Let's talk cruising in British Columbia

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

I love the internet. This post led me to you site and your post about THAT rock. Von Donop is one of my favourite places, and while I have never hit that rock, it makes me nervous every single time as it really isn't well described. Thanks for doing the mapping!

I also love Von Donop. I was there 3 times this year.

There used to be a tree branch sticking out on the west side into the channel on the way into Von Donop that I used to look for to spot the rock. Now I look for the second rock face on the east side. That seems to work.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by jackdale

I also love Von Donop. I was there 3 times this year.

There used to be a tree branch sticking out on the west side into the channel on the way into Von Donop that I used to look for to spot the rock. Now I look for the second rock face on the east side. That seems to work.

Yes, more like a fallen tree that we too used to mark the area of the rock. I think your "second rock face" is our "second yellow patch".

Our soundings showed the second rock face/yellow patch approx correct, though the rock extends further south. Actually what surprised us was the shallower patch on the west side on the north end of the channel. (Probably should not have surprised us; I don't know how many times we've nervously watched depth decrease as we hugged the west shore.) Now we go mid-channel first then over to west side.

[LeighWebber]

So many great replies here -- didn't have time to read them all, so apologize if this is a duplicate. In the PNW, logging is a big business. Logs are moved around in giant booms created from a ring of logs that is chained together. Slow-moving tugs haul these booms up and down Georgia Strait, constantly. In bad weather, some logs can escape from a boom and drift away. Look at any beach, and you'll see old (very large) logs washed up. The problem is that logs can move back and forth with the tide without ever reaching a beach. Over time, they get loaded with more and more water, and start to partially sink. Sometimes a log will turn more or less vertical, with very little visible above the surface. You can see them more easily when there is a modest sea running. These dead heads can be treacherous in heavy weather. If your hull passes over one while your hull is descending and the dead head is ascending (relative to the water surface), the dead head can punch a hole in your boat. This is very rare, but you should always have your VHF on channel 16, because mariners will report the location of dead heads with Securite messages.

The other type of soggy log lies horizontally, at or just below the surface. If the water is flat, these can be really hard to spot. The danger with these is running straight over them. They will roll under your keel just fine (depending on the shape of your keel), but they can do major damage to your prop or your rudder as they float up astern of your keel. This has happened to me only once, and fortunately my boat had a full keel, a prop in a cutout, and an attached rudder. The log rolled under the entire boat, then popped up astern.

The point of all this is you should consider getting a boat with a full keel, or at least a full skeg. You will lose some upwind performance, of course. Another advantage of a full keel is the large tidal range. If when you wake up at 1:00 am to the unmistakable feeling of the earth beneath your boat, you will have less to worry about as the tide drops several feet if you have a full keel. Not that I have ever gone aground. Heh heh.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Lightwave99

Forgot to mention: annual rainfall in Vancouver in 60 inches, on the North Shore (North and West Vancouver it's 90 to 120 inches!), in Tsawwassen, the Gulf Islands and Victoria it's 30 inches. In Kauaii it's 180 inches!!!

This is misleading. That 180" in Kauai is a dozen afternoons. In BC it's 200 days and nights of drizzle. Just trying to keep you honest

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by jackdale

I also love Von Donop. I was there 3 times this year.

There used to be a tree branch sticking out on the west side into the channel on the way into Von Donop that I used to look for to spot the rock. Now I look for the second rock face on the east side. That seems to work.

That's always it, isn't it (just like the tidal passes). It seems to work but you are always left wondering what would have happened if you were 4 feet over or 15 minutes earlier.

Jack, I imagine someone like you always has the added difficulty of remember which boat and which draft you are currently transiting with

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

That's always it, isn't it (just like the tidal passes). It seems to work but you are always left wondering what would have happened if you were 4 feet over or 15 minutes earlier.

Jack, I imagine someone like you always has the added difficulty of remember which boat and which draft you are currently transiting with

Depends how he calibrated his depth transducer... :whistling

[Westcoastcarl]

BC and WA are different sailing animals. We do share the Juan de Fuca Strait and Haro Straits which are challenging due to large currents at times- especially colder months. Cruising in the summer is crowded with often half the boats from WA and Oregon in Desolation Sound anchorages.

BC is wilder and requires serious sail planning for cruisers interested in getting north of the Victoria on the open west coast of Vancouver Island. Knowing the chart datum is more work than in the BVI, Grenadines, Florida, Mexico or Greece in general. It's not as challenging as the Antigua coastline.

For the most part we have deep water sailing in our preferred more protected inside passage. Long tacks/ gibes to avoid islands and the mainland with only a few places shoaling. You must embrace the significance of 2 X 14 ft tides in one day that happen regularly Current is almost always a consideration. Current against wind in the many channels and passes can be dangerous with even moderate winds. Beating north up the Georgia Strait in an average flood is often very slow with chop due to the predominant NW winds. Gibing down the straight in an ebb for 100 miles from Desolation Sound to Vancouver can be just 24 hours in ideal conditions and often in July/August/ September.

Swimming is for the young at heart as is scuba diving. Fishing is VERY restricted now.

You may want to consider New Zealand's charms.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

That's always it, isn't it (just like the tidal passes). It seems to work but you are always left wondering what would have happened if you were 4 feet over or 15 minutes earlier.

Jack, I imagine someone like you always has the added difficulty of remember which boat and which draft you are currently transiting with

Width matters was well. I took a Lagoon 42 into Von Donop once. That 7.7 meter beam was a little worrisome.

I always calculate the tides for a 24 hour period before I go into an anchorage. The form I use has a means of determining the intermediate height for when I project I will anchor. That form is taped to the bulkhead near the nav station. That gives me the depth over the rock.

That is one real advantage to being an instructor, I treat every anchorage and pass as if I have never been there. My students had not. There is much talk about how to do it.

Another factor that needs to be considered in Desolation is the depth under the rudder when tied stern-to. I use a lead line to check and compare with the form mentioned above. I have had to move a couple of times.

[hvkelley]

For the past 14 years, I have been sailing the Pacific Northwest, and for the past 3 years I have owned my own 2017 Bavaria 37 and kept it in a charter fleet with San Juan Sailing out of Bellingham, WA. I have solo sailed the B-37 many weeks, and several other boats solo up to a Bavaria 41, in the PNW. I have also sailed as early as February and as late as December.

While winds are sometimes light during the regular season (May - September), I have never been on a trip of one or more weeks where we had NO wind, and I have never been on a trip when the majority of days were gloomy or rainy. I have also sailed the Atlantic and in the Virgin Islands several times. One of the things I prefer about PNW is that it is usually uncrowded (except for this year when border crossing was not allowed for us single-country citizens!). Even this year, there are SO MANY beautiful, quiet anchorages throughout the region. I prefer spending most nights on the hook or on a mooring bouy, saving the cost of overnight dockage which can run $75/night for a 37 footer. There are ample opportunities to tie up at a dock midday for free a do a little shopping or sightseeing.

Go for it!

[hvkelley]

BTW - if you are not already familiar with it, I suggest checking out Waggoner Cruising Guides at waggonerguide.com -- it is THE BIBLE on PNW cruising.

[Westcoastcarl]

BC and WA are different sailing animals. We do share the Juan de Fuca Strait and Haro Straits which are challenging due to large currents at times- especially colder months. Cruising in the summer is crowded with often half the boats from WA and Oregon in Desolation Sound anchorages.

BC is wilder and requires serious sail planning for cruisers interested in getting north of the Victoria on the open west coast of Vancouver Island. Knowing the chart datum is more work than in the BVI, Grenadines, Florida, Mexico or Greece in general. It's not as challenging as the Antigua coastline.

For the most part we have deep water sailing in our preferred more protected inside passage. Long tacks/ gibes to avoid islands and the mainland with only a few places shoaling. You must embrace the significance of 2 X 14 ft tides in one day that happen regularly Current is almost always a consideration. Current against wind in the many channels and passes can be dangerous with even moderate winds. Beating north up the Georgia Strait in an average flood is often very slow with chop due to the predominant NW winds. Gibing down the straight in an ebb for 100 miles from Desolation Sound to Vancouver can be just 24 hours in ideal conditions and often in July/August/ September.

Swimming is for the young at heart as is scuba diving. Fishing is VERY restricted now.

You may want to consider New Zealand's charms.

[desodave]

"Another factor that needs to be considered in Desolation is the depth under the rudder when tied stern-to. I use a lead line to check and compare with the form mentioned above. I have had to move a couple of times."





Guess I've been into Von Donnop too many times - it's just hug the shore and watch the depthsounder carefully. Don't think I've ever gone in on a really low tide though.

[svmargi]

Lived here since I was twelve (1956). Family had an old 24' navy officer's gig and we cruised all of Puget Sound, Hood Canal and the San Juan Islands at a breathtaking 4.5 knots for 8 years. Enjoyed every bit of it and never found a lack of delightful anchorages and cruising weather. (There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes) In 1972 I bought my first "boat" (other than a hand made kayak), an Hascall designed, Tregonning built 32" bridge deck, tri-cabin classic "WINIKIN" (https://classicyacht.org/boats/winikin). Lived aboard her and cruised all of Puget Sound, Hood Canal, San Juan Islands and Canadian Gulf Island at a shattering 6 knots for 3years. Enjoyed every bit of it and never found a lack of delightful anchorages and cruising weather. (There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes). In 1975 I bought my first sailboat BLUE WATER, a Hanson designed 50' ketch (https://whatcommuseum.org/virtual_ex...9675425460.htm). I lived on and sailed/cruised her throughout Puget Sound, Hood Canal, San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands and the inside passage as far north as the Broughton Islands. Enjoyed every bit of it and never found a lack of delightful anchorages and cruising/sailing weather. (There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes). In 1986 I bought my first plastic boat REBA (now AHMEEK https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...s.g-60861.html), a brand new Celestial 48 ketch that I sailed/cruised throughout all of the above waters as well as the Columbia River Estuary. Enjoyed every bit of it and never found a lack of delightful anchorages and cruising/sailing weather. (There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes).
From 1996 until 2006 I retreated to the mountains to ski and cruise Lake Chelan in my 27' Uniflite diesel cruiser where there was a dearth of delightful anchorages and cruising weather but good skiing. In 2006 I moved to Florida and bought a sweet little Bristol 34 that I refurbished, renamed MARGI (formerly AGROUND AGAIN, a 5.5' draft is a bit much for my new boating venue) and for 7 years sailed/cruised throughout the 10,000 Islands from Cape Ramano to Key West as much as I could and still avoid the bugs, heat, electric storms and shifting sand in the ever changing shoal draft, poorly marked and charted southwest Florida coastline. I enjoyed none of it. It was too hot to wear clothes, the bugs would chew your naked body to shreds and the constant concern for grounding, lightning and squalls was debilitating to the point of distraction.

Throughout the years between 1974 and 2014 I crewed aboard JOLI (a C & C 61, all over Puget Sound, Canadian waters and south to San Francisco), INCA (an S & S 39 in Hawaiian waters), LIGHTNING (an S & S 60 throughout Puget Sound and Canadian waters), TINMAN (a Barnett 48 throughout Puget Sound, Oregon, Canadian, San Francisco Bay and Hawaiian waters) and TIPPECANOE, a Farr 39 in SW Florida waters). Enjoyed none of it, busted my bottom, found a dearth of decent sailing weather but had to sail anyway, learned a great deal and taxed the best of clothing with the worst of weather.

I have now settled on Days Island (colloquially: Day Island) at the south end of the Tacoma Narrows where I can moor my Valiant 40 and sail/cruise all of Puget Sound, San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands and points north, south and west. From Olympia, Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska there is everything a sailor/cruiser could ever want. The weather is varied but not extreme, the number of good marinas is unlimited (I recommend Elliott Bay Marina for all the factors that make a great marina my having developed it notwithstanding) you can always find a delightful anchorage even if it requires sailing/cruising a little farther during July and August. The only thing I would say about your considering southern B.C. is that Victoria is on the corner of Juan de Fuca Straight and Haro Straight and Vancouver is on Georgia Straight all of which can blow up a bit which you might find limits the opportunity for spontaneously heading out for a sail/cruise, particularly during the winter months.

[raybird]

I moved a cutter up from Winchester Bay Or to Victoria on my way home to Alaska and ended up staying 9 years, keeping the boat in Deep Cove just around the corner from Sidney BC. The area is absolutely perfect for exploring the Gulf and San Juan’s islands, the inside passes between Vancouver Is. and the mainland. Services are great and most people speak boat’. There are far better places than The Vancouver City side, cheaper less crowded better service on the Vancouver Island side and the airport is in Sidney . Cheers

[capnorv]

HI have to give my two cents worth. I'll start by saying I was probably conceived on a Fall sail through the San Juans in 1955. I spent my summers through mid teens with a two weeks to one month cruise there and the Gulf Islands in our little ChrisCraft, occasionally island hopping on my 6 1/2' dinghy (I have movies), and looking back, am amazed I survived, and thrived. During my time with Uncle Sam the San Francisco Bay was my home with my little Guppy sailboat. Want to sail daily, that's a good place to start, but destinations for cruising are few and far between. I got out and headed to my property on the Yakima River of Central Washington, another kind of paradise. Another fifteen ears, a failed marriage and a smart dad, and I have a 22' Reinell sailboat, good at downwind and cruising acommadations, and nothing else. I spent many great weeks cruising on 25 mile long Riffe Lake and the upper Columbia 110 miles of Lake Roosevelt. Almost always windy in the afternoons, only occasionally...too windy. In the mid ninties I moored a 27' Newport down in Olympia, South Puget Sound, the area with almost as many marine parks as the San Juans, without the people. Six, seven years later I meet my wife, we get a Hans Christian 34' and live aboard for five years. Since then, we've raised adopted kids and graduated to a Hardin 45' Voyager, about ten years ago. Currently we live on Bainbridge Island, a place that gets 30" rain a year, and our boat is on the next door neighbors dock.
I've been cruising this area for sixty five years, and to me it is paradise. Where else can you cruise and anchor next to waterfalls dropping from glaciers 9000'-10000 feet above. Anchor in all weather anchorages that have eighty degree water temperatures a couple of months in the summer, and sixty degree in February. If you moor in Victoria, one of those places is less than twenty miles away. That said, I would recommend Van Isles or Marina Park marinas, just a short bus ride in Sydney to the North. Do we have great sailing, but I don't think you'll find a better cruising ground in the world. 2500 miles of island and fiord paradise. That said, have we had good sails, yes, nothing like catching a rising tide/wind conditions up the Straights of Georgia to Desolation or up the 35 miles to Queens Reach or Chatterbox Falls, or snuggling into a creek fall in Toba Inlet for a three day gale. Then again, finding a weather window through Johnstone Straight that's not wind against tide and pea soup can be a challenge. I could go on forever, but...Disclaimer, my wife says don't talk it up too much, it's our paradise.