Day 2: Sat., May 19th 7.45
Bligh Island
WX [weather] 0400 Sat May 19
SYN [synopsis] 995 L [millibar low] offshore moving towards N. Van I. tonite
S [southern waters]: str [strong] SE veering to mod [moderately] str SW
SW easing Sun.
W Van N [West coast Vancouver Island South]: SW 10-15 [knots] rising to S 15-25 am
easing to SW 15 late eve.
1-2 m [swell] rising to near 3 m
O/L [outlook] mod SW veering to mod str NW
21.11 May 19th still Day 2: 24 NM [nautical miles]
Esperanza Marina, Vancouver Island, Nootka Sound
It rained all day today, and we got hail for a time in the middle of the day.
This morning Sarah made 7 grain cereal & we had coffee w/Bailey's. I was walking just before the trail to go to the outhouses (Bligh Island), when something blue caught my eye. I picked it up, thought it was plastic at first, but it was a tiny blue trade bead [glass beads used by Europeans to trade the native people for furs, etc. They were later found to be of no value to the natives, who discarded them on the beaches.] From the French or English, faceted. The tiniest one I've ever seen. I found my first two on Compton Island at White Beach years ago, a bigger blue one and a round amber one (Russian). This little one is special, and made me think again about being an archaeologist. Vs. art school vs. being a writer. I was also thinking about how one reason coastal people are so great is b/c they've been out in the elements & can appreciate a cup of coffee, their dry jeans, etc. I was thinking that when I saw a motorboat go by.
We listened to the weather this morning and decided it was too big to go north up the outside of Nootka. They were calling for swell to 3 metres. Also picking up to strong northwesterlies on Sunday, which would probably mean getting winded in there.
We decided we'd rather just book it up to the Nuchatlitz & then take our time coming down. And we did book it -- we paddled 24 nautical miles today. We didn't get on the water until 11 am, and still made it to Haven Cove, our destination, by 5:45 pm. The current was with us all the way up the inlet, which helped (we went north up the inside).
But when we got to Haven, which was recommended in the guidebook, there was no camping. Nowhere to put a tent. Already 5:45, & it was really freezing, and we needed to get warm and fed. It was too chancy to continue north hoping to find a campsite, so we turned around & paddled two miles back to Esperanza. There's 20 people living here year round.
We asked to camp on their lawn, and now we're set up in a cabin w/bunkbeds & a wood stove. We got a fire going & looked at the charts & had wine & chocolate (after cooking dinner outside under the tarp we set up).
So it was a very long day, physically hard, very cold, but we made great time & are very happy w/how far we got. We're close to the Nuchatlitz now, our clothes are dry, the people here are nice and welcoming. And I found a trade bead. Sweet day. Tired. God nat.
Bligh Island
WX [weather] 0400 Sat May 19
SYN [synopsis] 995 L [millibar low] offshore moving towards N. Van I. tonite
S [southern waters]: str [strong] SE veering to mod [moderately] str SW
SW easing Sun.
W Van N [West coast Vancouver Island South]: SW 10-15 [knots] rising to S 15-25 am
easing to SW 15 late eve.
1-2 m [swell] rising to near 3 m
O/L [outlook] mod SW veering to mod str NW
21.11 May 19th still Day 2: 24 NM [nautical miles]
Esperanza Marina, Vancouver Island, Nootka Sound
It rained all day today, and we got hail for a time in the middle of the day.
This morning Sarah made 7 grain cereal & we had coffee w/Bailey's. I was walking just before the trail to go to the outhouses (Bligh Island), when something blue caught my eye. I picked it up, thought it was plastic at first, but it was a tiny blue trade bead [glass beads used by Europeans to trade the native people for furs, etc. They were later found to be of no value to the natives, who discarded them on the beaches.] From the French or English, faceted. The tiniest one I've ever seen. I found my first two on Compton Island at White Beach years ago, a bigger blue one and a round amber one (Russian). This little one is special, and made me think again about being an archaeologist. Vs. art school vs. being a writer. I was also thinking about how one reason coastal people are so great is b/c they've been out in the elements & can appreciate a cup of coffee, their dry jeans, etc. I was thinking that when I saw a motorboat go by.
We listened to the weather this morning and decided it was too big to go north up the outside of Nootka. They were calling for swell to 3 metres. Also picking up to strong northwesterlies on Sunday, which would probably mean getting winded in there.
We decided we'd rather just book it up to the Nuchatlitz & then take our time coming down. And we did book it -- we paddled 24 nautical miles today. We didn't get on the water until 11 am, and still made it to Haven Cove, our destination, by 5:45 pm. The current was with us all the way up the inlet, which helped (we went north up the inside).
But when we got to Haven, which was recommended in the guidebook, there was no camping. Nowhere to put a tent. Already 5:45, & it was really freezing, and we needed to get warm and fed. It was too chancy to continue north hoping to find a campsite, so we turned around & paddled two miles back to Esperanza. There's 20 people living here year round.
We asked to camp on their lawn, and now we're set up in a cabin w/bunkbeds & a wood stove. We got a fire going & looked at the charts & had wine & chocolate (after cooking dinner outside under the tarp we set up).
So it was a very long day, physically hard, very cold, but we made great time & are very happy w/how far we got. We're close to the Nuchatlitz now, our clothes are dry, the people here are nice and welcoming. And I found a trade bead. Sweet day. Tired. God nat.
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