Beachcomber to Powell River (Westview) (July 12, 2009)
We set out from Beachcomber Marina, Sunday July 12th after a delay to fiberglass the dodger in place, and provision the boat.
It seemed like a good start - the sun was shining and there was wind, but nothing too threatening. However the wind continued to pick up until we found ourselves in gusts of up to 30 knots by the time we came past Sisters Island. Being a prairie born girl, and prone to motion sickness I found this a little overwhelming! These are the roughest seas I have seen, and by the end of the day I wasn't a very good crew member - preferring the safe realms of the bottom of the cockpit to standing at the wheel or peeking around the cabin to see how the sails were set. (Definitely Lyle's job- and I was glad that he was clipped in with a caribiner when he moved around.) The thought of trying to fish him out of the drink if he went overboard was too much to even consider.
Our VHF channel 16 was issuing warnings of lost kayaker groups from both Schooner Cove and Pender Harbour, and lo and behold when I looked about there weren't too many other leisure boats on Georgia Strait out for a day sail. In fact we only saw a few hardy fishermen out that day, and we seemed quite alone!
Our skipper however, was ecstatic. We were achieving 7-8 knots with a reef in the mainsail and I clocked 9.9 knots as we were sliding down a wave! Things settled a little when we gained the cover of Lasqueti as we approached Texada Island but by the time we reached Blubber Bay (our original day's destination) we made the decision to make a run for Powell River which lay beckoning to us from the mainland. Blubber Bay was a little exposed and the lure of tying up at dock on such a windy night was welcoming. So our skipper motored us across to the Westview where some helpful sailors got us safely tied to the dock, a slightly unnerving experience in high gusty winds.
It was a long day and we were both tired, my skipper from fighting the wheel and getting the boat harboured on the end of a dock with little maneuvering area and unpredictable gusts; and his crew from surviving her first day at sail!
Highlight of the Day: The discovery of Bonamine recommended by a fisherman's daughter for motion sickness. I felt quite stable all day!
We set out from Beachcomber Marina, Sunday July 12th after a delay to fiberglass the dodger in place, and provision the boat.
It seemed like a good start - the sun was shining and there was wind, but nothing too threatening. However the wind continued to pick up until we found ourselves in gusts of up to 30 knots by the time we came past Sisters Island. Being a prairie born girl, and prone to motion sickness I found this a little overwhelming! These are the roughest seas I have seen, and by the end of the day I wasn't a very good crew member - preferring the safe realms of the bottom of the cockpit to standing at the wheel or peeking around the cabin to see how the sails were set. (Definitely Lyle's job- and I was glad that he was clipped in with a caribiner when he moved around.) The thought of trying to fish him out of the drink if he went overboard was too much to even consider.
Our VHF channel 16 was issuing warnings of lost kayaker groups from both Schooner Cove and Pender Harbour, and lo and behold when I looked about there weren't too many other leisure boats on Georgia Strait out for a day sail. In fact we only saw a few hardy fishermen out that day, and we seemed quite alone!
Our skipper however, was ecstatic. We were achieving 7-8 knots with a reef in the mainsail and I clocked 9.9 knots as we were sliding down a wave! Things settled a little when we gained the cover of Lasqueti as we approached Texada Island but by the time we reached Blubber Bay (our original day's destination) we made the decision to make a run for Powell River which lay beckoning to us from the mainland. Blubber Bay was a little exposed and the lure of tying up at dock on such a windy night was welcoming. So our skipper motored us across to the Westview where some helpful sailors got us safely tied to the dock, a slightly unnerving experience in high gusty winds.
It was a long day and we were both tired, my skipper from fighting the wheel and getting the boat harboured on the end of a dock with little maneuvering area and unpredictable gusts; and his crew from surviving her first day at sail!
Highlight of the Day: The discovery of Bonamine recommended by a fisherman's daughter for motion sickness. I felt quite stable all day!