The Orcas Draw People to British Columbia

It's almost worth the trip up the west coast to see the Orcas

All along the Inside Passage your way is marked. These light houses are a welcome sight and create a sense of security (assuming you're not fogged in). For the cruiser they add to the picturesque surroundings. g

A visit to Desolation Sound is not complete without anchoring in Teakern Arm. f AND, such a visit is not complete without hiking up to the lake above these falls and taking a swim in the lake that creates this falls. It's really not as steep and difficult as it may first appear!

Cruising among the islands brings many surprises. Mama orca and her baby came up very near to us in spite of our attempts to steer away. g

Montague Harbor, B.C. The Quest sleeps well being tucked into this nice snug little harbor! No anchor watch tonight! Not only that, but we devised a new way of anchoring that evening (not recommended for other circumstances): Walk to the bow of the boat, drop the anchor, drop 200 feet of chain right on top and go to sleep. Reverse process in the morning.

Anchoring in Montague Harbor brought us this amazing sunset. g Sometimes you just have to sit back, be quiet and enjoy the moment!

Occasionally in British Columbia you do experience great sailing conditions. My son, Drew f was with us for this sail! Because of mostly inland protected water we need to record these moments.

The people of the Pacific Northwest are known for their love of gardening. Every place we went we were greeted by these superb floral displays. I think because winters can be cold, damp and grey people living here are enthusiastic gardeners.g

We arrived in Port Townsend in time for the wooden boat festival. Whenever we have difficulty maneuvering with our sails we need to be reminded of these square riggers.f

Perhaps the local people become inured to these sights. Those of us from Southern California greatly appreciate these beautiful floral displays.g

Getting the Quest into Nanaimo Harbor was tricky, especially with a side wind. The wind was blowing us off the dock, so we had only one pass at it! Fortunately, the dock helpers were professional and knew what they were doing. We tie down the boat amidships with the spring line first. Then. we worry about stern and bow. This keeps the boat under control and not being pushed across the narrow passage to boats on the other side.

Tying your stern to shore is a reach at low tide! Any ties to fixed objects need to be watched in areas of large tidal variation.g

Prideaux Haven is a popular cruiser anchorage. All along the water's edge the boats are stern tied to the shore. Because of this, anyone wanting to anchor nearby should also plan to stern tie.

Scott hired a guide to help improve his fishing skills - BOY did it work!!! Some photos could be altered by "PhotoShop!" Viewers are warned to view at their own discretion. (Never believe fishermen's tales!) g

One anchorage was more beautiful than the next! This is Lagoon Cove. We like to anchor, but there are slips available and also a marine railway.  f

We admired these colorful totem poles at Alert Bay. In fact, the local people have a school that teaches traditional wood carving and there were many examples of their skilled artisans throughout the village. g

Killer whales (orcas) are somewhat common in the inside passage. BUT, having a whole pod swim this close to your boat is quite uncommon. These whales swam right by us as we cruised through a smaller passage between two islands.