Sunday, June 29, 2014

Sun, June29.  THIS is IT! We are heading out TO CROSS around CAPE CAUTION. We are prepared for this and we have lashed down the dingy, locked the cupboards and put away the loose stuff and placed are life jackets near at hand. We have listened to the weather and it sounds to be improving. NOW IT'S THE TIME TO MOVE. The ONE weather buoy that we want to hear about is SEA OTTER and Weather CANADA say is not available . THANKS A LOT!!!!!.

The challenge is the wind could be light but the SEAS can be MONSTEROUS especially off SLINGSBEY Pass, with its very strong current flowing out Seymour Inlet, that will continue long after the tide has turned and the pacific swells coming all the way from JAPAN to great us personally, and this could be a bad thing and not that comfortable. RIGHT up to Jeanette Isles we are texting the kids and doing last things, bill paying on line etc. because we feel confident  that we will not be back to cell for some time. We have timed it right to go around the Cape. Other than VHF there will be no contact with real world. There are no other boats out here.  Could we be the only FOOLS venturing INTO THE ABESS?

I spy a long way ahead a tug and and believe it is the one that we spent the night in NAPIER Bay unloading for a new logging show. He is a commercial guy and must know his stuff.  He's now waiting for the tide for Seymour to RELAX it's flow. I felt we would have company to travel with and if we got into serious trouble he would drop his million dollar tow to rescuer us. 

Cape Caution

The waves continue to mount, but far off in the distance I see several small dots and this encourages me to motor on.  SAY I, because the ADMIRALS is in her bunk with are intrepid SEA DOG with covers over their heads. NOW I am not saying its really bad until we go below wave height in the trough and one SNARLS at me when it goes by. NOW we are elevated on some large crests and I see a sail boat mast and she must be under power.

Down in the troughs

 I hear a radio transmission from the “LILY B” talking with another vessel.  They are traveling with a sailboat and I deduce that they are the spots on the horizon. Now the “LILY D” is a well found vessel with a seasoned skipper. She is much smaller than us so I say to myself SUCK IT UP BUTTER CUP. We are slowly overtaking them. One of the UNwritten rules is that you never never wine about tough sea condition with your boating friends (you may admit to it at some distant time just to be macho) as you should not be out there in first place. Unless the admiral is in your ear and then it’s too late but to tuff it out. You might say to vessels at large that’s it’s a bit bumpy out here.  How you are doing? But the other guy would only lie as he does not want to be the only FOOL out here. Usually the rougher it geta, you do not spend time on the VHF, as your too busy hanging on to your BUTT...WE tuck in behind EGG ISLND to secure the crane as it is swinging at the motor bike. Not hard but enough to do damage, I should have done a better job of securing it. The wave’s height subsides and we now enjoy the ride.

WE ENTER FURY COVE (7 hrs. & we are finally here) with the surf breaking about us and now we are into perfectly calm water.  We put the hook down, take puppy ashore on a little islet.   WHITE CRUSHED shells form a reef around us on which the surf breaks. GOD ITS GOOD TO BE HER,E.  A scotch for me and a wine for Penny and life is perfect in this PERFECT place.

 

Enjoying the Shores of Fury

 

 

 

 

A more than a little tired are heads don’t hit the pillow before we are asleep. YOU ask me “what is the best to round CAPE CAUTION IS?”  WHEN IT IS NOT ROUGH! My tomorrow is planned with chores and a long excursion to Dawson Landing.