There’s something about getting your butt kicked.
In a nautical sense that is.
We made a big trip Southbound from Bella Bella to Parksville and Barkley Sound in June and enjoyed some spectacular conditions. The run to Port Hardy, through Johnstone Strait and down the Northern Georgia Strait featured only a light following sea and mostly calm conditions.
After 11 solid hours of run time I pulled the BV30 into Parksville and overnighted. The next day we got a tow across to Port Alberni and launched for a run out into Barkley Sound and Eagle Nook Resort. I had a great six days out in Barkley Sound, with fantastic fishing and some great company in Jeff Hanak and Ted Lloyd.
Shortly after…my personal butt kicking commenced.
I departed Barkley Sound 5am for a run Northbound to Tahsis on West Coast of Vancouver Island. A few days fishing with my good buddy Gibran White, now running the show at Westview Marina. After a quick roop through the Broken Islands group I made the turn North of Ucluelet and, as forecast, was smashed by a solid Norwester and solid swell.
I plowed on north of Tofino when conditions just worsened and I got a report Estevan Point, the crux of the journey, was too gnarly on that given day. With little choice, I made the smart call and freestyled a 180, surfing those big waves past Tofino and all the way back into Barkley Sound. Round one of getting my butt kicked was complete.
I got a tow back across to Parksville and spent the next week doing a little fishing and visiting home in Delta. One of my favourite Big Coast sidekicks Jes McFarlen is on the squid thing in Parksville, a newfound disciple of Steve Tennant…a guy so squid he has a squid on his boat. I spent a couple days jigging 800-1200 feet out inn the Strait but we got stumped. Squidder Steve was more successful.
All squidding aside, it was Canada Day when I finally departed Parksville, unfortunately 24 hours late for the light winds that had prevailed for days. I tried to beat the big NW brewing with an early departure but pounded hard from Parksville to Campbell River. Seymour Narrows was mellow but when I rolled into the Northern Passage it was stacked up stupid. I plodded away for an hour, but knowing the evil Race Passage and Helmcken Island waited ahead. Before long I turned tail and ran for Heriot Bay on the East Side of Quadra to hide out from all things wind. Round two but kicking complete.
After a couple down days at Heriot Bay, spent working on the boat, messing with tackle and drinking Tequila Sunrises, it was time to head North again. What awaited was a nasty run of residual weather, ensuing crazy current and wind patches through Johnstone Strait. A miraculous thing happened just before Race Passage, a zone with some of the nastiest current on the coast. She laid down. After a pile of pounding it was so nice to run 30 knots and smooth. Of course it didn’t last and the minute we rolled North into Queen Charlotte Strait, the NW stiffened and the final approach to Hardy nasty.
Luckily the Bait Shack in Bear Cove, a longtime port in foul weather for Big Coast, awaited and Big Jim Henschke and Nita met the BV30 at the dock. After a nice visit and dinner, it was sleep on the boat time and a 5am departure yet again.
The run out of Port Hardy and Northbound by Pine Island was a swellful affair with some big stacked up water. But as I neared Cape Caution, the final crux of my journey home to Denny Island something again wonderful happened. She laid down and my third and final, my Northbound butt kicking from Heriot Bay to Cape Caution, was complete. As I made my way North of Caution and into Fitz Hugh Sound, glass calm waters prevailed. The run back through Llama Passage and up to Bella Bella was an easy 30-knot run on Garmin autopilot!
A few lessons are always learned each big nautical adventure. Sometimes they’re lessons that you already know. Like schedule trips on weather, not calendar dates. And make sure you have the tools of the trade: a big badass West Coast boat, Shockwave Suspension Seats and a Garmin Autopilot.
Finally, it’s all about margins with weather. Planning can be complicated by crossing four or five Marine Canada weather zones. You simply gotta run smart, and if you know all your conditions and variables, and if you are still getting your butt kicked, don’t be afraid to make a good decision and wait out better days!
