July 2 - Forward Harbour...bear country

Today we traveled through the Green Point Rapids via Chancellor Channel, Wellbore Channel (and through its Whirlpool Rapids) to anchor at Forward Harbour. It was another rainy but beautiful day and we encountered several tugboats pulling huge log booms and a few pairs of Marbled Murrelets (lovely little birds). With only our two boats in the anchorage, it was not difficult to find a good spot. So we had to find another way to screw it up. And we did. Going “by the book”, we decided to let out 100 meters of chain. The thing is, we don’t have 100 meters of chain. So, when I had let out 95 meters, that was it for chain but the piece of rope that is tied to the chain came flying out of the chain locker. It is not good to have this piece of rope pulled out. The anchor winch cannot grab it and pull it back up. Therefore, we needed to pull it up by hand. Rob put the boat in neutral and it took both of us, using all our might (and we are going to hurt tomorrow…), to pull all of the rope up and get some chain back on the winch. Turns out that we didn’t need to let out nearly as much chain as we thought – book knowledge is no substitute for experience... Finally anchored and sitting nicely about 50 metres from shore, we were having a quick lunch before a hike with the dogs when I spotted a black bear and her cub on the near shore. They were turning over rocks, looking for crabs underneath. Blue and Casca (nearby on her boat) saw them too and both sounded the alarm. The mama bear looked at us but was absolutely unmoved. Hmmm, suddenly bear bells seem lame. But there is safety in numbers and so when we couldn’t see the bears anymore, we went ashore in our dinghies and hiked through the woods to another beach. The dogs, wearing bear bells and pulling like mad, were on leash until we reached the distant beach and even then we kept a lookout.

Meet Bill

Our boat in Forward Harbour

Eileen and Bill's boat in Forward Harbour

After our return from the beach, Rob and Bill headed out in their dinghies to drop crab traps. Then they went together in Bill's dinghie to fish. Bill is very knowledgeable and a great teacher. Just about every time he says something, we learn something. 

Readying the crab traps

And away they go to drop the traps 

Rob and Blue return 

While Rob is out fishing (never thought I’d say that) Blue and I are staying warm and dry onboard. In the pouring rain, I have seen another bear poking around on the beach and I am listening to Blue gnaw on a bone as I write this. Bliss. We left Vancouver 17 days ago and every single day since then has been brand new. Post-script: Rob came back with Rockfish, which we ate for dinner; great hunting and gathering Rob. After dinner, Blue tried to jump from our dinghy onto Eileen and Bill’s boat (he really likes them). He ended up in deep water, doing a very funny and rudimentary dog paddle. His life jacket did not help his image but did enable Rob to handily pluck him out of the sea.

Another great sunset off the cockpit