Codville Lagoon Aug 10 to Port McNeill at present

Codville Lagoon, August 10; another chance for prawns and crab with our 3-day Canadian fishing license. We still have a freezer full of Coho salmon.



Two legal-sized crabs... one very large crab and a slightly slimmer sibling.


Our prawn trap produced this mix of spotted prawns and a striped variety, which I call zebra... but don't really know what they are. Then there was this feathered eel in there with them. We will show these pics to our expert northwestern fishing authority Pete when we get home and see if he has an idea what we caught here.






That's a standard sized clothes basket we keep our trap line in. So that gives you an idea of how long he is.... about 3 feet plus,. I'd say.




We headed to Green Island for our next night out. We passed this "aircraft carrier" on our way.




















We set our crab trap near an abandoned lumber operation in McCluskey Bay....






and headed to the anchorage. Green Island is a pretty anchorage. This bush-laden rock looked as groomed as some of Victoria's Butchart Garden areas.









We shared this anchorage with 2 other boats.




S/V Windriver, and a motor-powered large yacht named Yatchette. We have been crossing tracks with her since we left Ketchikan. We were fueling up at the same dock August 2, and they shared that they are heading to Vancouver. They were in Foggy Bay when we arrived that first night out. (and they were in Port McNeill when arrived Aug 15).


We headed out in the rain and cold Aug 12 into Fitzhugh Sound, after collecting our booty.





One large sea star and two crabs.










The smaller crab turned out to be still in the "growing a new shell" stage. We had many crabs of this type while in Alaska. The shells are thin and they are light on meat... nearly none in some of the legs.



Shaking the trap to free the Sea Star. They have many, many legs to hold on with.... I guess that would technically be "tentacle".




The prawn trap we had been lucky enough to plant in a 405 ft hole, produced a bull head (fish) and 4 small prawns, which we threw back. The fish head bait had a sand flea attack during the night, so there was no meat left, which might explain the shortage of prawns in there. A large disappointment.


We saw a lot of whale blows, and George even saw a whale flipping and splashing off our starboard bow in Fitzhugh Sound. It was a cold gray passage to Frypan Bay.



S/V Escape was already anchored there when we arrived and a small power boat came in later and spent the night also.






August 13. In the early morning dawn this heron came gliding in to fish.


'More beautiful totems along the waterline.








We were getting low on eggs and decided to hit the little store at Dawsons Landing... light bulb!.. they have showers there also. So that's where we headed.



The sky started to clear as we pulled up to the dock at Dawsons Landing at 11am.

General store.

Underpinnings of the general store. The weather is so hard on the wood here. Looks like they will be doing some work on these docks this winter, ay? (that's Canadian for dah! - well in this case at least)





The captain returning from the shower.






We passed Duncnaby Marina/Resort on our way to Millbrook Sound. Looks like they've added some buildings. We have to look back at our old pics to verify that tho. It's been two years since we've been there. Didn't see this part of the country last year as we were on the outside of the Vancouver Island.


We went to Milbrook. We have anchored in this tranquil spot (also a former cannery) at least once a year. I remember it as a rainy spot. Yatzee there last year during a storm.

It was pretty calm and VERY warm and sunny when we arrived.


A bit windy, but a nice afternoon.







This was the next morning.









And things didn't get much better as we entered Queen Charlotte Strait. We had our little timer in the cockpit and we blew the horn - one long - every 2 minutes.


Soon we were hailed by a tug, telling us he could see us on the radar, and heard our horn, and he needed us to divert our course to yada yada, whatever the lat/long was.

George got on the radio and told him, he couldn't see how we could be anywhere near a tug pulling a tow, cause we were considerably out of the shipping lane and over near Miles Inlet. Another boat came on and said HE was the one the tug boat was calling. I can't believe people stick their boats out into the shipping channel in these "blind" condition.

(We actually heard a cruise ship Prince something or other, on the radio saying he was traveling near Pine Island in "zero visibility". Wonder how many passengers were aware of that.)






Eventually we pulled into the Southgate Group to wait out the fog. By 2pm, it was lifting and burning off at the same time. This causes the phenomenon of closing in again, even as the sun is shining hotly thru the fog, the surface of the water is still cold enough to hold it down.... well, that's how I think it works anyway.

We got thru Queen Charlotte Strait in clear skies, but when we entered Gordan Channel, the fog closed in again. We saw a cruise ship pass by the entrance, and encountered a tug, while the fog was still pretty thin. As the fog thickened, we resorted to that every-two-minute horn sounding again.

We arrived at Beaver Bay and our anchorage Patricia Cove under a clear sky. We had wind, and it took two attempts to stick the anchor. But we set hard in a muddy bottom.



The view of the shore when we arrived August 14.








Same view when we left August 15 at noon. The fog was considerably thinner than when we awoke in the morning.




Seagulls along the shore.


More birds hanging out at the buoy marker.









And before long....................... we were at Port McNeill.












Blogging our little hearts out. We are blogging while they are rubba, dub, dubbing.... doing laundry.


We will leave here Tuesday morning... after which time, we have OUR laundry done, and final provisioning for the rest of the trip to Bellingham, where we'll pick up our car and head for the Klamath River.

For the next week we will fish and re-visit some of our favorite haunts in the Broughtons. We definitely want to swing by Echo Bay and say hi to Pierre and cast a line near Joe Cove.

So until we're back on the River, happy journeys, happy life.

luv/jo
(& the captain is blogging...........) go check him out on
www.teallog.blogspot.com

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Grenville Channel to Bella Bella - We're blogging from Port McNeill, BC

We're in Port McNeill. Got in Friday August 15 after picking our way thru the fog from Beaver Bay.

This is an old Steam Donkey from the logging days. It's the center piece of Port McNeill Harbour.

George, blogging at the laundramat.... complimentary wireless. As many folks internet here as do laundry. At current count: 3 launderers, 5 interneters.... and there may be some computers fired up in the parking lot to boot.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Going back to where the last blog left off - August 5.

We anchored in East Inlet off Grenville Channel on Aug 5 and set our trap in neighboring Harriott Bay. We had no luck attracting crabs. George stowed the trap for the next try.

We had a beautiful sunny passage thru Grenville Channel.




First mate enjoying the sunshine.... still learning the art of self portraiture with camera. Daughter Jennie is a pro...





Waterfall in sunny Grenville Channel August 7.











We spent the night of August 6 at Hartley Bay. Quiet visit there. Not as much activity as we saw last year while visiting this First Nation village. Weather went from marine layer to fog to sun.


Leaving Hartley Bay morning Aug 7. Most mornings have been marine layer or just plain fog.

Our summer has been
June-uary
Jul-ember
Fog-gust

Most afternoons clear and give us sun.

August 7 afternoon we pulled up to Butedale, a former fish cannery. It operated from 1911 - 1966.

We got a great tour of the grounds from Gordon, a 12 year old spending the summer with his "uncle" Lou. He was a very precocious young man. Most adult in his narration and very well studied of the cannery and all the details. We really enjoyed the day with him, as well as the bonfire at night.

Teal tied "carefully" to some pilings under the planks on the dock. The surges coming in from the channel are quite healthy at times.

Note the budding forest on the roof..

Lou the caretaker has cabins for rent that are often used by kayakers. This one is not currently available, but we're sure it once was a lovely cottage by the sea.


Gordon was anxious to show us the lake. As it turns out taking "tourists" up is the only time he gets to fish there, cause there's too much for Lou to do around the place to go with him and he is not allowed to go alone. The fact he took the bear spray with us indicates why he doesn't go alone. No bears this trip, but we saw fresh wolf tracks and we stirred up a pair of wild grouse.

It was quite a trek. Took us 1/2 hour to get there thru the mud holes along the trail and the mosquitos.

A little side on the little varmits. These were the breed that doesn't take no for an answer. The dryer sheets, the water bag, the citrinella candles - nothing worked. (I found out the next morning from a former native who came to spend the day picking high bush currants, that these are NOT no-seeums, they are "long nose".) However I think I also got targeted by black flies and/or white socks.


back to the lake.....
The logs have caused quite a jam at the head of the lake.










It was fun to check out the lake as it is typical of so many high water lakes that produce the beautiful waterfalls we see as we sail through these northwestern waters.








Farewell Butedale.... and thanx for the souvenir skeeter bites!

We left Butedale and headed to Klemtu, the First Nation village where we

toured the big house (aka "long house" by some natives) last year with Doug Neeslas. He was out of town this time thru.

The same dog who laid in the road last year, I'm sure.

First mate enjoying another beautiful day... in Klemtu.

This boat was obviously parked in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Eagle perched high atop his outlook, search for the "dead and dying" below.

We arrived in Shearwater Saturday night August 9. Did laundry, got showers, bought a fishing license, did some blogging and we were otta there. Not the captain's favorite stop.

We left Shearwater Marina at 11:23 Sunday August 10 to get water and fuel at Bella Bella. The folks at the fuel dock go to lunch at 12 o’clock noon, no matter what. It’s a band-managed business…. (meaning First Nation people, ie, Native American in the US).

We arrived and rafted to a small work boat at the fuel dock at 11:55 am on the nose. They let us pump gas. We filled up, 79 liters totaling $127.74. We figured that’s $5.00 plus per gallon.

We loaded up with good water, the only non-tannin water in the area; headed up to the grocery band store (which is open at lunch time); and headed out to our next anchorage by 1 pm. We were movin’.

The sky as we were leaving Bella Bella.

We anchored in Codville Lagoon, setting our crab and prawn traps on the way in. George got a 3-day Canadian Fishing License before leaving Shearwater.

Heading South - In Canada now

We left Ketchikan August 2 under a blue, white fluffy white cloud-filled sky.





Red tide. Organisms dying off. The color was a beautiful persimmon but the smell was really bad. This was with us all day until we got to Foggy Bay.






Aug 2 - anchored in Foggy Bay





















George was able to land these two beautiful Coho. August 3 on the way to Lincoln Channel.


Aug 3 - anchored in Lincoln Channel - no luck with crabs - only Sea Stars - Large.












Aug 4 - docked at Rush Brook at Prince Rupert. This fog was encountered morning of August 4 on our way to Grenville Channel.




















Aug 5 - Anchored at East Inlet, off Grenville Channel
Aug 6 - docked at Hartley Bay
Aug 7 - docked at Butedale - visited the old cannery site - now dilapidated
Aug 8 - docked at Klemtu - Indian Village
Aug 9 - docked at Shearwater

(more photos - next stop)

We are heading to Bella Bella this morning for gas and GOOD water (which is scarce in these parts because of the tannin from the cedar logging).

Thanks to all the sunshine we have had until this morning (Aug 10), we have not had to plug in to power since we left the KYC.

We have had sunshine everyday, but not always warm weather.... and then moments ago on this overcast Sunday morning, it started raining.... and it's chilly.

Since we got into Canada, we have no cell service. I considered buying some minutes from Rogers, AT&T counterpart in Canada, while in Prince Rupert, but since it was Civic Day for Canada, Rogers was closed. So I'll try calling from payphones like I did last year. What a pain this high tech-ness can be at times.

Gotta go get my shower and make ready for the days journey.

We'll be in Port McNeill in a few days. More bloggin then.

luv/joB
(& the captain says hi)
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Walker Cove and the Bears

July 24 we left Manzanita Bay in a warm sunshine and headed across Behm Canal to Walker Cove at Misty Fiords.

We found the buoy at the head and tied to it.


In moments we spotted bears, mama and her cub. She, eating beach asparagus and the baby digging clams..... both very absorbed in their meals.

They entertained us all afternoon, and as the day wore on, they headed back into the berry bushes for the night.

A short time later, we spotted 4 more bears lumbering along that same part of the beach where we first saw the mama and baby. There was a large, very large one and three that may have been a couple years old, very large also for that matter.

I took many pics of them, but they mysteriously didn't transfer off the camera. It is not the first time we have had missing pics. Not sure what that's all about, may be time for a new camera.

These bears hung out and ate salad and clams for a few hours and then disappeared back into the woods also, not to be seen for the rest of the evening.

The following morning, float planes came in, landed, and shut off their engines. The pilots and passengers were sitting on the pontoons paddling silently along the shore, searching for bears, which weren't showing themselves..... until 60 seconds after the planes took off. We spotted the mama and cub again.





George managed to get Teal in close to the shore - in 6 feet of water at one point - and they smiled for the camera. What a treat.


When we got to the head of the bay where it actually opened up into two bays.....



more bears. There are 3 there, that we could see.









So we were rewarded for our patience. We got the BEST weather we have had all summer and the bear show to boot.

We enjoyed the rest of our trip around the Island. We tied to a buoy in Short Bay, Bell Arm on the 25th. Woke to rain that day. We enjoyed the crabs from Walker Cove that night for dinner.

July 26 we woke to fog and headed to Klu Bay where we anchored and some beautiful falls coming out of Orchard Lake.

July 27, we anchored in Yes Bay.


July 28, we trolled and George caught us a really nice Coho between Brow and Chin Points on our way to Neets Bay. That fish gave us 8 steaks, two tails, and bait for the prawn trap. We arrived in the fog and mist. Then the winds came up. We anchored and were doing the spin-around all evening into the night.

We spent the afternoon playing dominoes and yatzee. George came out winners on both. I'll redeem myself here in the next bout.

The winds quieted down some around 6:30 and we snuck out and dropped our prawn trap. This would be our last Alaska prawn catch of the season.

The barometer dropped to 9.97.

When we pulled anchor the following morning (July 29) , the sky was pouring buckets. Cold nasty morning.












We retrieved our trap. Our catch: 50+ of these little crab creatures.... same color and size as prawns... but not prawns! What a disappointment.









We blew back into Ketchikan, literally. The winds were 45 to 50 mph according to some reports. When we got in mid afternoon, we were cold and tired, and it was raining lightly.

July 31 was a really cold and rainy day. This is supposed to be the height of summer, right?

It's August 1st. BBQ at the club tonight. And then we're outta here. Heading south tomorrow. We will be at Port McNeill on Vancouver Island in 13 days.... and then back to the lower 48.

Not sure when we'll be blogging again. But we should have cell service along the way, if you want to call.

luv/jo
(The captain has been blogging. Go check it out)

P.S. The "totems" I referred to in earlier posts are the ones along the shore, not the poles we see on land.

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