Captain's Log

On the final day of this trip, I awoke to a negative tide. The ocean was so low, I had to row through the eel grass to get to shore. Once ashore there was a huge expanse of beach to explore both on the West and East side of the spit. I walked the spit after breakfast and then hauled the anchor and headed for home. The tide was ebbing and I made very good time.

The spit is high and dry this morning.

Exposed eel grass with T2 in the background.

Tide pool on East side of Sidney Spit.

I could almost walk across the eel grass to get to shore. Almost.

Needing fuel before proceeding to the spit, I hauled up the anchor and found it fowled on someone's mooring buoy. Now, let's be clear, it was an illegal mooring buoy with no name or phone number on it. So....rather than loose my Danforth Anchor, I cut through a 1" piece of Blue Steel three strand rope and I was free. I hope whoever owns the mooring buoy notices it's been cut before tying up to it. Oh well...

Once I was clear I on-boarded 35 litres of diesel.

Proposed route. Click for interactive view.

Actual route (click for chart view)

Ptly. cldy. Clearing Wind light

I left Cadboro Bay nice and early. Peppers Foods at Cadboro Bay Village, opens at 07:00 so it's become my custom to arrive at opening for a block of ice and last minute groceries. This trip I really under-packed in terms of food. Forget the cold cereal and milk. Bring on the greasy meat and eggs!

I was hoping to meet up with Beth, Marnie and Mom at Maple Bay, so when I saw how light the wind was, I abandoned the notion of sailing and just motored non-stop to Maple Bay. The trip was without incident and with the flood tide, I made good time. I haven't been to Maple Bay by boat since I was a kid on Sea Jay, our Thunderbird. Like everything else, Maple Bay had grown up and increased in population. The Maple Bay Yacht Club was much, much bigger then back in the day. Features include a concrete dock, a half-dozen boat houses and the ubiquitous updated clubhouse.

Upon arriving, I tied up to the visitor's dock and was met by some colorful locals. They wanted to know what club I was from as I wasn't flying a club burgee (just the giant jolly roger!). So I told them I was meeting the owners here and all was well. I wandered up to the clubhouse and lounged on the sun deck, trying to shake the shell shock of standing on top of a diesel engine for 5-and-a-half hours. The clubhouse wasn't open until 14:00 so I returned to T2. About the only thing that hadn't changed was the uncomfortably exposed visitor's dock. Maple Bay is large and as such, can be at the mercy of the North Easterly. In the short time I was there, and with the certainty that I could probably stay for free, using Mom and Dad's reciprocal privileges as members of Royal Vic., I decided to move out and anchor on the East side of the bay.

Mom called shortly after I dropped anchor and said they were in Nanaimo and would be another hour at least. I thought the best way to fill the time was to search for some cold beer. Since I follow Carol @MapleBayMarina, I thought I'd try there first. I had tweeted her a question as to whether or not there was a cold beer and wine store at Maple Bay Marina, but I hadn't received a response from her so I led an away team (me) to the marina to gather intel.

Front and centre at Maple Bay Marina is a pub. Seemed like the place to enquire about libations so I proceeded to the bar and was told they sell off-sales, but it ain't cheap. I be better off hitting the Scottish Pub at the North end of the bay. "Well, thanks for your candor", I said "and give me a Blue Buck for your trouble." A waitress walked by just then and remarked; "It smells like gas in here."

Boarding the dinghy on my way to the marina, I noticed the 10l gas can I keep in the dinghy had leaked in the sun and there was a small amount of gasoline on the floor of the dinghy. I made a note to clean it out later.

"Did you just say it smells like gas in here?" I asked the girl. "Yes", she said. So I copped; "Yah, I think that's me. It's my boating cologne." Polite laughter ensued and then I split.

Back in the dinghy I pushed the throttle to max (4hp) and lay across the bow for maximum speed to the other end of the bay, and the Lion Rampant Scottish Pub, cold beer and wine store. The pub has its own dock right in the 'town' of Maple Bay and welcomes boaters who patronize the pub to moore there overnight for free! Can you believe it?!

Shortly after returning to T2, my phone rang and a woman's voice implored; "Where the hell are you?" At first I thought it was my wife but then Cousin Marnie identified herself. I told her I'd be at the Maple Bay Yacht Club in 2 minutes. I had a nice visit with Beth, Marnie and Mom in the clubhouse over a beer. They departed for Victoria, and I went out to T2 for dinner.

I bar-b-qued some ribs for dinner and then went to the Maple Bay Marina for a Caesar salad, prawn skewer and a glass of wine. The day ended with a viewing of the original 'Mutiny on the Bounty'.

The foreshore at Maple Bay Yacht Club. Note canon used to discourage non-affiliated visitors. My Jolly Roger is visible to the left of the Canadian flag.

The club house.

The Lion Rampant Pub. Sinister looking isn't it?

Encouragement to drink AND free moorage?! WTF

Moored in Maple Bay, just off the yacht club with Maple Bay Marina in the background.

At the end of the day; "The Mutiny on The Bounty" in the comfort of T2's theatre.

Sunny. SE 10-15.

I'm finally getting my stuffing box tightened. I've needed it since taking over the boat. Along with that, I need a new shifter cable and am also going to have Jesse replace some hoses and give the engine the once over.

I met Barnucka at Oak Bay Marina gas dock. Sneaking her into the Gartside service dock was a challenge with no engine shifter. But we managed to pull it off and that's where she remains as of this writing.

Very tight maneuvering what with low tide and no room at the dock! Oh, and no gear shifter.

And that's a 2' tide. Imagine zero?!

The other boat finally left.

$791.93 later and I still don't have a tight stuffing box!

After a fortifying breakfast expertly prepared by Tom, we embarked on a brisk circumnavigation of Portland Island, on foot. We came face to face with one of the many masked bandits on the island. (Racoons) We were also treated to the site of both Pacific Swift and Pacific Grace at anchor just off-shore.

Just a handful of boats at Royal Cove on Portland Island.

Kevin secures the dinghy before our trek around the island.

One of the many raccoons on the island.

Like a scene from days long gone, Pacific Grace and Pacific Swift at anchor off Portland Island.

Three tenders each from Grace and Swift. We passed about 20 kids on shore.

Sunny, calm.

After hauling the crab trap to discover a bunch of Red Rock Crabs (no dungeness), we continued on to Bedwell Harbour and revelled late into the night, including a stop at the pub for a couple of rum and cokes! We anchored off the beach where mom and dad did the elephant walk a lifetime ago. It was the first time I returned to Bedwell since visiting with mom and dad on Sea Jay.

Welcome aboard Trouper II Kevin and Tom.

Too bad they couldn't leave their crabs behind!

Sunny, calm, ebb tide.

Unlike my last trip to the Spit, there was zero wind so my sail vs. engine hours were skewed in favor of the engine. (Damn!)

Even though I was bucking the tide, I still made pretty good time. I had a couple of hours on the Spit while waiting for Tom and Kevin to get ready for pickup at Tsehum Harbour.

I dropped the crab trap with the intention of picking it up on the way to Bedwell Harbour.

Leaving Zero Rock behind on my way to Sidney Spit.

Passed by Scout II towing an insanely large tender. They put in at James Island.

The Spit, looking North from the dock.

Two dozen boats at the Spit.

Looking Northward from the bluff.

A view of the spit from the Bluff.

Partly cloudy SW 5 Kts. Flood.

Left work a little early and had a lovely 2 hour adventure in the bay. As I was coming in, the Wednesday night racing boats were heading out. It was nice to be out there with other boats.

This was the first time I used the Genoa in a long, long, time. I had forgotten how much bigger it is than the jib.

Sunny. Calm. Flood.

My chart plotter ran out of batteries so only captured half the trip. Numbers supplied are rough.

Sunny. SW 15 - 20 Kts. Flood tide.

An absolutely perfect run to the Spit. This is the first time I've sailed all the way to the Spit. Usually the wind dies in Sidney Channel but not today. Today it was nice and steady!

I had no trouble navigating the anchorage at Sidney Spit. I've gone aground here before with Andrew. The Navionics upgrade showed the depth of anchorage in some detail so, even thought the depth sounder was indicating 3 ft., I did not touch bottom.

It was fairly windy in the anchorage. There were only 4 other boats (all sail but one) at the Spit. I tied up to a mooring buoy, launched the dinghy and went to shore. It was damn cold on the beach. Very exposed. Noted there is no vegetation on the Spit so it would be a great beach for Havana.

I left the Spit after a couple of hours, bound for Tsehum Harbour so that I could catch a bus home and be here to offer Tania S.O.S. Help. 

Winging the jib South of James Island

On station at Sidney Spit.

Shore party

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Looks great but it was a little chilly with the South Easterly.

No trees, grass or weeds. This is the perfect beach for Havana.

Sidney Spit Selfie

Sunny SE 10 kts

A lovely sail from Cadboro Bay to Willows Beach and back.