And Willie Said: Of Winds, Waves, and Planes -- 8/18/2014

Canadian geese scoot out of our way when we leave Deep Bay Marina at 6:40A on rippled seas. I look back at the space we vacated to leave Daria visible to the camera now.

It is a bright sunshiny day as we turn east into Baynes Sound. Sisters Island WX station, located in the Strait of Georgia west of Texada Island and at the head of Lasqueti Island, predicts winds at 15 - 20 and reports 16 knots currently.

We pass the lighthouse on Denman Island and are still inside Hornby Island, cruising at 14 knots on relatively smooth water.

At 7:30A Sisters Island reads 9 from the Northwest, more desirable than the Southeast. Current is now pushing us. We get two to three foot waves as we pass Hornby, with some rolling us.

We have swells by Qualicum Beach and when we are in a trough due to a roll, we get a push from 14 knots to 17.

Rolls and turns, rolls and turns. They are waves now -- not just swells.

Rolling!

We watch for the ferry leaving Nanoose Bay bound for Sechelt Peninsula, have breakfast while underway and enjoy the views on shore.

We pass Mistaken Island on our starboard with Ballenas Islands on the port side. Malapina Strait is far, far to the east. We estimate the winds at 10 knots from the north and continue to have waves, some six foot seas, but mostly three to four.

Douglas Island

Yeo Islands

Recall fond memories of Schooner Cove and the closed resort hotel in the background.

Herb checks Marine radio to learn that Whiskey Golf is not active but clear for transit, although our route does not need to enter the area. A sailboat comes about near Winchelsea Island. A sign posts anchoring and fishing prohibited within one kilometer.

Watching for hazards in the water is our constant practice and I get the binoculars to see what looks to be something red. Getting closer I see it is a shoe. Ah! Let's get the shoe and take to the Red Shoe Restaurant at Port Harvey next year. That will get us a free dessert!

Herb says, "Do you want it?" "Yes," I reply. So he spins around while I get the boat hook. Success! Well, actually, it is pink and draped with seaweed, but we will keep it anyway. The photo is taken later in the evening when I bravely pick up the yucky shoe.

Pink 'Red Shoe'

Herb checks the WX and hears Ballenas Islands behind us reporting 18 knots. We are glad we left early and see the effects of that wind still causing four foot waves for us. Since the wind is with us, we are not breaking over the tops of the waves and pounding down.

Waves crash against the shore at Neck Point, and a sailing vessel pitches against the wind and waves.

Crashing Waves

Neck Point

We are close to our destination for the night and glad we will be out of the rough water. Entering Departure Bay, we keep Jesse Island on our starboard and see the ferry Coastal Renaissance, at her dock. We watch her closely in case she begins to move.

As we round the corner with Nanaimo in the background, a float plane begins to set down -- OK, we will move out of the way. So we do. Then the plane turns in to us. We correct. It turns again, so Skipper stops dead stop!