Forward Harbour to Lagoon Cove

Today’s schedule is driven by weather and currents. Johnstone Strait has been plagued by 20-30 knots winds and 5-foot seas the last few days.

The forecast for Today was no different, so we’re up at 5am so we have lesser winds of 15 to 25 knots and favorable currents. Unfortunately, we’ll have winds over opposing currents, so we are expecting 1-2 foot chop. But that is an OK ride for OceanFlyer. The current in Chatham Channel also favors this early-departure schedule. We’ll get to Lagoon Cove early, so we’re prepared to anchor out until space becomes available on the docks.

Our plan worked perfectly, a rare occurrence when dealing with weather forecasts. We had a nice run down Sutherland Channel and when we turned into Johnstone Strait, we started with 1 1/2 foot chop that increased to 2 feet before laying down a bit just before we turned up Havannah Channel. We hit Chatham Channel right at slack. Overall, a good transit.

Our arrival was indeed early at Lagoon Cove but there were only 4 boats on the docks, so Dan directed us to a berth on the shoreside of the SE dock. We haven’t been on the shoreside of that dock before, but there was plenty of water. And the best part was that it was protected from the wind-driven fetch.

a rare sight, only one boat on the docks at lagoon cove

a view of lagoon cove docks from over the “homestead”

a good look at the rocks on the shore side of the docks. no problem

lagon cove is truely special

We spent the day doing boat chores, walking the gorgeous property, beachcombing catching up with Dan and Kelly and doing some planning.  The sun was out and the views were glorious.

gotta love dan and kelly’s sense of humor

great signs guide you through your walk around the properity

 Happy hour was the first time this year that Dan and Kelly served freshly caught prawns, captured despite the fact that the commercial fleet is extremely active. As always, the Lagoon Cove prawns were delicious.

evening fuel delivery to lagoon cove

Prideaux Haven to Forward Harbour

Today is all about the rapids. Yucuta, Gillard, Dent, Greene Point and Whirlpool, those are the current monsters we need to time in sequence. Heading North, it’s a challenge, as the rapids the furthest away turn to slack first.

The weather remains very favorable, and we continue to be alone on the water. As we reach each of the rapids, I except to see more boats as all of us typically want to transit at or near slack to avoid problems.

nice weather today

Dent Rapids is the key timing-wise, as it has the most aggressive activity. To our advantage, we are in a cycle of lower highs at the afternoon change, so the flows are below their maximum potential. Further, the current is with us, so we can actually transit all five rapids in one shot without stopping.

Passing through Dent at slack was peaceful as expected. What was unexpected was that there were no other boats to be seen, either going our way or opposing. That is a first for us in our 21 years of cruising these waters. We know it’s is early in the season, but we always expect to see traffic at choke points such as Dent.

We ran all 5 rapids alone. We spotted a few boats tied up at the docks at Shoal Bay and it wasn’t until we arrived at our destination for the evening, Forward Harbour, that we found two sailboats anchored in Douglas Bay.

It started to blow a bit as we went through Whirlpool rapids and the wind funneled into the anchorage. We tried to find a spot to the NE of the two sailboats, but there were two crab pots that were really in our way and the “beach” was a lee shore.  So, we went farther down the Harbour, about 3/4 of the way to the head, and anchored in 55 feet. With the winds blowing down the anchorage there was not a single area that was out of the fetch, but at least we dodged the lee-shore issue.

Our impression of Forward Harbour is that there is no reason to go there unless it happens to serve as a useful jumping off point for Johnstone Strait or when running the rapids eastbound. It was our first time in there, and we are in no hurry to return.

Prideaux Haven Lay Day

Time to relax.

oceanflyer in the foreground at prideaux haven

 All we did on this beautiful sunny day today was to take a two hour explore around the Prideaux Haven anchorage, Laura Cove and surrounding areas. During COVID people would spend months here working from their boats. Even now, it is not unusual to see vessels anchored for extended periods of time. A testament to the popularity of this anchorage. Luckily, this early in the season, there isn’t too much traffic. We explored alternate anchor spots for future visits.

oceanflyer enjoys prideaux haven

 We swung by an interesting metal sailboat called Timmie’s Run Eh.  The owners live and work aboard and apparently the interior layout has offices in the bow. They were enthusiastic about their solar power and the benefits of not needing to plug in. Named after a first date at Tim Hortons. Really cool story.

looking down homfray channel at low tide

Sturt Bay to Prideaux Haven

Weather continues to be picture perfect, making planning and travels very easy.

Still not many other private pleasure craft around, even during our transit through the Copeland Islands just beyond Lund. A first in all our years. This narrow pass is often overcrowded with vessels going both directions, making for a bit of a challenge as you negotiate your way through mariners who are not necessarily well versed in the rules of the road.

We seldom stop at the very popular anchorage of Prideaux Haven because, in season, it is very, very crowded. However, as we are so early and not seeing much traffic, we made our way there and found only 4 boats at anchor, all well-distant from each other. We were able to anchor up in the northeast end where we have great islet and snowy mountain views to the NNW down Homfray Channel. A fifty-footer was in the “ideal” location, shown by the anchor symbol on the charts, but we were happy with our spot 100 yards NE.

only a few boats in prideaux haven this early in the season

our view down homfray channel

 The entrance to Prideaux Haven is a bit of a dogleg, but well charted. The trick is to follow the chart and not get fooled by the visuals of all the little islets and rocks or how close they seem. Go slow, but with enough speed so you have good rudder authority. Everyone seems to make it in and out just fine at any tide, but if it is your first visit, mind your charts through the entrance.

Later in the day, the Northwest Explorations Mother Goose fleet showed up, Captained by good friend Bill Douglass. We flew the drone out over the entrance so we could get a shot of all the goslings as they came into Prideaux Haven. After settling in, Bill and Cindy came over for happy hour and we had a great time catching up. We covered all the fun topics – GB 49’s, parents, kids, life and boating.

Mother goose enters prideaux haven

Their duties to the flotilla made this a short visit, but it we’ll catch up again in the fall if not sooner.

sunset in prideaux haven

Nanaimo to Sturt Bay

Time to move on today now that all the provisioning is done. Budget Car Rental offered a nice perk in that I could leave the car in the car park right at the Harbourmaster’s Office and give the keys to Harbour Air. In fact, I even could arrange to get the car next time at the downtown location rather than going all the way out to the airport. Those options make Nanaimo an extremely convenient provisioning stop.

We have a good forecast for crossing the Strait of Georgia. Whiskey Gulf is active so we have to take the less than direct route to avoid the military activity.

nice ride on the strait of georiga

The season is still early, so except for the San Juan Sailing and Slowboat flotillas ahead of us and Northwest Explorations Mother Goose behind, there are almost no recreational vessels to be seen. We had a great crossing, no complaints.

Sturt Bay and the Texada Boat Club (Texada Island) are not very well known. The Boat Club has become a favorite of ours just for that reason. We can always find space on the visitors’ dock, and the sign says that if the visitors dock is full, call them and there may be room on the permanent moorage docks if members are out cruising.

everywhere you look you see the hand of the hardworking boat club members

everything you need to know

Today, there is no one on the visitors dock besides us. It was like having your own private marina.

texada boat club

There is no power on the docks, but the locals are friendly and really appreciate visitors. Over the years they have continued to improve the docks, largely funded by visitor moorage.

Texada marina view from the shore side

inukshuk in the foregroud, Anchorage in Sturt Bay in the background

The town of Van Anda is a short walk away  with a great local museum, grocery store and a couple of restaurants. We enjoyed the Mary Mary Café and shopped at the Texada Market. You can find a lot of information about Van Anda online so you can plan your visit. See our post on June 29th, 2023 for more details.

https://www.oceanflyers.com/oceanflyers/scwhp94jcbgt5nhd8atg42z4xjfa8n?rq=sturt%20bay