InsidePassageNews.com

by Don Douglass, Réanne Hemingway-Douglass and Readers (Reader's sbmissions are shown in quotation marks or otherwise noted.)

Note: We would like to encourage readers who have updates to our guidebooks to submit them directly to us, as well as the publisher of our guidebooks. We heard from a number of readers at the 2009 Seattle Boat Show who submitted updates directly to the publisher and were surprised to learn the information had not be transmitted to us.

Kalinin Bay (p. 322, 2nd Ed.) on the N end of Kruzof Is. Over the years I have seen several boats hit or come close to a dangerous uncharted rock located in the entrance, including a 125’ old wooden charter vessel. The rock, on the starboard side as you enter, bares at -2.8 and is at 57°19.590’ N and 135°47.040’ W. This is a popular spot for boats to anchor while fishing the area.

Pelican (p. 290, 2nd Ed): The store at Pelican is still closed.

John Murray from Sitka contributes the following:
“I've commercially fished out of Sitka and lived here since 1978.I've owned and operated numerous fishing vessel during that time.1 want to pass on some comments about the SEAK guidebook." [Authors’ note: John has been using the 1st Edition of SEAK; we give the page numbers for both our 1st and 2nd editions.]
1. Goddard Hot Springs (p. 379,1st Ed.; p. 365, 2nd Ed.) is under care of the Sitka City and Borough, not USFS.
2. Photo of bottom (p. 366 1st Ed. only): make up—soft mud and clam Shells, very good holding bottom really depends on what type of anchor one uses. Forfiords are commonly used up here but they don't hold well in soft mud.
3. Greentop Harbor (p. 317 1st Ed.; p. 296 2nd Ed.): I can attest to what you say here, as I grounded and swamped my vessel there in August 2009. It should be stressed that even with local knowledge one can get into trouble. I've travel into GT since 1981. It’s a very hairy spot.
4. Kalinin Bay (p. 341 1st Ed.; p. 322-3 2nd Ed.): I take acceptance to
“excellent holding bottom”. Most commercial vessels will not go there in any windy weather at all. [Authors’ note: We have anchored in Kalinin many times, a few of which were under gale conditions. We never had trouble, but we did see other boats (mostly pleasure craft) that had problems holding.)
5. Dorothy Narrows (p. 380, 1st Ed.; p. 367, 2nd Ed.): It is advisable and common practice to hail a security call on VFH 16 before you enter the narrows. Many vessels use this in summer. (Therefore make your announcement “Securité, Securité – Vessel -- is going to enter Dot Narrows in 5 minutes.”)
6. Lisianski Strait (p. 314, 1st Ed.; p. 292 2nd Ed.): From or to the ocean on large swell conditions (over 6ft.), a tide rip develops that can be dangerous and uncomfortable. [Note: The authors suggest entering or exiting only in fair weather with good visibility.]
7. Kukan Pass (p. 333, 1st Ed.; p. 311 2nd Ed.): worth noting is Kukan Pass—Pole Point; the 2-fathom spot SW of Pole Pt. bares at a zero-foot tide. Favor the Pole Pt. side. I've tried to get NOAA to place this in new chart of West Chichikof but I don't know if this will happen until someone hits it.

Tamgas Harbor (Annette Island)
We went from Ketchikan to Tamgas Harbor on Annette Island where Carol, my wife, grew up. Her dad was with the FAA (CAA then) and we had a chance to visit the area (pretty much all in ruins now).

We were surprised to find that there is a brand new float behind the remains of the old steamer dock. We tied up there for the night. The approach is tricky because the old pilings that held the former floats behind the steamer dock have not been removed. The face of the new float is about 50’ long (the length of our boat) but the pilings more or less surround the new float and require an approach at nearly right angles to the dock heading. The day we went alongside the wind was blowing about 25 – 30 knots off the dock and required some “Alaska shiphandling” techniques to get enough lines out to breast us in against the wind.
—Jim Wright

Those with Old Boats Beware!
Fixing things on an old boat is always a challenge. I basically liked our old windlass and wanted it to be repaired. However, the company that made the windlass has been bought out, the new company discontinued our model windlass about 15 years ago and no service or parts are available from the factory. They referred me to their dealer in Juneau who said he may be able to repair it has he had a box of old parts but could not tell until he had taken the unit apart to see what was wrong. He suggested we air freight the unit to him in Juneau and with about an hour’s labor he could tell me if he could fix the unit. If we did this we would have about $150 and three days invested in a discontinued antique that we still might not be able to fix. (Sitting at the dock waiting also costs $25/day.) So we bit the bullet and purchased a new windlass. However, in Ketchikan there are no windlasses on the shelf so we had to order one and have it shipped. Another problem with a new windlass is that none of the new units will handle the type of chain we have, so we also had to order 150 feet of new anchor chain and have that shipped also. Fortunately the company we ordered from in Ketchikan had a shipment leaving Seattle in two days and could have the windlass and chain shipped on the barge (about 200 pounds) for $30. The windlass and chain will be delivered to our boat the afternoon after Memorial Day. I should be able to install the windlass in less than a day (I must be dreaming that everything will go together without any problems).

We had a similar issue with the heat exchanger on the gen-set. The company, Onan, is still around but now owned by Cummings Diesel. Our gen-set was discontinued about 15 years ago, and while many parts are still available, the heat exchanger was an option and purchased from another company, so nothing is available from Onan. I was able to track down the manufacturer of the heat exchanger and while they no longer make the unit we have they have one that is close enough that we ordered it to be shipped to Ketchikan. Of course it will not fit exactly so we will have to come up with some type of mounting arrangement. Maybe another day to install if we are lucky.
—Submitted by Al Lehman, M/V Windshift

Dixon Entrance: Verizon cell phone got a signal from Alaska (Alaska time) about the time we passed Green Island. The signal was marginal in Foggy Bay. (Don and I have found the same conditions.)

Thomas Basin, Ketchikan: Electricity was still not available to all slips in September 2008; transient vessels can find power only on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Casey Moran Harbor, Ketchikan (locally: City Floats): upgrades completed in late 2007 include reconfiguration and installation of new transient docks inside the cruise ship dock. Water and power (20 & 30 amp), pumpout; garbage dumpsters; waste oil tank.

Exchange Bay: Roomy and easy anchorage but the bay is exposed both directions. It’s open to the north and very low terrain to the SE. We found pretty strong breezes blowing from the SE and suspect wind and waves could make for uncomfortable conditions in a north blow.

Scow Bay: Watch the bad rocks in the entrance to the inner bay. Stay very close to the trees on the south of the entrance. XM Radio signals are blocked by the hills.

Redoubt Bay: There is a park buoy at the head of the bay near the outflow from Redoubt Lake. A boardwalk trail leads to the lake where some locals have left a couple small boats.

Cosmos Cove: ". . . the south winds do indeed come into the cove. Our anchor seemed to set but dragged about 30 feet when we backed down on it. We stopped backing down with an engine and it held OK in the wind for the rest of our stay. We saw a brown bear with three cubs on the beach.”

Red Bluff Bay: Red Bluff has been discovered, according to this reader. “We usually have an anchorage to ourselves but not here. There were two sailboats and a 40’ Nordhavn stern tied to the north shore in the inner basin and a large tour boat with several kayaks anchored in the middle. They all left the next morning and two more came in later the second day. We anchored with plenty of room about half way into the bay on a shelf on the north side for two nights. It was good for exploring by dinghy to the head of the bay and also for fishing near the entrance. There are indeed large shrimp to be trapped as described on page 394 of Douglass’ Exploring guide.”

Juneau: We are sorry to report the death of our friend Lou McCall, and former Harbormaster of the Juneau harbors. Lou passed away November 20, 2008 after a long and brave battle with cancer. Despite his treatments, he kept at his job with a smile and his usual good humor until the end of October last year.

Lou took the job of June Harbormaster in 2004, after having served as Deputy Harbormaster in Sitka where we first became friends. Under Lou’s tenure, Harris Harbor was rebuilt and the downtown harbors were cleaned. Customer Service was his standard, and his door was always open. We will miss him.

Rocky Pass: “Going either direction there will be a long run between the south entrance and a good anchorage. On the north end near Kake there are several close-by anchorages as well as Kake itself from which to stage. We came out the south end into uncomfortable seas in Sumner Strait with no choice but to press on. There are two anchorages just west of the south end but neither sounded suitable to us.”

In summer 2008, Réanne met with the US Coast Guard regarding their remarking of Rocky Pass after the Douglasses published their original research in the early 1990s. (Watch for more information.)

Sitka: Réanne and her East Coast granddaughter, Kathleen, rented single kayaks and, together, spent an afternoon exploring the islands around Sitka Sound. Kayak rentals are available during the summer at Crescent Harbor. They also took Davey Lubin’s Marine Wildlife Tour on his Esther G. See his website: www.puffinsandwhales.com. We saw a lot of wildlife and whales up close!

Guided tours offers are also offered through other operators. Google the Sitka website for information.

Wrangell: "The town goes all out for the 4th of July. There was a parade on the main street and log rolling and other competitions as well as a lot of street dining options. The fireworks show started at 1055 p.m. and went for 25 minutes. It wasn’t the biggest or best we have seen but pretty impressive for a small town.”

Wrangell Harbor authorities estimate that work on Heritage Harbor will be completed by summer of 2009. There will limited moorage for transient vessels. No rafting was necessary in Wrangell Harbor in 2008 due to the partial opening of Heritage (i.e. locals having moved there).

New owners of the Stikine Inn, Bill and Cheryl Goodale, have substantially renovated the facilities, including the diningroom and bar (excellent cuisine!), a photo gallery and a hair salon. Check their website (www.stikineinn.com) or call 888-874-3388. Bill and Cheryl are the owners of a 48’ Krogen and long-time supporters of the Douglass Exploring series.

Several companies offer jet boat excursions up the Stikine River or to the Anan Bear Observatory. Réanne and Kathleen took the all-day Stikine River tour with artisit Brenda Swartz Yeager and made it up to the icebergs in.

Contact the following operators: Alaska Charters and Adventures, run by artist Brenda Swartz tel: 888.993.2750; www.alaskaupclose.com. Alaska Waters’, Chutine Warrior, is the only jet boat with a head and galley; www.alaskawaters.com. Book early for tours to Anan Bear Observatory; slots at the Observatory are limited and the tours fill quickly each season.

Petersburg: You’re missing an adventure if you fail to rent a bike and head south on Mitkof Island. We did 26 miles in summer or 2008 and, despite the rain, were able to stop and hike the many trails along Wrangell Narrows. Be prepared, though, for any kind of weather; and take water and snacks.

We also took Ron Loesch’s day-long tour to Le Conte Glacier. For three different seasons, Don and I had tried to get through the mass of icebergs in the bay, but could never make it. On this trip, Ron got his aluminum boat close enough to the glacier that we were able to photograph its face. Le Conte Glacier, which starts 21 miles northeast at the beginning of the Stikine Icefield is the southernmost glacier in Southeast Alaska and, at present, its only stable tidewater glacier. Since 1983 students of Petersburg High School have been involved in monitoring the advance and/or retreat of the glacier.

Given the state of the economy in 2009, we can’t guarantee that these bikes shops will remain in business, but here are two, with telephone numbers: Zoom Bikes: 907.722.2526; Petersburg Cyclery: 907.722.3929. For a list of other Alaska bike shops, see: www.bicycleshops.us/regional/ak.htm

Lagoon Inlet (Morseby Island – Queen Charlotte Islands) (p. 446, 2nd Ed.)
Chart 3894 – 1 mile south of Louise Narrows – Selwyn Inlet

Prince Rupert.
Two of the fuel docks at Prince Rupert have been closed, leaving only Cow Bay. It’s a real problem if you hit it when the Coast Guard vessel is fueling as they take most of the dock for all afternoon and overnight.

Masset, Queen Charlotte Islands: The Customs at Masset, Canada has not been operational for the past three years. You must clear in Prince Rupert before heading across Hecate Strait.

Masset & Sandspit: Cell phone service is now available!

Bella Bella, Klemtu & Hartley Bay: Cell phone service is now available!

Kiskosh Inlet and Granite Cove: This place is well worth a visit. It is similar to Baker Inlet in that the entrance requires close attention and it runs about 5 miles from the entrance. Granite Cove is a bowl at the head of the inlet at the outlet for the tidal lagoon. There is plenty of room for a few boats on the extensive smooth area of 40 to 60 foot depths. There is a reef extending a bit from the point on the southwest corner of the cove. The lagoon can be entered only near high tide and with the dinghy. The lagoon is another bowl about the same size as Granite Cove. The best part is the scenery. The area has been logged but long ago and the cut areas are not real obvious any more. It is pretty all around but the massive granite face to the west is very impressive. There are several waterfalls or cascades from the snow field. There are also snow chutes to near sea level in a few places.

Because the clear cutting was so long ago it is not very obvious following the entrance instruction in the Douglass guide. Where it says to head for the far end of a clearcut we think the 4-2 depth indicated on the chart is just as good an aiming point. The chart, though small scale, pretty well shows what you need to do.

Ethelda Bay, Tennant Island, Estevan Sound: With sadness, we are sorry to report the passing, in April 2008, of our friend Dan Pollock of Ethelda Bay, British Columbia. In 1996, Dan and his wife Danielle purchased from the Canadian government the houses, dock, generator station and helicopter pad that had previously housed the maintenance crew of the radio beacon station and worked to develop an abalone hatchery. Dan and Danielle were hosts to Don and Réanne, and many other boaters who made a stop at their remote island off Estevan Sound. We have fond memories of our last visit when John Leone, Don and I hiked to the top of Trutch Island with Danielle to explore the old early-warning system facilities and enjoy the expansive view of the Pacific.

Dan's ashes were scattered in Devlin Bay where he and Danielle spent much of their lives together on the ocean. Danielle wrote: "That is what he wanted . . . That was hard—to say goodbye and ‘see ya later Capt'n Dan . . .” Danielle moved to Prince Rupert permanently in the spring of 2008.

Allison Harbour: 35 kilometers (21 miles) from Port Hardy and 21 kilometers (13 miles) northwest of Blunden Harbour, has been designated as a new marine provincial park. Long a favorite of Inside Passage boaters, the harbor extends north or 3. 2 kilometers (2 miles) from its entry at Queen Charlotte Sound. The new park will encompass 132 hectares (326 acres).

Shearwater: Facilities at Shearwater since our 2nd edition of Exploring the North Coast of British Columbia was published in 2002 have been substantially improved. The transient T-dock has 20 to 50 amp power; a new laundry was built; the building that houses the office/chandlery was increased to include a separate store (good supply of provisions and wine/beer).

“In summer of 2008, there was a "boil" order imposed for water; boaters were warned that, if they filled their water tank(s), they would have to continue boiling the water forever. Be aware that the fuel filters at the fuel dock may be ineffective.”

Moorage at the marina has been managed since 2007 by Jean and Wayne Bowerman, former assistants at Lagoon Cove (Exploring British Columiba’s South Coast.) During the summer, call ahead for space availability (250-957-2666 (monitors 66A) and be truthful about the length of your boat. A reader writes: "Jean takes a stick with a wheel on it and paces off your length, and that is what shows on your statement."

Klemtu: “In 2008 there are nice modern shore power fixtures on the public float but they don’t work. Several parts of the bull rails are also broken away. No indication that anyone cares. A young fellow did come to collect moorage fees of about $.60/ft.”

Bottleneck Inlet (Finlayson Channel): Apparently the snag that Tim and Carolyn DeCook originally marked about 4 years ago is still there and now marked with a crab buoy.

Wallace Bight (Finlayson Channel): On our last visit we found the bight extremely well protected and good holding over a mud bottom.

Hartley Bay: Readers write: Floats do not appear to be managed in any way. The woman at the fuel office said to tie up anywhere we liked and there was no charge unless using the 15 amp power. Then they expected a “donation”. Boats were moored in a haphazard way that wasted space that another boat or two could have used. We saw at least two boats arrive and give up to anchor somewhere else. We found the water on the dock to be unusable. It may have been bug free but had a terrible taste. That was from the provided hose at the fuel dock. The taste may have been from the hose but we saw no alternative as it led up from the pilings onto the fuel dock. Everyone we encountered while walking about town was very friendly.

Don and I have always enjoyed our visits at Hartley Bay. The facilities don’t fall under “urban” standards, but people have always been quite friendly. We also feel that they were the true heroes in the aftermath of the Queen of the North disaster. They claim that their fishing grounds have been ruined due to the spill.

Coghlan Anchorage: The buoys shown in the inlet had all been removed before our last visit in April 2007.

Butedale: From a reader dated July 2008: [Butedale] “is definitely rustic but still an OK place to stop for the night. Lou seems to enjoy the company (he talks – a lot). The place continues to deteriorate but he does keep the lights on and the docks were secure even though the mooring ties were a bit different. We had no problems from wakes. The Northern Adventure doesn’t race by throwing a big wake. Instead, it pulls into the bay and all the passengers take pictures of the buildings and waterfall for four or five minutes. Then it takes off again but all is peaceful at the dock.”

Another reader wrote in September 2008: " . . . the building out front that had been half-tipped into the water went all the way over during the summer and the pieces must have floated away. The place is looking very decrepit. Last spring [2008] Lou, the caretaker, told me that many of the buildings had worms eating away the pilings under the buildings and he was afraid that more would fall over the winter [of 2008-2009].

Réanne responds: Butedale is definitely in a state of active decay." We have not felt comfortable about staying in Butedale for some time.

Belize Inlet: Tom, "the Kayaker," wrote us about his favorite kayaking spot on Queen Charlotte Strait: Seymour/Belize Inlet. We share his enthusiasm for this area, as well as his interest in the pictographs and petroglyphs in the inlet. Tom did some sleuthing about the pictograph we feature on page 44 of our North Coast guidebook and reports that the vessel depicted in our photo represented the British trading sloop, "Thornton," attacked by the Nakwoktak [sic] warriors in June of 1868. Tom's source is as follows: "24 Indians in three canoes from the Nakwakto tribe attacked the British trading sloop Thornton, which was nearly becalmed off the Storm Islands in Queen Charlotte Sound. Captain James Douglas Warren and his mate, Steadman, were both severely wounded in the head, chest and side. Fifteen of the Indians were killed and four were wounded in the attack. The first Indian killed was the chief, called a 'noted old scoundrel and long a terror on the coast.' He was shot as he climbed over the side of the ship."

We, as well as Tom, would appreciate hearing from anyone who has information on the pictograph.

ERRATA to 3rd. Edition:

The following sidebars should have been attributed to e.b. kowal. We apologize for the omission.

Chatterbox Falls. This sidebar was ommitted from the 3rd Ed. The author is e.b. kowal. Click here for text.

Van Isle (p. 313, 3rd Ed.:) Gowlland Harbor Mouse (not Moose) Island

Point Roberts (p. 166, 3rd Ed.): typo in area code of tel. number for Point Roberts Marina. Change to read 360.945.2255.

Sointula Harbour, Lions Harbour Authority (p. 437, 3rd Ed.)
In 2010, the harbour is currently working on an upgrade and expansion project that includes the reconfiguration of the South Wharf Head and the installation of 600 feet of additional docks. There are 400 extra feet at the north side and 200 feet at the south side.

Greenway Sound (p. 406, 3rd ed.)
After 46 years of running popular Greenway Sound Marine Resort, Tom and Ann Taylor have sold the Marine Resort to Trip Rumberger. The resort will be open in 2010 with Tom and Ann aiding Trip in his new venture. You’ll find the same fine facilities and the restaurant will also be open in July 2010. We wish Tom and Ann all the best in their long-earned retirement!
Monitors: Ch 66A, U.S. mode
Telepone winter: 360.333.7062
Teephonel summer: to be determined (check their website for updated information)
Email: greenwaysound@hotmail.com or greenwaysound@xplornet.com
No analog telephone service in the Broughtons as of 2010. Email advised.

Sullivan Bay (p. 409, 3rd. Ed.)
In 2009, Sullivan Bay completed its new docks and upgraded its power (15-100 amp). Fuel includes gasoline, diesel and propane (the only propane in the Broughtons in 2010). Postal drop in the store. Other facilities remain as described.

Patrician Cove, Beaver Harbour (p. 438, 3rd Ed.)
In the early morning hours of June 29, 1982, in a cove along the east coast of Vancouver Island, Jon Bowman and Ann Kenyon of Seattle were asleep aboard their yacht, the Patrician.In a moment, everything changed. The generator abruptly stopped, dense smoke filled the engine room and fire extinguishers self-activated. Bowman and Kenyon lowered the dinghy, boarded, and then looked on helplessly as the pilothouse burst into flame. Volunteer firefighters arrived to spray foam on the flames, but they were unable to save the 83-foot vessel. The following morning, the fiberglass hull took on water and sank. The cause of the fire was never determined.

Members of the Coast Guard, RCMP, Port Hardy Emergency Program and Fisheries Department worked together during the incident, while boaters and residents of Beaver Harbour gave shelter and comfort to the couple. To prevent an environmental disaster, the area was surrounded with containment booms, and 1,400 gallons of oil was pumped into barrels. Details of the rescue and clean-up operations appeared in the Port Hardy North Island Gazette.

In November of that year, Bowman and Kenyon petitioned the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names to have the area named Patrician Bay in honor of the 195-ton yacht Bowman had designed and built ten years earlier. They pointed out that "Patrician Bay" was more dignified than the unofficial moniker, "Hook Ass Bay," which, according to local lore, stemmed from an unfortunate incident involving a fishhook and a woman's backside. The names committee agreed, but decided that the body of water was more properly called a cove than a bay. Patrician Cove is now the official designation appearing on charts, maps and in gazetteers.

Thurlow Island
Last summer (09) we discovered a new dock in the little bight on the South side of Johns Point on East Thurlow Island. There were no signs indicating the dock was private so we went alongside to try and determine if it was open to the public. Our best guess is that it probably belongs to one or more of the nearby resorts and is used in conjunction with their fishing and whale-watching excursions. There were quite a few closely spaced picnic tables together with cooking facilities and port-a-potties onshore just above the dock. The dock appeared to be new and was very well constructed. The approach seemed to be clear of obstructions although there was quite a bit of kelp perhaps a hundred feet or so off the Northeast side.

If this is used by the whale-watching boats on a fairly regular daily schedule it might be possible to get permission to lay alongside awaiting a favorable current in the narrows if there were no conflict with the excursion vessels. This might be more convenient than anchoring in some of the other areas close by.

If anyone knows the owners of any of the lodges in the area perhaps you could find out if they are aware of the ownership and whether or not short-term layovers would be possible.
—Submitted by Jim Wright,

Comox/Courtney (3rd Ed., pp 252-253). The Old House Restaurant in Courtney was already closed before the 3rd Edition went to print. (This information did not make it into the 3rd Ed.—Réanne

Scottie Bay (3rd Ed. p. 239) Photo caption should read: Caution entrance rocks extend 2/3 of the way across opening.

Newcastle Island Passage (3rd Ed. p. 228): The last time we checked in 2008, the fuel dock mentioned in the text was closed. Also see p. 160 re: Brechin Point Marina.

Clam Cove, Nigiei Island: A reader writes that Clam Cove is a convenient jumping off point for crossing Cape Caution and that this route is almost 10 miles shrter by not having to go around most of Hope Island. We agree, as our text shows, and feel Clam Cove is an excellent anchorage.

Prideaux Haven: (From a reader) “It was our first visit in August. What a Zoo! We counted at least 50 boats anchored in the main bay. Probably close to another 100 were in the adjoining bays. It was crowded and noisy compared to the quiet anchorages we had seen all the rest of the summer. Around dinner time three ski boat size boats were rafted together and cruised the anchorage playing some Jimmy Buffet music on a boom box. Two seaplanes also operated in the crowded bay. One landed outside and taxied in and the other actually landed and took off amid all the anchored boats.”

Winter Harbour (p. 60, 2nd Ed): We’ve never been a connoisseur of WH, as we go in by dinghy from anchoring in Browning Inlet. The store is still there—not many groceries. But the owner told , on 24 hours’ (prefer 48 hours) notice, he’d custom order. He said they do a really good job of “picking” for him. Otherwise—no restaurant, just fuel, and a nice laundromat.

Columbia Cove (p. 96, 2nd Ed): The cove has regained its beauty. As far as we can tell they’re no longer bringing tourists in here to hike to the beach. The eerie remains of that Coast Guard boat are gone as are all the hurricane buoys—I imagine in the same operation. The bay is lovely, although it’s tough to find enough depth to comfortably anchor. We took the hike to the beach today and the trail had had some maintenance unlike the one to Grant Beach.

Kyuquot/ Walters Cove (p. 107, 2nd Ed.) : Still the same reasonably stocked little grocery on the dock. The owner will custom order, but the Uchuck comes in only once a week, currently on Thursdays. No showers, no laundromat, no restaurant, no power on the dock, and an espresso hut on one of the other docks. You can get water by stringing hoses down the dock from a spigot by the grocery store. Indian side is still accessible by dinghy only or they’ll pick you up in dinghy. They like you to come over and visit their art shop. We went to Fair Harbour out of curiosity, and it looks like there’s no real fuel dock. You jerry-can your fuel, so there may be no diesel, just gas. (Authors’ note: Swan Song in Fair Harbour has diesel, gas and propane. Lots of small fishing trailer and lodge boats leave from Fair Harbour—even Kyuquot lodges because you can drive to FH, leave your car there, and get picked up by your fishing lodge for your vacation.

When we were in Bull Harbour and saw the hurricane buoys pulled up on shore, we assumed the Coast Guard had pulled all the underwater paraphernalia everywhere they removed the buoys. Not so. In Kyuquot, we ran into friends who told us a nightmarish story.

This couple left Bull Harbour in their 40-ft fiberglass boat and went into Sea Otter Cove. They tried to grab a buoy, but the wind was blowing so hard from the north that they couldn’t grab the buoy before they were blown by. On attempting to anchor, they just kept grabbing a ball of kelp (we didn’t see any in there).

On the trip to round the Brooks, they stopped at Klaskish Basin for the night, and had a good night there. But weighing anchor was a different tale! They couldn’t get their anchor up. So, he got in the dinghy and as she tried to lift the anchor, he could see that the fluke had hooked in a link of the old hurricane buoy chain. Eventually, he was able to get a rope from the bow of the boat through the link (which is rather large according to him), and then back to the bow. They managed to pull on the line to bring the chain up enough so they could drop the anchor lower than the link, thus releasing the anchor fluke’s hold on the chain link. It took them 2 hours to get their anchor up, and they were lucky to get it up at all. I’m wondering if the hurricane stuff is still underwater in Bull Harbour where I saw some huge blocks of concrete (that may have been used formerly to anchor the buoys. Columbia Cove will be a nightmare some night when many boats are in there and they anchor over those old hurricane buoys—which we never able to use, as they were too close together. This is a scary thought—that the buoy remains were left underwater everywhere!

Tahsis (p. 144, 2nd Ed): Westview Marina (250.934.7672). Everything’s here for boaters. John and Cathy even have a nice breakfast buffet for $10 with everything—eggs, sausage, waffles, bagels, toast, pancakes (no oatmeal). There is one grocery store in “town” with undependable produce. But a fruit and veggie truck (semi truck) comes with good fresh stuff from the Okanogan and sells off of the truck. Laundry and showers here plus power and water on the dock. Restaurant here plus one in “town,” plus one in Maquinna Resort.

Some friends of ours went into Zeballos and couldn’t get out fast enough. There’s some kind of an ice plant that runs 24hr right beside the dock that kept them awake all night.

—Submitted by Jill Princehouse, M/V Passages

Bunsby Islands (p. 103, 2nd Ed): The islands were designated as Big Bunsby Marine Provincial Park in 2005. This wonderful area is extremely popular with kayakers.

Mosquito Pass: #3 green buoy has moved; put buoy on your port side as departing.

Swinomish Channel (p. 11 & 12 diagrams): The numbering & placement of the buoys at the south end of the channel have been changed since the 2nd Edition. For correct information see NOAA chart 18427—on line or paper chart.

Prevost Harbor (pp.151-153, diagram): Since our 2nd Edition, a linear mooring system has been installed in the harbor. (See authors’ photos below..)