June 11, 2007:
As we departed Nettle Island for Ucluelet, we picked up our crab trap. Still lots of bait in there and only one small crab to throw back. It was a little rainy and foggy. The surface was smooth in the islands and as we entered Loudoun Channel, it wasn’t bad enough to raise our sail to steady the boat: something we would live to regret. The swell and confused seas left from the previous day’s weather made a very uncomfortable ride. The closer we got to Ucluelet, the worse the seas became. Then it got too rough to go forward and put up the sail for the remainder of the trip. It just kept building until we entered the channel to Ucluelet.
We went into the small craft harbor (48° 56.775’ N / 125° 33.253’ W), which is where we are this beautiful sunny day.A fisherman we met on the dock asked us where we had been the last few days. Seems it was really rough in the area, including in this very harbor.
And there we were in San Mateo Bay, snug as a bug in a rug. We moored at the docks in amongst fishing boats. Canadian fisheries stopped the commercial salmon season midnight June 10. They will assess the catch so far, and determine if and when the season will open again. These fishermen have it rough trying to figure out how to make a living with these on again off again seasons.
June 12,2007 :
Sport fishing for salmon has been spotty, we have seen just a few fish being brought in to the docks. Ucluelet is a major sport fishing locale. The Island Princess is a big business type of operation. They run 10 charter boats in their Princess fleet from this ship moored against the beech, and have a major hotel on shore. they are very organized and each of the 10 boats takes out at least two loads of sports a day.
We managed to get our laundry done (many wet towels what with the rain), and now we sit and blog the afternoon away waiting on the rain to start again. We are enjoying the wireless when we can get it.
We purchased a Hawkings hi-gain antenna, while in Oak Harbor with the help of our friends Nancy & Neil of Harmony who we met last year at Oak Harbor. That has been the saving grace that has brought us Internet when we’ve been in a marginal signal area. Modern technology is great!…most of the time. The weather will dictate when we move on to our next stop at Tofino, stay tuned for the rest of the story.
George & JoAnne
