September Sailing

I finally cleaned out the Manta Ray of all the tools, paint, epoxy and stuff I had in the boat to fix small problems that had still needed to be addressed after putting her back into the water in mid-July.   I did get in quite a few day sails in English Bay during the summer.   However,  now was the time to go beyond the waters of Vancouver and enjoy the boat for more than a few hours at a time.   I brought in the sleeping mattresses and supplies, food, water and was set to go for a week of sailing.

I was headed to my friends Erik and Naomi's wedding on the island. A mutual friend Kevin and his girlfriend Malika were also going so I had invited them to come on board.  Kevin, a Nova Scotian, is a sailor so he was game to get to the island by sailing a T-bird, a boat he also once co-owned and had sailed a lot.  As I am still not totally confident to sail across the Georgia Straight alone,  it was good to be with someone.  We set out with light wind directly out of the west, the direction we were going. After tacking for a couple of hours it was apparent we were going nowhere fast (Spanish Banks to be exact) so I started the motor.  The wind dropped completely and the water was calm. Time enough to learn all about the hand held GPS I had bought.   Four hours later we crossed the Straight and came into Silva Harbour, just as the sun set.  It's a beautiful harbour protected by a few small islands at the southern end of Gabriola island.  We dropped the hook,  had some curry Malika had prepared with rice and watched the stars come out.

The next morning the wind was blowing from the Northwest, again in the direction we were headed, but this time at around 15 +  knots.  Once out of the harbour the waves were already over three feet high.  It was going to be a bit of a slog beating up wind, which we did for over three hours tacking back and forth.  Poor Malika got sick a few times but she was a pretty good sport about it.  I was hoping we would get to Nanoose Bay, north of Nanaimo, but that was not going to happen.  Once we passed Entrance island and headed toward Nanaimo harbour, we were on a beam reach and we were cruising nicely at 6 to 7 knots, the waves cascading under us and with a quieter wind.  That is when you realize that all the work you have done pays off for that feeling of freedom while sailing your boat.

We sailed right into the harbour and dropped the anchor next to Protection Island.  During the sail over,  when the boat was heeled over pretty good,   I noticed a lot of water in the bilge sloshing about.  What would a trip be without some sort of mishap?  Water was gushing out from just below the sink where the hose leading to the thru-hull was clamped to the bottom of the sink. It was corroded.   There is no one way valve, I learned,  in that hose so the pressure of the water when the boat was heeled over on that side made it come out.   I cut the hose, stuffed it with a rag clamped and ducked taped it as a temporary repair.

Coming into a harbour, it's always great to check out the other boats anchored around you.  We got in the dinghy and went for a little tour.

Scottish wooden boat (it had the year 1939 written on it)

a beautiful Dragon keelboat (Norwegian design from the 30's)

a Chinese Junk (traditional 'eyes' at the bow)

After a gorgeous weekend on a farm for a wonderful wedding, it was back on the boat.  This time I had another friend, Mona, on the boat.   She had a few days off, had never been on a sailboat and was willing to come with me up the island and across to the Sunshine Coast.  Well that was the plan...   By the time we left, it was already 1:00pm and the winds were again NW, the direction I wanted to go.  I was hoping to cross the Straight to Lasqueti Island, but then there was something I had not known about... a sectioned off area in the Georgia Straight (on the chart) where the Navy does War Games. It's called Whiskey Golf (WG), and you need to listen to the radio, to see if they are active of not. You can only sail through if they are not doing their manoeuvres.    Well my battery was low and I could not even pick up the weather forecast very clearly.  So change of plan, we headed with the wind back to Silva Bay, spent another beautiful evening, had a beer at the local pub and dinner on the boat.

Silva Bay,  Gabriola Island

The winds the next morning were favourable to cross so I decided to return to Vancouver, where Mona got off.  The next morning left again, this time with Albert, whom I had promised a few days sail for all the work he did on my boat.   We set off for Howe Sound,  with a nice breeze that brought us to the lighthouse at Atkinson Point in West Vancouver before the wind dropped.  Tried some fishing with no luck. Then we motored to Snug Cove on Bowen Island, tied up at the dock and had a look around.  Nice small harbour tucked in a few steep slopes. As I am looking for winter moorage I asked about the prices and availability.  There may be a spot opening up at the end of October. 

We left the cove and the wind picked up, and in our backs, so we put up the spinnaker.  I don't have a pole, so we just used it like a jib.  It's a nice sail that Albert gave me, a small tear that needs repair, but it still went fine.  A beautiful sunny day, we cruised up to Anvil Island, where there were a few empty mooring buoys that you can just tie on to. A relief to see as anchoring in bays with depths that drop dramatically is not only difficult, but stressful.

Another sunny morning and we left toward the Sunshine Coast.  The breeze was light enough that with one sail up, I was able to fish next to some islets rocks, home to a seal colony. Only caught one, a "big one" that snapped my line...  The wind picked up and we sailed along Gambier island, some nice rock walls and cliffs, then on past Keats Island and into Gibson's Landing where we dropped anchor in a large bay amongst several other boats.   Checked out the town as well their marina which,  of course, had an interesting array of boats.  Had some excellent fish tacos from a food stand on the pier.  

 

another Dragon

The following morning it was cloudy for the first time in weeks and the wind was blowing a good 15 to 20 knots, this time from the S.E.  In the fall, it tends to be from the N.W. which it had been all week.  Those North-Westerlies we were hoping to have for a quick sail with the wind in our back became another tacking adventure beating upwind into big waves going around the outside of Bowen Island in the Georgia Straight.  It took us six hours in total to sail back but that was nice as the motor was barely used.   The toe rail was buried in the water a lot of the time and waves splashed on the jib. Exciting.  I docked the boat at Granville island to get my car and unload the gear before anchoring out at Kits' Point.   All in all a great first sailing trip with the Manta Ray.