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07.11
Slept like a log, from about midnight to 09:00 hrs! When I first went
into the cockpit, I had a look at the most beautiful scenery! The tide
was ebbing and I could barely see the top of the big trawler yacht
which was anchored right at the base of what was now a roaring
waterfall! By one o'clock, I could barely see the top part of the tall
mast of a sailboat, also anchored at the base of the falls.
Photo taken at entrance to lagoon. A sailboat at the far end of the cove can be seen Boats right below lagoon are invisible! Awesome!
One couple was already on top of the falls, looking straight at me,
anchored there not 400 feet from where the lagoon water started it's
plunge down the falls. They waived and waived.... Being a nice sort of
fella, I waived back. So much for the social niceties for today.
At 11:00 hrs, after breakfast and a bit of tidying up, I brought up
both anchors (yes, ... two anchors, as I didn't want to go rapids
jumping in my sleep) and I set sail! Gorgeous! I recce'd the whole
lagoon, from one end to the other. People were starting to come up
from their boat and climbing on top. One fellow yelled at me "how did
you get it up there? by chopper?" There must have been ten people there
already as I came back from the far end, ... under full sail and
keeling on one side! And...... I was playing the Blue Danube and flying
the White Ensign!!!!
Some people yelled "Beautiful... go around again!" And I did, staying a good 300 feet away from the falls and with the outboard at the 'ready', just in case. But there was no danger. Then, I went to the south end where there's a fantastic little cove, hidden by a small islet, and dropped anchor for a few hours. I inflated the by now almost deflated dinghy and rowed about for an hour or so. Then, I did the wash, sunbathed and, generally speaking, did just nothing much.
South end of Y-Knot lagoon Hidden by a small islet.
After Princess Louisa Inlet and the famous Chatterbox Falls, this stay at the lagoon has to rate as the highlight of this trip, so far. Imagine, a whole lake almost, and all to yourself while, at low tide, and some thirty feet below, there are dozens and dozens of boats anchored! This has to be the most secluded spot in the entire Desolation Sound area. Even more so than at the head of Queens Reach. Over there, there was an Native caretaker, although I never did get to see him. Here, .... just 'le petit moi!'
Some people I talked to told me there never had been a sailboat up in the lagoon. One old-timer, who had sailed these parts for some twenty years then told me that he was going to rename this 'no-name' lagoon, the 'Y-Knot' lagoon on his charts. He suggested I write an article and submit it to Pacific Yachting for publication. That's an idea. But... later on. I'm having too much fun right now in 'Y-Knot' Lagoon! And to think that the darn lagoon is a mile long, quite wide, no rocks, and perfect for sailing! From the south-east end, one looks at a small island similar to the one on Maligne Lake in the Rockies. At least, this island is nearby and, for the moment at least, all mine... I even took a small walk on it an hour ago. Way, way, way out!
Send in the Clowns Seq. by Don Carroll
I may just stay here a couple more days. But I will have to leave some day before the lower high-tide' gets here. Tonight, at slack water, I will go take some readings with the manual lead line throughout the passage to find out if I can go through on 12 foot high tides. Right now, the high water is around 15.8 feet, the highest for a while. If I ever get stucked in here this time, the next opportunity I have to get out will not be until the 18th of August. And then, after that.... Christmas at the Lagoon! So, I have to play it safe.
Why go looking for a utopian anchorage, such as Melanie Cove or Laura Cove, filled with boats, when you have the nicest spot in all of Desolation Sound to yourself? How I wish Georgette were here to experience that thrill!
One fellow, of the noisy type, asked me today if the lagoon dried up at low tide. I had anchored close to him earlier on in the trip and I sure as heck didn't want him in 'my' lagoon, with that stereo of his. So, I lied a little. I told him "Yeah, sure does in places and you gotta watch them rocks too!"
That did it. He decided right there and then that just a screwball like me belonged here. Poor guy. If he only would have known that there is an average of from six to eight fathoms right across the lagoon and not a single rock! Just goes to prove: don't ever listen to 'screwballs' and trust only yourself and your boat!
And now, to paraphrase an unknown sailor: Good night World!
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