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07.22 Monday Day 33
Again, slept like a log. Amazing thing about this area is that it is so calm, the water, that is. So much so that if you didn't know you were on the water, you could step right off the cockpit and splash... thinking you were on terra firma. The boat was steady as a rock, not a movement of rocking. Amazing.
Before I left this morning, my good samaritan neighbour on the Albion 25 gave me two loaves of bread (saying they were going back to Powell River and didn't need them; they knew I was out of bread as I had mentioned it earlier yesterday). When I mentioned I was thinking of heading 'North' after I had toured Desolation, they asked me if I had 'the blue tide book'. "No" I said; immediately he gave me the copy he had onboard, saying he had another one at home.
I offered of course to pay for the bread and the book. He wouldn't hear of it. Man, ... there's some nice people left in this world. All he said was "You look just like the type who would do the same to other people. I'm just trying to even the score for you." Imagine. Just goes to prove that what goes around, comes around.
Last night, I read Chichester book until past two o'clock. Although I had read it once or twice before, I just couldn't put it down. Boy! Can that man write or what!I think it's the nicest and most appropriate gift Danny ever gave me. Reading about his circumnavigating while you yourself are single-handing a long cruise such as this one somehow adds to the enjoyment.
Y-Knot at anchor in Ice Bay (Toba Inlet)
Today was another beautiful one, weather-wise and sail-wise. I ran all the way from Laura Cove to Ice Bay, five miles from the Head of Toba Inlet. Today's true run, counting a couple of long tacks I made in Homfray Channel was an actual 32 miles. As I know that at times I was doing only three knots, this means that I averaged a true 4 knot in speed. This also means that I was really 'flying' at times; almost planing. But I never lost control once, although I did have to furl in the jib on several occasions as otherwise, I was afraid I might have pitched-poled! That's how fast I was going at times.
Meet George!
Now.... about this Ice Bay place! First of all, this has to be the spookiest, zaniest, scariest, oddest, most frightful, and, last but not least, most beautiful little cove I have ever had the privilege of dropping anchor into!
Man, this place 'is' spooky! I have the stern only about thirty feet from shore yet, the depth sounder reads 50 feet under the keel. The anchor is in about 100 feet of water and the stern line is tied just about thirty feet astern. When I dropped anchor, it was still quite windy with the wind coming from all directions at once. This means that I had a hell of a time to run the stern line ashore with the Titanic (I have christined the inflatabe the Titanic because I never know when it's going to sink but, taking on water as it does, I have a sinking feeling (pun intended) that, sink it will, one of these days. It's for that reason that I wear the float jacket, whenever I think about it.)
The Drayman's Dance by Gary Goldberg
Anyway, I had just roped the line around a convenient tree when I saw (I think I saw!) the biggest, meanest, fattest, blackest black dog with big paws I had ever seen in my life. But, that sure as heck wasn't a toy poodle and, to this minute, I totally refuse to even admit it might have been anything but a big, fat, black dog!
Nevertheless, before the black 'dog' decided to come down to the shore, from his observation post, about 150 feet up, I made the fastest run aboard Titanic then hence to Y-Knot. That run to the boat should be in the Guinness Book of World records. I punched a hole on the bottom of Titanic when i jumped into it! When I got back onboard, I primed the motor, making sure it would start if ever I decided that this was no dog, or in case the 'dog' decided to invite himself aboard for tea, coffee, or .... me? Although it's a mighty expensive line, I was even ready and willing to let it hang on the tree and to forget about it.
Appropriate music for this place
Then, the wind picked up, dragging the anchor even closer to shore. But I still have twelve feet under the rudder and the low tide isn't due until late tomorrow morning. So, all being said, I decided to stay put right here and, if I can't sleep tonight, to work on the book.... and check my position, at two-minute intervals or less!
The fact that it's getting dark already and that it is still howling right at the entrance of my little bay might have something to do with my decision to spend the night here. I won't put any anchor light out tonight because, to tell the truth, there's not much traffic around this place . As a matter of fact, I ain't seen a boat all day up the inlet! Wonder why? The dogs? Yet, this place is so beautiful, it's almost beyond description.
From the cockpit, I look up at 6000 feet of mountain, rising almost straight up in the near distance. And looking toward the inlet, I see the bay framed by high walls, with another whomper of a rock formation dead ahead. It's just way out. Princess Louisa Inlet was also beautiful beyond imagination but this 'place' is totally different. The sheer size of it! In the photo above, imagine that 'wall' going up another six inches on the screen! And it was the same all around. That sure made Y-Knot look small... puny... tiny...
If we do get a bigger sailboat, I might come back and anchor here but I'll know better in the morning. If thinks get real tough tonight, I might have to draw the anchor and run back under jib alone. This should take all night and I would go back to Laura Cove to sleep it off. But I don't think I'll have to do that because the anchor has been holding good for the last two hours, although the wind has been howling at times and the wave action has never abated yet! It is as 'rolly' here as it had been calm in Laura Cove. That's what makes cruising so interesting; the ever changing conditions one meets day after day.
21:45 hrs. Now, it's getting really dark and spookier than ever. There is now lightning! And to think I have the highest "metal" mast for miles around! Spooky.... really spooky man! So spooky in fact that even my RCAF pennant is flying half-mast. Actually, what happened was that there was so much force put on the starboard stay that the line attaching the flag's pulley just snapped when the stay lightened. That's how much wind there was, as they say.
Although the good book (Cruising Desolation Sound) says that you can find some ice a short distance from the head of thsi bay where I am, I will pass. Unless I can gather enough courage by the morning, the rest of this cruise will go ice-less as it has done so far.
I saw my first mosquitoe (actually, 'he' saw me first and left his calling card, the S.O.M.). I hope he didn't go back to his camp to tell every other darn mosquitoe that there was some nut anchored in the bay. Boy, this place 'is' spooky. But, looking at it from its good side, it sure helps circulation. Nobody, but nobody ever leaves Ice bay constipated. At least, I know I won't! Viva la Porta Potti! Ole!
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