Monday Aug 8: Stef departed Pemberton around 7am; Nic followed at about 9:30am. Approx 11:30am launch from Porteau cove (Stef drove the truck, Nic drove the boat). Parking lot was getting full. Forgot to attach the steering to the motor initially. Beautiful day with low winds. Motored to Halket bay; too choppy for swimming and a little crowded with boats. Decided to motor on to Keats / Plumper cove. Arrived 4/5pm. All mooring buoys and dock full. Took a while finding a good anchorage. Discovered most people put only 2.5 times depth in anchor line (not 5-7 times) when it's crowded and conditions calm. Anchored in 40ft of water with 100ft of line, same as our neighbours. Dinner: pulled pork tacos with salad, guac, salsa. Kids had hot dogs. Bumpy night in a lot of low swell, with the rudders clanking (should pull rudders up at night)
Tuesday Aug 9: 10am(ish) moved to the dock, with plenty of space now available. Most people departed by 11am. Spent some time exploring the shore. Another MacGregor (26X) on the dock with a family of 4, kids just 3 and 6 years of age. Gorgeous day. Lunch on the dock: clam chowder. 1pm departure for Bowen. Motored in confused seas. Arrived 4pm on government dock. Paid $5 for a day visit, then decided to spend the night ($13). Dinner at the pub on the hill (fish and chips). Calm quiet night, despite being right next to the ferry with last departure 11pm and first departure 5-6am.
Wed Aug 10: 11:30am departure for Halkett Bay in brisk winds. Nice sailing all the way to Halkett, leaning 5-10 degrees in the wind. Small trouble getting the motor back on (wasn't quite in gear). Stiff winds and choppy seas; bay seemed too open to the wind for a comfortable night, so returned by motor to Bowen by 1:30pm. Bouncy motor with spray in face! Same spot on dock ($13). Papa visited for dinner. Calm quiet night.
Thurs Aug 11: 9am departure for Halkett Bay. Arrived 10:30am; first in the Bay, first to anchor. Very low tides forecast for 11:30am. Anchored in about 20feet? Kids played in "quicksand" on the beaches. Lots of rocks and long beaches at low tide. About 6 more boats arrived, including "Norse Star" (big boat) and a sailboat that borrowed someone's mooring buoy for the night. NB mooring buoy here is $10/night. Dock not suitable for landing anything other than a dinghy. Dinner: penne pasta with sauce and smokies. Calm quiet night.
Fri Aug 12: awake 6am, 7am departure. Motored to Porteau; arrived 8:50am. Stef kayaked ashore; waited for 1 boat launch; put the trailer in the water on a mid-tide with calm seas. Stef returned to the boat; Nic kayaked ashore to receive the boat on the trailer. Perfect parking first try at around 9:30am on a mid tide (low tide at 1pm) and slack winds between inflow and outflow. Boat packed up and departed at 12:30pm.
