Circumnavigating Vancouver Island

[michaelmrc]

well i just left my job this week so now i have the time to make this trip happen. im thinking i will need 3 weeks to go around. does anyone have any links to routes anchorages etc... to help plan this adventure. thanks

[Astrid]

I have done it before. There are all kinds of cruising guides out there:

Circumnavigating Vancouver Island: A Cruising Guide downloads | Blog | ipuum - Yahoo! Blog

Or you can check out your local bookstore. Several of the Yacht clubs host a cruising regatta which circumnavigate Vancouver Island as well, and they can probably put you in touch with some pretty able veterans of those cruises. Be sure to have your charts, electronic or paper up-to-date, and have and study your tide tables; keep your radio tuned to marine weather forecasts as well.

[ScuzzMonkey]

This very thread might have some of the best and most up-to-date information about it that I have seen... even though it's two years old!

Waggoner's is often more or less up-to-date. We relied on it heavily when we went around.

The other available cruising guides (Douglass, Watmough) we found were all good, but quite dated. The geography and oceanography doesn't change much, of course, but the feel of the place is considerably different than when most of them were written in the seventies and eighties. We found it a much busier place than most of the guides described.

That has good and bad points, of course, and it's not a knock against the books in any way; but you might do just as well starting off with a few charts and identifying what looks fun/rational to you, and poking around yourself. Although three weeks is not a lot of poking time out there... you're short-changing yourself if you do it that fast (unless you have to, of course; but hey, joblessness should have some benefits, right?).

I think other folks have mentioned most of our personal favorites already, but I didn't see anyone mention Klaskish Basin. It's a little off the beaten track, but maybe that's what makes it special... glowing green water, perfectly sheltered, idyllic anchorage with few other occupants. Gorgeous.

[michaelmrc]

thanks everyone. does anyone have any experience with smart phone gps tracking apps, i would like to find an app that uses the gps in my smartphone to give my location to my family while im out.

[ScuzzMonkey]

If you have cell service, just call 'em.

"Hi mom! I'm at 50 degrees 14 minutes North by 127 degrees 48 minutes West, gosh, it's beautiful up here..."

But unless things have changed a lot, you won't have cellular service at that particular spot or many others along the West Coast, so no app is going to work for that anyway.

If you don't care about automatically notifying people, the GPS on your phone will still work just fine... I have a free app called GPS Status that I have been using for years.

[michaelmrc]

i know there are devices such as the spot communicator that sync to your phone and you can send tracks/location to google earth as well as send text messages . just wondered if there was another option that will do this without having to purchase the spot.

[Hugh Stewart]

STRIDER a 26 foot San Juan 7.7 completed a 23 day CCW circumnavigation of VI June 9, 2013 accompanying group leader IBIS a Beneteau Oceanis 351. Save for a couple of "on the nose days" up the inside fair winds and tides favoured our daily passages. Note: DO NOT ATTEMPT ANYTHING BUT SLACK WATER IN THE PASSES AND PARTICULARLY DO NOT VENTURE INTO OPPOSING STRONG WIND AND TIDE! Petroleum, GPS, and accurate weather reports make for a memorable truly exciting adventure. Go mid May - start at dawn - be very careful of strong NW WINDS every afternoon. ENJOY THE RIDE!
STRIDER managed 43 nautical miles in 6 hours with the GPS touching 12.93 knots on route to Friendly Cove. UNFORGETTABLE. BE PREPARED TO MOTOR SAIL A LOT.

[michaelmrc]

thanks hugh im already on route. just over in quadra now tomorrow campbell river for a few more supplies then off through seymour narrows.

[Hugh Stewart]

Ah, Klaskish Basin, indeed - a very worthy "must see"

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by michaelmrc

thanks hugh im already on route. just over in quadra now tomorrow campbell river for a few more supplies then off through seymour narrows.

I haven't read through the entire thread, so I apologize if I am duplicating other's advice.

We've gone around 6 times, CW and CCW and usually take a month. On the inside include Mamilakula (sp?) on Village Island in the Broughtons. It's not what it was 30 years ago, but still a great stop.

God's Pocket on Hurst Island is definitely worth a day stop.

Bull Harbor is the traditional stopping point before crossing Nahwitti Bar, but unfortunately, you can no long go ashore and visit the beach on the north side of the island without irritating the Native American landlords. Muddy, muddy bottom.

I'm sure others have said it, but really, don't cross the bar except a few minutes before high water slack. We took a wave over Delfin the last time around, and the conditions weren't that bad.

Follow others advice on West Coast stopping places, but if no one has mentioned it, do visit what the locals call 'Jacobson's Point'. I can't remember if it is on the chart, but it is located at the southern base of the Brook's Penninsula. You can anchor behind the islands at the base before entering Nasparti Inlet where there is probably still a wrecked Coast Guard cutter. There is a trail that goes from the inlet side to the ocean side and one of the best beaches on the Island. You'll think you're in Hawaii.

Other than that, follow your nose and have a great trip.

[Pleiades]

No, since it was not active.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Pleiades

No, since it was not active.

I don't understand what you are responding to. Can you explain?

Also the thread has been moribund for 7yr.

[paralog]

Yes did it last year, singlehanded, very little sailing as it was a very calm period of weather. Took 5 weeks. Don't rush, watch the weather and it can be ago. Go against the weather and you can get into real trouble.

[paralog]

Originally Posted by StayRsailaway

never been all the way around but I didn't see anyone mention Hot Springs Cove, and barkeley sound, two of my favorite places on the planet so far... bartkley(dont remember spellling) is bahamas in a northern lattitude, plenty of island hopping and flora and fauna, HSC is in the middle of nowhere the only way to get there is by ocean taxi or your own boat, and then its a 2.5 mile hike that is completely covered by 2x4's (helpful if old or out of shape)through the woods donation only (last free destination i know of). it's secluded, wait until sunset and go into the 90+ degree hot springs just watch out for those old nude sea dogs. or those young bikini girls (i have seen both) and watch the sunset/your boat/the bay as you take a 90 degree all natural shower, o yeah BTW its on the ocean side of the island...I never went inside, although I had a friend go on his way to alaska and even a meathead like him said it was nice.

Nope, it is not donation at Hot springs Cove and has not been for many years. It is a mandatory $3.00 per person, fee vault and envelopes are at the trailhead. Park is currently closed and has been all of 2020. Same as other public hot springs. Money goes back to the maintenance of those expensive boardwalks which have a short live especially near the hotsprings.