BC Cruising, Desolation in off season -- bolt holes, other guidance?

[desodave]

The big landslide at the head of Bute will NOT affect you - it scoured a creek running into the Southgate River, one of two big rivers at the inlet head. Probably a bit more debris in the water than usual but Bute's over 30 miles long - doubt there will be any lingering effect in March or later.


We consider Desolation our home cruising ground and usually make our first trip of the season to Prideaux Haven. But we're not usually out there until later in April. I don't think you have to worry about Bute winds at that time of year, more likely a 3 day SE storm with torrential rain. Big anchorages like Squirrel Cove, Prideaux and Grace Harbour are very well protected, and imo you can sit out anything there quite comfortably. The wind issues are primarily getting there or leaving to go south. For us, the SE restricts our ability to get in and out of Campbell River - Cape Mudge is nasty on a flood meeting a strong SE. You'll undoubtedly have more wind. Here is a link to historical data for Powell River (no wind data), closest station I could find to Desolation - 2019 shows it warming up nicely later in March;
https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climat...onth=3#legendM



As stated already, it could be a bit dreary in a lengthy rain event, but it will be spectacular if the weather clears for a few days. You'll likely have it all to yourself. The Refuge Cove store won't open until June, and the fuel dock M,W and F for limited hours until then. That and Lund are your only convenient sources for water and fuel around the Sound - Gorge Harbour and Heriot Bay are closest other possibilities. Squirrel Cove store is open year round for supplies and, I believe, propane.


Lots of smaller anchorages around - our favorite is Isabel Bay in the nook behind Madge Island - but not if a strong SE in the forecast. Tenedos Bay is popular as is Roscoe Bay so lots of options, and you will have them all to yourself in March.

[uhtflogan]

Thanks desodave--that's great info. Appreciate it.

[FabioC]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

A quick reply....

Read this excellent BC weather book:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=12e...ayfXxxEnBVjfVR

I would hope/expect Butes are less common by mid March.

I had a look at this reference, that is a very impressive publication!

Does anybody know if there is something similar for the Puget Sound?

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Depends where on the coast you are... No "Squamish" winds out Douglas Channel (over 400 nm from Squamish), but there are outflow winds, for example.... Bute outflows are called "Butes".

Squamish wind is an actual term like chinook or scirocco: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamish_(wind)

This is February, but I'm sure it's also easy to find space on the dock in March too:

[MJH]

Originally Posted by uhtflogan

Hi folks,

Loved the thread NedX started and wanted to see if our family could tap the collective wisdom. (New member but long-time lurker, so apologies if we're not used to any of the forum etiquette here!)

We're looking (Covid permitting) at Desolation in March (2 adults), and if that goes well thinking about attempting the Broughtons in July (2 adults, 2 teens). We're in a 42' Vancouver, so off-shore capable, good equipment. We know the Gulf Islands well, up to about Jedediah, but this is the first time we've had the time to get further north. We're alert to the flood / current / wind / narrows issues in the archipelago, having learned fast after some early errors. We have an EPIRB on board (along w/ radar), PLB plus marine radio on the vests, a basic coastal raft, and MOB recovery parbuckle & ladder. We're good, solid middle-aged coastal water sailors, but not setting the yachting world on fire, and this is a new boat for us (stepping up from a 27' Viking, so a healthy jump).

Wondering, if anyone had advice:

--Is Desolation in March do-able or is that just going to be miserable? Obviously the weather is the factor, but I guess what we're wondering is does it just howl and rain up there constantly in March (like that first season of Alone, Noah's arc version) or is it more variable? We're near Sidney, and here in March it can be spring time weather and beautiful, or it can be storms off the Pacific. We're getting lots of local advice, but not from anyone who has actually done it...which could be a hint too.

--We are very attentive to wind conditions and would want to hunker down for anything over 20 knots forecast. But forecasts are forecasts. We've also been caught out before especially in sudden southeasterly winds (summer around Hornby) where it turns ugly fast and w/o much warning. Do folks have recommended anchorage bolt holes (draw 6') in the spring up north? All the published recommendations are for summer season, and we don't know the waters up there well enough to know but assume prevailing in winter is completely different?

--Any other advice from anyone who has been up there in spring, apart from Watch The Weather? Advice on the Broughtons in summer season?

Grateful for any words of wisdom!

Unless I was going much further North and wanted to get there early in the season, I would do Desolation Sound area in early June at the earliest. We were there at Refuge Cove in early June and they had barely opened, at Friday Harbor we could take our pick of the docks. The larger towns will be open, of course, so if going early in the season be prepared to bypass the smaller ones if necessary

I have been sailing BC since 1995.

March will be wetter than April, April wetter than May, etc. Roll the dice and take your chances.

Beyond Jedediah Sturt Bay on Texada is a good over night. Lund good shopping and bakery. Refuge is quaint. Squirrel Cove has protection. Blind Channel Resort good docks/service. Forward Harbour has protection.

Recommend using The Waggoner cruising guide, Ports and Passes tides and currents.

Remember that North (Dixon Entrance) and South (Strait of Juan de Fuca) flooding tides meet North of Refuge Cove if taking that route through the rapids.

Plan your transition through Johnson Strait carefully. 2018 we got caught in terrible water (very short and steep waves) between Current Passage and Port Neville and ducked into Blenkinsop Bay for the night...some of the roughest water I've seen...very rough and cut our speed in half.

Good Luck.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Squamish wind is an actual term like chinook or scirocco: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squamish_(wind)

Read the Environment Canada weather book I linked above. EC does not call outflow winds from various other inlets "Squamish" winds (indeed, it does not refer to Howe Sound winds as Squamish winds).


Calling a Douglas outflow wind a "squamish wind" would seem rather south-coast-centric


Chinook (or foehn) winds are very different from outflow/squamish winds, as described in this figure:

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

Read the Environment Canada weather book I linked above. EC does not call outflow winds from various other inlets "Squamish" winds (indeed, it does not refer to Howe Sound winds as Squamish winds).

Indeed read it yourself - I suggest page 81, art. 2.1.6.1.

[desodave]

Originally Posted by MJH

Unless I was going much further North and wanted to get there early in the season, I would do Desolation Sound area in early June at the earliest. We were there at Refuge Cove in early June and they had barely opened, at Friday Harbor we could take our pick of the docks. The larger towns will be open, of course, so if going early in the season be prepared to bypass the smaller ones if necessary

I have been sailing BC since 1995.

March will be wetter than April, April wetter than May, etc. Roll the dice and take your chances.

Beyond Jedediah Sturt Bay on Texada is a good over night. Lund good shopping and bakery. Refuge is quaint. Squirrel Cove has protection. Blind Channel Resort good docks/service. Forward Harbour has protection.

Recommend using The Waggoner cruising guide, Ports and Passes tides and currents.

Remember that North (Dixon Entrance) and South (Strait of Juan de Fuca) flooding tides meet North of Refuge Cove if taking that route through the rapids.

Plan your transition through Johnson Strait carefully. 2018 we got caught in terrible water (very short and steep waves) between Current Passage and Port Neville and ducked into Blenkinsop Bay for the night...some of the roughest water I've seen...very rough and cut our speed in half.

Good Luck.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

Don't try to use Sturt Bay as an anchorage in a SE blow - it comes right into the bay. The docks there were closed to transients last year - not sure if for the entire season or not.

The currents meet around the entrance to Desolation, ie, it floods from the N but coming around the N end of Vancouver Island, not Dixon entrance - that's way up N by Prince Rupert. It's a good point though - the passes N of Desolation all flood S, and meet waters coming in around the S end of Van Island in the Discovery Islands. That's why the entrance to Discovery Passage (Seymour Narrows in the middle of it) is so treacherous facing a strong SE blow - a big flood causes up to a 9kn S flowing current at Cape Mudge. The current flows on floods and ebbs reverses from what you've been used to coming north.

There are lots of places around the northern islands where the current direction can be surprising - the mix point will vary with the strength of the currents (springs v neaps) and whether there has been a 3 day blow from the SE or not. We like to take the passes on a change to ebb - flushes you through and then you've got a decent current with you for travel. But you also have to buck some current leading up to those passes on that strategy so factor that into your timing. Lots of places where you can use counter currents to your advantage.

You'll also find strong swirling currents in lower Johnstone Strait, around Cape Mudge and through Baker Passage. They'll slow you a bit and the turbulence doesn't combine well with strong winds. If you buy Ports and Passes, it has a great section on transiting Johnstone Strait - shows the worst areas of turbulence and lots of good suggestions for passage.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Indeed read it yourself - I suggest page 81, art. 2.1.6.1.

"Similar winds that blow through other inlets, such as Indian Arm and Jervis Inlet, are also sometimes referred to" as Squamish winds.

Not always and not more Northern inlets.

Jervis Inlet & Indian Arm are nearby Howe Sound/Squamish (indeed, Indian Arm wind essentially the same origin) ... not Bute or Douglas


But not really a big issue to argue about. Let's not worry about it.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

But not really a big issue to argue about. Let's not worry about it.

Not really an argument, just a discussion about terminology. Names change, my experience is from a few years back (and of course memory can be less than perfect) and sometimes younger folks like to re-write history. The word Squamish is derived from a First Nation's term for strong wind - the town was named after the wind, not vice versa. That's how I remember it, and apparently I'm not alone: https://www.google.com/search?q=squa...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by uhtflogan

Thanks all (and merry Christmas)--we'll take a look at the timing. It sounds like maybe the percentage play in March (second half was the plan) is to assume we're cruising northern Gulf Islands and if the weather cooperates have the flex to zip up a bit further north, playing it by ear.

And thanks Toaster on the AIS rec. We do need that, you're right. We've been relying on iNavX and an older tablet back when they had GPS built in which was letting us see anyone transponding, which at 27' in local waters was kind of ok, but thinking through that we're not going to have iPad data up north, and we do need folks to be able to see us more remote and not be relying on consumer data plans. Will get on that.

42' is definitely a big jump. We're still getting used to tight docking on a sailboat that size and w/our high freeboard to be honest, and this spring a bow thruster is going to have to get fitted so we're not Those People at the marina. And I don't know how in a MOB we'd actually ever really get anyone back aboard in bad weather in time, so I guess we'd better made sure no one goes over. But it's opening up a whole world of options here, especially to get away from the crowds in the summer, and down the road maybe some offshore. We're lucky that we have two keen teenaged sailors eager to get out.

Hope to see some of you out there--

Are you familiar with the Lifesling? Throw it, circle the person in the water so they can grab it, pull them to the boat, and use a tackle to pull them up.

(On a big boat like yours I would think the halyard winch would work without needing the block and tackle.)

Developed by the Sailing Foundation in this area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnhjOhWD4j0