Island hopping north up the Inside Passage

---

---

(Thursday, July 11) Barely free of the US, we start our real journey north trouble-free, though we do stop in Vancouver for more parts since there’s easy access to some great boat chandleries. Plus docking at False Creek Fisherman Wharf is familiar and welcoming. Our folding bikes, quickly deployed, allow us an evening bike ride on Vancouver’s fabulous waterfront pathways.

(Friday,July 12) After Vancouver, Powell River is first on our decarbonizing agenda. Their renowned paper mill, historically the West Coast’s largest, is now barely operating. We are sad not to be able to meet with our Greenpeace contact so missed our scheduled talk about the IPDP and the possibilities of a Renewable Diesel manufacturing plant at the mill.

We dock at the south end of town, in Westview Harbor, which puts us close to their annual festival, Logger Sports so out come the bikes and we peddle into the adjacent park listening to dueling chain saws from competing artists who are creating fantastic carved art pieces.

Powell River has great potential and gets lots of love from the locals plus the ferry dock brings a miss mash of tourists, musicians, and artisans. We found many at the afternoon open mic in the Zoo.



( Sunday, July 14) Next up Shoal Bay - after we get through the Yucatas rapids. Actually three sets, Dent, Yucatas, and Green point rapids, 3 so close together they are easily passable in one slack, still full of sinkholes, whirlygigs, and hydraulics that pull our stern one direction while heading another. The feeling of arriving early and waiting is familiar. ‘Hurry up and wait,’ I have heard my exasperated mother say enough times that it seems she is here sighing, reminding me that I’m my mother’s daughter and I feel like jumping overboard for a swim. Of the 5 boats who are drifting waiting for slack, we are last to go but we enjoy a smooth cruise all the way through.



No one is fishing at Hall Point, so we know the springers and coho haven’t made it this far inland. Even so, there is no room at the free Government dock at Shoal Bay so clearly the tourist season is well underway. Mark, Shoal Bay owner and caretaker, has added an outdoor bar in the middle of their island paradise with lounge chairs surrounding their driftwood-hewn counters. Cynthia’s artistic flair is evident throughout and her gardens have been well-tended producing beds of at least 4 different kinds of lettuce, herbs, peas, and more vegetables on their way. Only one kind of beer but it’s fresh on tap and everyone has a great time swapping fish or travel stories. Mark is very interested in Ren-D fuel highlighted in our new 21st-century fuel guide brochure and it doesn’t take long before Peter has the bar talking about the future of boating the Inside Passage.



(Monday, July 15) We head out early to catch a favorable slack in the biggest rapids of this section, Whirlpool Rapids and easily cruise through on our way out to the Johnstone Strait. It’s a beautiful sunny day and almost flat calm, just the way we ordered for our cruise north through those big waters.

(Monday, July 15) Our next stop is Alert Bay, a small tribal community with an incredible history museum on Cormorant Island. It’s a special place for us because we visited there on our honeymoon cruise. We were married in Grace Harbor, 19 years ago, on Raven, a much smaller sailboat after a scary crossing of the Georgia Strait, but that story is for another time.



(Tuesday, July 16) In the morning we continue island-hopping at the end of Blackfish Sound and stop at Sointula on Malcolm Island. We find out that the local residents are very progressive with an interest in alternative power and a strong co-op community but no one jumps to take on the IPDP charge. Like we have found in every Canadian port, everyone is interested in getting access to alternative fuel & lubricants. They are happy to take stickers and are willing to share with their friends. We load up on fresh produce from the local farm stand and score delicious home-made croissants!



It’s a quick 20 miles north to Port Hardy, our only stop on Vancouver Island so far this summer. As we round Dillon Point into Hardy Bay we see a convention of Coast Guard cutters including our favorite Tanu and our rescuer from a previous summer, Cape Sutil. There are at least 4 large cruisers in the bay We tie up at Seagate docks and visit with crew members during shift change and as usual, Ama draws visitors with her Petrol Free Boat stickers on her side. We get to wash laundry and enjoy showers after testing out our new Torqueedo electric motor on the hard-bottom dinghy for the first time, heading into the inner harbor where most boaters tie-up.

Our anniversary celebration this night, involves the full moon, a fresh seafood dinner and long walks on the docks. We celebrate with a dinner at Sporty’s but sadly miss the chance for 5-pin bowling in Port Hardy because we plan to get up early to catch light winds for crossing Queen Charlotte Sound.

(Thursday, July 18) Spending the night in God’s Pocket the night before puts us 9 miles closer, shrinking the distance for our biggest open water crossing. It’s Captain Peter’s birthday today, so we celebrate with ice cream - his favorite - and a rare treat on our boat!



The further north we go up the Inside Passage, the farther we are away from wi-fi world. Unfortunately for the Captain, who closely monitors weather and winds with his favorite app, “Windy.” For me, I find relief in “checking out” from bad Trump news and everyday demands of the calendar. Though my writing doesn’t seem to improve, at least I have more time for revisions so I am happy to make forward progress on a couple book projects!

We are grateful to Peter Burchim back home taking care of our lovely Luna and Home Gardens!



BLOG #3 • 2019

The IPDP is a grassroots effort to decarbonize the marine and light displacement maritime ecosystem of the NW’s Inside Passage over the next decade through demonstration, awareness, education, and strategic partnering. The IPDP’s three principal foci are on clean, very low carbon propulsion; clean, renewables-based lubricants, 100 percent truly renewable port electric grids, and vessel shore-power for charging.







Check out more news & information at Inside Passage Decarbonization Project: www.DecarbthePasssage.net

---