Day 12 - Spout Islets to Mound Island

We awoke to seclusion in our bay, and cloudy skies. The boys went fishing as morning turned into afternoon. The girls relaxed and prepped some food in anticipation of fresh protein. Successful they returned, and we had a great salmon lunch before we hauled up the anchor and headed to our next spot.

We crossed Blackfish Sound between Hanson and Swanson Islands. On glassy calm waters with the sun returned to its blue sky, we watched in awe of a school of Orcas swim before us. In the far distance, two Minke whales blow-holed their presence to us, too.

Before long we were at Mound Island, we anchored in a bay between it and Harbledown Island. Our guidebooks told us that here was the site of an ancient settlement, with middens and evidence of longhouses. It is also a popular spot for kayakers, and as we threw the anchor down a small motor boat did the same, closer to shore. People with tents and a dog hopped onto the beach and set up camp.

We dingied to shore and checked it all out (more on that in tomorrow’s blog entry). The four of us later tried to fish in the dingy as the sun was going down, with no luck. Back to the boat for the second barbequing of salmon for the day, several more beverages, and deep sleeps.

Day 11 - Port McNeill to Spout Islets (Hanson Island)

Being on the outside finger of the municipal dock at Port McNeill, we were rocked a bit by the chop and the wake overnight. But we still managed to sleep-in to a reasonable hour. Chores to do today – laundry, groceries, clean up the boat, fishing licences, top up the water tanks, new gas canister for the dingy. Get ready for the new crew.

Check-out time (aka untie your boat from the dock so you don’t have to pay for 2 nights time) was supposed to be noon. But it was a quiet day in PM and we were allowed a late check-out. We knew our crew should be arriving about 3:30, but at 5:00 we still hadn’t seen them. And the wharfinger was gently asking us if we didn’t mind getting the hell off the dock now please, because the evening’s reservation was arriving soon. One last look down the dock before we started to untie – that isn’t Mike or Jeannette, but it sure does look a lot like Arrrrmin. Wait a second – it IS Arrrrmin!! What? How? Hunh?

So we headed out to throw down the anchor and wait for the expected crew, and a surprise temporary crew member assisted! Armin lives in Zeballos, he and his girlfriend Julie (Hi Julie!) were part of our crew around Cape Scott last summer. He was working nearby, had talked to Mike, and knew we were here. Some catching up and some “Rations!”, then Arrrmin was dingied back to shore, the anchor was hauled back up, the new crew arrived, we picked them up off of the loading dock, and off we went into the Broughton Archipelago!

Calm waters, the sun’s reappearance, a new crew who instantly busted out fishing rods, and retracing our steps. The intended anchorage was the same isolated spot we threw the hook down yesterday for lunch, on our Quest for Internet. But tonight there were already 2 boats stuffed in there, so we made our way back to Spout Islets, on Hanson Island. Here we found seclusion, rocky islands with cedars & old man’s beard moss, jumping herring, and moonrise. And no bugs.