Hoisting anchor in the morning fog.
After we left Millbrook Cove we ran in the fog with as little as 100 yards visibility, sounding Teals fog horn every two minuets, all the way around Cape Caution to Southgate Island staying in close to stay out of the tug and barge lanes.When we got to Southgate Island the fog cleared there, but not across Queen Charlotte Sound to the Walker Group.
I did not want to cross Richards Channel and Ripple Passage until I could see the 6 miles to the Walker Group. Tugs towing barges use these Lanes and with out radar it would be fool hardy to attempt a crossing in the fog.
I chose to hold up in this little cove at the south end of the Southgate Group where we could see across to the Walker Group when the fog cleared. It was time for lunch anyway.
By 2:00 PM the fog had cleared to the Walker Group and we took off. When we went through Shelter Passage we saw a cruise ship going down Gordon Channel, right at the edge of a fog bank along the south side of the channel.As we crossed Gordon channel the fog thickened just as a tug towing a barge crossed our bow. I changed course to pass after the barge crossed my bow. By then we were at the pass through the Gordon Islands with improving visibility. After we went through the Gordon Islands into Goletas Channel the fog completely cleared.
We continued on to Patrician Cove in Beaver Harbour and anchored for the night ending our 55 mile ordeal in the fog.
Peel Island from our anchorage in Patrician Cove.
The next morning after waiting until noon for the fog to clear we set off for Port McNeill.It was an easy 18 mile passage to Port McNeill in thin fog.
It was a bright, warm sunny day when we arrived at Port McNeill.This ends our intended cruising blog, we will post the remainder of our passage to Bellingham and the statistics of our cruise when possible.
Stay tuned,
George and Joanne
