Tuesday July 8, 2014

Tuesday July 8 speaking of NOT SO NICE SMELLS, what’s with the BOATERS who start their diesel engines and let them idle at the dock to warm them up? Just go!!!!!!! Engines warm up better in gear underway slow. We spent 20 minutes being smoked out and we all had to close up.  SORRY about that rant! But a true Yachtsman is also courteous about this and his wake, anchoring to leave privacy for neighbours, not throwing their potatoes peals in small crowded anchorages and moving their VHF marine traffic to a working channel in double quick time. Also not calling your boat silly names like “MAY something” or “FOG ducker”.

We put HUGIN /MUNIN in the briny and shot over to the grocery store in Bella Bella. The store they use to have has burnt down. (Some say by locals.)  The village has a new one under construction and it will be opening soon. There is a temporary store for the time being.

A native was kind enough to let me know that my small dog was not safe here. He said there are many dogs there that are not under control. I guess our little girl would have been a snack for most resident dogs.

Leaving Bella Bella

We stock up and head back to SHEARWATER which is about a 15 min ride in our skiff. You can take the sea bus that runs of a schedule and cost $5.00 each way.  The store in SHEARWATER usually opens early, but they have just received fresh supplies and will not open till 1pm.  Fuelled up OCEAN AIRE 1 and take on a small amount of straight gas for skiff. The bill comes to about $ 1300 for 3 weeks out and includes all of our heat, cooking, light and transportation 24 /7. In the old days you could buy a 7.5 hp brand new outboard motor and have pocket change for a real COKE, not diet for this amount.

Sometimes Bucket Lists get longer in spite of checking some of the items off. I heard that there is a crash site of a WWII flying boat just above Alarm Bay very near Shearwater. The air craft (CANSCO English designation) (PBY is the American designation) left Shearwater on a mission in 1943 in poor flying conditions.  Encountered low cloud and fog minutes into flight, turned back to home base and crashed into the mountain just 75 ft. of clearing the ridge. Several crew dead, a number burnt some with no injury and some in critical condition. The direction to the site is sketchy but if pressed with grog I am sure someone would spill the beans on the location. I did learn that most of it was destroyed by fire. It had a full fuel payload on board.   It is evidentially a 40 min walk from somewhere. A local evidently has come back with part of the propeller. This was a twin propeller machine.

The story is told on a plaque at the Cenotaph that is located at the top of the main ramp at Shearwater. This would be a cool thing to undertake and view this historic site. I will have to do some homework, before I strike off to infinity and beyond.

 

Canso Memorial Plaque

 

We are just about to Leave SHEARWATER when Rick & Faye on “Raven Spirit” arrive. We socialize for a short time. There is internet as part of the moorage package, and he needs to communicate with his office. We would like to spend a night here with them as they are great people and excellent boaters and know the north waters well, but it is time to go and we know that we will get together soon.

Mike and Betty on “Shaman II” were with them and have gone to fish the Spider Group of islands. There was a radar installation on one of those islands during WW11 (some of the old board walk and buildings are still visible to day.)  There is a multitude of small islands in this area and none of them had names ,so to keep track of the locations during the war some of them were named after aircraft such as Lancaster, Spitfire, Sterling, Hurricane, Typhoon, Mosquito, and Swordfish, Kitty Hawk, Air Cobra rock and not an aircraft, but Target Bay and other names lost in time.

Boating in this location is not for the faint of heart and not for novice. radar, electronic charts, (as well as paper) and a strong depth sounder is a must for a safe passage. This Big country and the beaches are littered with logs etc., the odd glass ball, fishing nets, and occasionally container off  ships or parts of them.

We set a course to Boat Bay in MILBANK SOUND.

 

Dryad Point Lighthouse

 

Just a little bumpy

 The wind is very brisk and Penny is out covering her plants to save them from salt spray, to no avail.

We check Boat Bay out (we have stayed in this bay before).  The bay has a narrow entrance and shallow secluded, very private but the tide is too low for a comfortable passage through the entrance.

We stay in Oliver Bay across the way (Provincial Marine Park). There are 2 other boats that we were docked in SHEARWATER, one a small Vega power boat (pilot house) that is on its way to Alaska.  The other a sailboat about 42 ft. long (member of West Van Yacht Club). The wind and sea have ripped apart the timber entrance sign to the park and what is left makes a handy roust  for a local eagle.



What's left of the Oliver Bay sign