Neah Bay to San Francisco - Day 3

Current Position: 43 20.79 N, 124 19.24 W
COG: 175 T
SOG: 6.0 knots
Winds: 20 knots, gusting to 22 knots from the N
Distance traveled from Neah Bay: 331 miles
Distance traveled in last 24 hour run: 131 miles

We arrived at the entrance to the Coos Bay bar at day break. We had been monitoring the VHF radio throughout the night and many of the bars along the Oregon coast had been closed or had restrictions for smaller vessels (less than 26'). We had been concerned that Coos Bay would close down before we could get through. As luck would have it, the Coast Guard came on the radio just at that moment and announced that the bar was open to all but the smaller vessels mentioned above. The wind had been blowing all night at about 22-25 knots and the swell had built to 6' plus, so we knew that this could be a bit tricky.

We turned up into the wind and swell to get our sail down before entering the bar. That in and of itself was challenging, but came off like clock work. We motored forward passing the entrance buoy, identified the range marker on the far shoreline and proceeded into the bar past the jetty where the surf was breaking on both sides as we went in. The swell was running at 6' inside with very short period of about 5 seconds. The good news, was that we were past the bar and up into the channel before we knew it and things settled almost immediately. From that point, the channel narrows and you have to follow the buoys as you proceed to get to the Charleston Marina.

After refueling, we found a spot on the transient docks and made fast. It was 8:30 AM. The flood was running pretty hard at this point (1.7 knots) and it took several attempts to get the boat into a slip. Once in, we noticed that there were a lot of people on the docks with crab pots being put in and pulled out. They would leave them in for only about 5 minutes and then pull them up with a dozen or more crab. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. Unbelievable! I may need to get a crab permit and give it a try later on. Once over our amazement with the crabbing, we quickly got the boat secured and headed to shore for breakfast and showers.

We've decided to lay over here in Coos Bay for two nights to rest and let the weather on the outside settle. Due to his tight schedule, JP, our crew from Port Angeles to Coos Bay, decided that he would leave us and fly home. It was great having him along and hard to imagine doing the passage without the extra hand. We will continue south on Sunday, with the plan to stop again for a quick break in Eureka, about a 180 mile run.

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Neah Bay to San Francisco - Day 2

Current Position: 45 11.63 N, 124 58.92 W
COG: 175 T
SOG: 4.7 knots
Winds (at current time): 15 knots, gusting to 20 knots from the N
Distance traveled from Neah Bay: 200 miles
Distance traveled in last 24 hour run: 120 miles

We are currently 20 miles or so south of Tillamook, OR. We have motored for a total of 24 hours since leaving Neah Bay and sailed about 24 hours. Winds had been on our bow for all of day 1 and really didn't shift and build until earlier this morning. We are making a downwind run with following seas.

The first nights watch was cool and moist, but last night the nearly full moon was out all night and the building high pressure system has brought warmer and dryer conditions. It was a beautiful night of sailing, with light seas and wind.

Based on our weather forecast, it appears that high winds and sea conditions exist along the northern California coastline. Relying on that, we've decided to make a run for Coos Bay and let things settle before continuing on. We should arrive there early Friday morning. The plan would be to stay only one night and then head out again on Saturday. The lure of a warm shower may have played as much a roll in our decision as the impending weather.

Our 2nd night out was warm and dry and we were able to enjoy
a beautiful sunset to the west with a nearly full moon
rising to the east.

Paul and Janet watching the spectacular sunset.

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Neah Bay to San Francisco - Day 1

Position at 10 AM local time, 47 13.65 N, 124 57.95 W
Course Over Ground (COG): 181 T
Speed Over Ground (SOG): 5.4 knots
Wind: S, SW at 8.5 knots
Sea State: S, SW at 1.2 meters
Distance Covered last 24 hours: 85 miles

It's looking like a beautiful day weather wise. The sun is out, the wind is showing signs of veering to the W and NW and we've survived our first night offshore. We are currently motoring due to the light wind conditions on our nose, but in the last 24 hours we sailed 13.6 hours and motored 10.4 hours. We expect to be able to sail as the wind shifts and picks up a bit later on today.

The over night watch shifts have taken their toll on the crew, but with today expected to be somewhat light, we should all be able to get some sleep during the course of the day. Otherwise, the ships chef has been keeping the crew well fed and all is good. Next blog post will be made tomorrow at 10 AM.

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Rounding Cape Flattery

We rounded Cape Flattery at about noon today. Conditions are relatively calm with winds from the SE at 3-5 knots and a SW swell at about 1.3 meters. Our current heading (COG) is 212T and boat speed is 4.0 knots. We are currently motoring, but hope to head off shore under sail with a stronger SE wind as the afternoon progresses.

We are on our way south to San Francisco and ultimately Mexico.

We will update the blog and our spot once a day at or around 10 AM.

Below is an excerpt from the weather forecast:

Summary:
1) For this Tue, there is a fairly weak cold front offshore near 129W
2) Ahead of this front, there will be a S to S-SW breeze into this PM,
mainly off the WA coast
a) Not much wind near Neah Bay to Tatoosh Island, but
b) Look for the S to S-SW breeze, into the lower teens, possible as high
as 15-16 kts at times
3) Radar shows some showers offshore to S and SW, and there is likely to be
low clouds with some showers around into tonight
4) look for the breeze to diminish some and trend more left into S to S-SE
or SE during tonight
a) Wind lighter and more left into SE closer to shore, but
b) Wind will be slightly stronger and more right into S-SE and S offshore
during the night
5) On Wed, the cold front weakens/dissipates, while high pressure builds
further offshore to the W and SW

Cape Flattery.

JP was thirlled with the rounding of the cape.

Paul and Janet with Cape Flattery in the background.

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Neah Bay

JP, our fresh crew mate arrived yesterday afternoon in Port Angeles. We are now a crew of three for the run south to San Francisco. We had a wonderful dinner at an Italian restaurant in town and then headed back to the boat to make ready for our departure to Neah Bay.

We are now in Neah Bay, having arrived here a few hours ago. Our trip out of the strait from Port Angeles was uneventful. Weather conditions were perfect for taking your grandmother out for a spin on the water. There was no swell, winds were flat, the sun was out and it was fairly warm. As a result, we motored the entire way, taking just over 9 hours to get here. We all even managed to get an hour or two nap in at various times during the day.

Our first stop was the fuel dock to top off the tanks with diesel ($4.00 a gallon, a bargain compared to the $6.25 we had been paying in Canada, but expensive apparently compared to what it had been earlier in the year at around $3.25. I guess it's all relative). We are now at anchor out in the bay with several other sail boats.

The plan at this point is to head out and around Cape Flattery tomorrow morning. We are expecting winds at about 15 knots from the SE, so will tack out to the SW initially and adjust as conditions change. On Wednesday, the forecast is for light and variable winds, so we may have a day of motoring. Thursday is when it all changes, with winds expected to shift from the N to NW at about 15 knots. At that point we are expecting to have winds on our stern for the balance of the run south to San Francisco. That is the plan, but we will see what we actually get and adjust the plan as necessary.

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Back in the USA

We left Victoria mid-morning, motoring out into a beautiful sunny day on the strait with wind from the west at about 15 knots and a calm sea state.  Once clear of the harbor, we hoisted the sails and set our course for Port Angeles.  It was one of our most enjoyable sails as we reached across the strait.  Janet made up some cinnamon rolls for a late morning snack and all was good.  About mid-way across, we called US customs and were able to clear in over the phone using our NEXUS cards.

We will be here in PA for about 5 days.  There are a number of things on the to do list, including re-provisioning, laundry, cleaning the boat, installing our newly purchased AIS and a few other misc. repairs and tweaks.  There should be plenty of time to get it all done, I hope.

JP, our crew for the run to San Francisco, arrives on the 25th.  We hope to head for Neah Bay early AM on August 26 and then out and around Cape Flatery on the morning of August 27 and then non-stop to San Francisco.

On the docks in Port Angeles a few days before our
departure south bound.

Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island ….. check

The wind had settled by morning, but was still blowing 15 knots from the west. We decided to hoist the main sail and put a reef in while still at anchor. As the anchor came up off the bottom, we were sailing. When we cleared the shoreline that had been giving us some protection we unfurled the jib and we were off toward Race Passage and Victoria at about 6 knots.

Race Passage is another area where the current can run at up to 5 knots or more, so we had timed our passage to be close to the slack. Even so, as we approached, the ebb current was about 1.5 knots on the bow. Even though we were under sail, we started the motor and powered forward to ensure we had plenty of forward momentum to get us through. About the time we made it to the other side of the passage, the current flipped and started flooding back into the strait carrying us all the way to Victoria. The wind had picked up to about 20 knots and it was a wonderful, fast downwind sail into the harbor.

When we arrived at the harbor the BC Dragon Boat races were being held and races were under way as we came into the inner harbor. The Harbor Patrol came out to meet us and explained a modified approach that needed to be carefully followed. Once through that mess, we entered the marina and secured the boat to the docks. To our surprise, our friends from s/v Ka'sala, Doug and Lyneita, were tied up to the docks just across from us. We made plans to rendezvous later in the afternoon for cocktails. To our surprise they produced a bottle of Champagne to help us celebrate our anniversary. After that, we headed out to the Superior Restaurant for dinner. Thanks to mom and dad for the gift of cash to help us cover the cost. It was an incredible dinner with entertainment to boot.

We have now completed the rounding of Vancouver Island. Looking back at the experience, it was quite a challenge. First was Cape Scott, followed by Brooks Peninsula, then Estevan Point and finally, the run back up the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Each had its unique challenges of wind, current, fog and sea swell and required considerable planning and evaluation of weather and sea conditions. We made a few minor mistakes or shall we say errors in judgment, but overall mostly made all of the right decisions that enabled us to safely complete the circumnavigation.

Tomorrow morning we leave Victoria and head across the strait to Port Angeles, Washington. We will clear customs, ready Talos IV for the next passage and await friend and crew member JP for the trip south to San Francisco. The expected date of departure will be on or around the 27-28th Aug, weather permitting.

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Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Final Leg

We were up early to catch the 4 AM weather update and with a favorable report, we pulled anchor at Dodger Channel at 4:30 AM. It was a dark and moonless night and the light of dawn was still a good hour and a half away. Our first challenge was negotiating the narrow and shallow exit to our anchorage. We motored as slow as Talos IV would go and made it through the pass with no issues. The shallowest point we passed on the way out was 2 feet below the keel, shallower than we would prefer, but deep enough to sneak out. Had we left any later, we may not have made it out as the tide was dropping to its low in about two hours.

Once out into Trevor Channel, we motored out and around Cape Beal and headed southeast. Winds were up at about 15 knots from the SE (our direction of travel) and seas were very confused with a 2 meter swell. It was cold, wet and sloppy as we motored on into the dark. Conditions were quite uncomfortable, but we knew based on the forecast, that as we entered the west entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait winds would first become light and then shift from the west.

The folks at the Canadian Meteorological Service nailed the forecast and as we entered the strait conditions moderated significantly and we had a 15 knot wind on our stern with a following swell. And then, giving us an added boost, the flood current started to kick in at about 11 AM and continued to build throughout the afternoon. At it's peak we had current at about 2.5 knots carrying us into the strait. Our speed of ground (SOG) was about 8 - 8.2 knots. Further adding to the experience was busting out of the fog in the late afternoon and enjoying the view of the Vancouver Island coastline as we approached our anchorage in Becher Bay, about a dozen miles west of Victoria.

After the 13 hour passage and the early wake up call, we were exhausted. We had difficulty setting the anchor, but with our third attempt, were finally able to get it set. We ate dinner and went to bed early only to be awakened at about 1:30 AM by high winds blowing through the anchorage and the boat bouncing and swinging from side to side. It was a steady 20 knot wind with gusts of near 30. Given the difficulty in getting the anchor set, the strong wind and the rough sea conditions, we decided it would be prudent to do an anchor watch. Paul took the first watch and then we alternated throughout the night every two hours until about 9 AM when things finally settled. As in the past, we had everything ready to go including the motor switch and all the instruments turned on. In the end the anchor held and we survived the night with no issues. What a way to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

Today, we'll make our way through Race Passage and into Victoria Harbor completing our circumnavigation of Vancouver Island.

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Bamfield Inlet

We've just returned from Brady Beach, a 30 min walk across the peninsula from West Bamfield.  It is very picturesque with some of the softest sand I've ever seen.  It was a perfect day, no wind and temps forecast to be in the low 80's.  We hung out for awhile, ate lunch and just took in all the beauty.

On our way over from Effingham Bay yesterday, conditions were again too light to sail, so we motored the hour and half run passing through stretches of fairly dense fog.  Once we arrived, it was again a deep anchorage at about 50 feet and right in the middle of the channel.  It felt as if we were parked in the middle of the highway with sport fishing boats racing in and out all day long.  It was actually quite entertaining, although at times a bit annoying.  This is a very busy place with what appears to be a popular jumping off point for the sport fishermen.  Not much here, but a few marinas, a small store and the Coast Guard Station. There is definitely a feeling that we are back into civilization and approaching the more populated areas of the island.

Tonight will be our second night here.  We plan to depart mid morning tomorrow after making a quick stop at the fuel dock to top of the diesel tanks and most importantly refill our water tanks.   We will head across Trevor Channel to a small anchorage nestled between a couple of islands called Dodger Channel.  At that point, we'll wait out our opportunity to make the run into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  The ideal situation would be for westerlies, but the forecast is calling for easterlies for the next day or two, so not to sure of when we can get out.

The fog was beginning to set in as we crossed Trevor Channel
on our way into Bamfield Inlet.  Note the sea stacks
along the shore line.

The Bamfield Coast Guard Station at the entrance
to the inlet.

Artsy feel along the boardwalk in West
Bamfield.

Paul strolling along the West Bamfield boardwalk.

This is the cat haven.  The locals provide food and
shelter for the feral cats in the area.  There was
only one hanging out when we walked by.

Brady Beach.

Brady Beach with sea stacks in the back ground.

Paul enjoying a stroll on the beach.

Janet and one of the larger sea stacks.

Effingham Bay, Effingham Island

This is the largest island within the Broken Group. We had a very short motor to this new anchorage, but it took a lot of planning to avoid rocks and other navigational hazards. The bay had come highly recommended by s/v "North Star". We had a Humpback whale surface just inside the bay entrance while we were anchoring. After settling in we took the kayaks and went to shore for a hike to Meares Bluff on the eastern shoreline. Paul discovered a sea cave as he explored further around the point. The pictures from this adventure will be posted when we get wifi.

Entrance to the sea cave on the south side of Effingham Island.

The ferns were prolific along the roof of the opening to the cave.

Paul worked his way back into the cave.  Very scary!

We thought the play on light made this photo look really cool.

There was a high road and a low road.  We took the high
road to avoid the mud on the low road.  It was much
faster to travel this way.

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