THAR BE DRAGONS

Whale Blow

Rapids

Whirlpool

We stayed at the Blind Cove Marina after having departed early from Squirrel Cove to make the first of three passes with strong rapids. Make the first as the current is coming toward you and the next two will be at slack water and the last with the current carrying you, so they say.

We arrived to Squirrel Cove and anchored. Soon we were hailed by one of the boaters, Scott on Blue Span to come raft with him, so there would be no issues in the morning. We pulled up anchor and then moved to where he was anchored and we rafted with him on his hook (anchor).

We took the dogs in to shore and the crew to the host for the Hawaiian themed pot luck. Ed picked us up from the shore and returned us to Magic Carpet where Stever and I doffed our muck boots and donned our aloha shirts and leis. We had to be ferried to the pot luck by Tommy from Blue Span as our tender out board would not start. A dead battery? We had salmon, fillet mignon and various salads and pastries provided by the participants. Then we had the peel off... it is called the peel of because in the past, they used to have a board with all the contestants names on it with their results covered. The results were then revealed by peeling off the tape that was coveing the names. As expected, we did poorly, in fact we came fourth of the four boats competing .After the peel off, I was told that the reason we were asked to raft to Blue Span was to avoid dragging in to a fish pen wreck and fouling our anchor (that would be a bad day).

The next trips to the shore to walk the dogs was to the native pier. Ed kept the engine running to ensure we could get bafk to the boat.

Our trip from Squirrel Cove started out plesant enough but the skies looked ominous. Most of the travel from Squirrel Cove was in beautifully clear weather navigating through spectacular vistas. The rain started as we neared Dent Rapids and continued as we approched the first rapid and whirlpools. We were being led by the slowest boat, by one of the boaters with the great experience and were able to safely navigate the rapids.

We thought we were finished with rapids and whirlpools but were quickly disabused of that thought when we entered Blind Channel. We made it to the fuel dock and safely into our beth for the night. I thought at one moment, we were going to be hit by the neighor bow pulpit on our starbord side. Once he was tied up, another boat came in to tie up to the #7 finger pier. We scrambled to adjust our fenders (inflatables used to protect the boat from damage caused by mooring). After a few attempts theY finally landed their boat and secured it to the dock.

Blind Cove Resort and Marina has a restaurant that specializes in German Cuisine. The food was sumptuous, the company was great and I was tipsy. After walking the dogs for the final time I was off to bed... it had been a long and tense day.

You will give us your food, resistance is futile. Growth on the floats of the dock. POYC Burge.

We left Blind Cove after having diliberated wether or not to brave the weather. We pored over the charts, the Predict Wind App, the weather report from Canadian Weather. We determined that leaving early, going to Lagoon Cove via Johnstone Strait, Havannah Channel and Catham Channel was the best choice and if the Strait was too lumpy, we would pull into one of several coves and bays along the route. Suffice it to say, the water was flat and the wind was with us as was the current except in Catham Channel where not only was the current against us, it reached, according to Predict Wind, 5-6 knot against us so we had to power up to make it through the channel to the fuel dock where we topped off with fuel.

The marina is very rustic. we were cautioned about bear and the marina provides bear spray and air horn to chase off the bears. I will have to walk the dogs before my bed time. The marina at Lagoon cove provide free prawns every day, with a potluck provided by the boaters, during shrimping season, there are bathrooms and showers, a barn with a book exchange and free coffee in the morning at their docks. Who knew you had to wear mail gloves to eat shrimp, but worth the effort because they were soo good!

Well folks, I can hardly keep my eyes open. Cheers!