only a little late, and crossed easily into Goletas Channel at the north end of Vancouver Island – only 25 miles left to Port Hardy. We had a bit of current against us, and arrived into Port Hardy at 2300, travelling very slowly into the marina, as my night vision isn't as good as it once was. But we made it, and tied up to the dock, managed to grab a beer at the pub before it closed, and crashed for the night.

Saturday 19 July - We managed to get checked into the marina in the morning, have a shower, and meet Linda by noon. I was unable to find anyone willing or able to look at our starter problem, so removed the starter and solenoid, and drove back to Courtenay with it (and Linda). I believe Ray was happy to be back following our adventures, and after getting the problem solved, I'll be continuing down the east side of Vancouver Island to return Jade 1 and myself to our home port.

20 July – Being a Sunday, nothing could be done about the problem....so we had a dinner get-together at home, and left things for another day.

Monday 21 July - The starter is being repaired (actually it turns out it is the solenoid, which is being replaced), and I can pick it up tomorrow, Tuesday. Then I will return to Pt. Hardy to reinstall it, and Linda will drive home while my friend Gary MacLean takes up the crew position for the return sail. I'll try to update the blog until we return home, but the Haida Gwaii portion has finished.