Grenville is sometimes call "the ditch". It is 45nm long and almost straight as an arrow. The current floods and ebbs at both ends with the current meeting in the middle. Usually, you head west on the evening flood to the middle where you catch the slack and anchor somewhere. Then in the morning you ride the ebb to the top. Sounds simple enough so long as it meets with your schedule.
But I was about 180 degrees out of sync so of course I bucked the current all the way. The last three hours with the wind on my bow we powered into about a three foot sloppy chop. Water was coming into the pilothouse in places I didn't realize there were gaps. That gave me something to do when I wasn't wrestling with the helm.
I gladly pulled into Kumealon Island Cove ( N 53 degrees 51.718' W 130 degrees 01.589' ) at almost 1600hrs. to sit on the anchor for the night. This cove is almost at the west end of Grenville and makes for a good starting place for the run into Prince Rupert.
The last two or three hours in Grenville, the water changed color to a light brown, like runoff back home. The next morning, Thursday, I headed back out into the ditch and shortly was in Arthur Passage approaching the mouth of the Skeena River. Yesterday Prince Rupert Coast Guard had issued several notices of large debris fields accumulating near this area as a result of higher than normal runoff from the Skeena. Fortunately the winds were light because there were vast amounts of debris everywhere to pick through.
The cruise takes on a very industrial feel as you approach Prince Rupert. This is one of the very few deep water ports in the world so it well suited to serving hugh cargo ships which all have the right-of-way. By common sense as well as the law.
3 comments:
Ahoy Mighty Dunvegan! Greetings! We're living, and enjoying, your amazing journey vicariously here in Chicago as well. I'm plotting your locations into my Garmin software so we can follow along in your wake. A beautiful ship and an excellent piece of blogging Frank. I wish National Geographic had a spare film crew they could have sent along. We're also enjoying your photographic (please apease the photo geeks in your audience with gear particulars) work. Nice to hear the First Mate be aboard (Arrrr, avast me hardies!). May the weather, the seas and the grog be in your favor.
Deb & Jim
Thanks for the post Deb & Jim. I am happy you are enjoying the photography also. Photography is a little like cruising in that technology allows people with little talent to do an acceptable job of something. As you will see, I am no photographer.
I am using a Nikon Coolpix2500 that my wife bought several years ago. It is pretty much just point and shoot digital format then download via USB to my laptop.
I bought an Olympus Stylus 720 SW for this trip but have yet to use it. Nikon's software is simpler to use.
My wife will arrive here in Prince Rupert tomorrow so for the next six weeks we might have a little extra time to get some better and more interesting photos.
I passed on the &1,000 to $1,500 video option. This trip is already costly enough. However, still photos just do not do this area justice.
I'm sorry Frank. I took from a prior post the full compliment was already aboard. The "avast me hardies" is hereby withdrawn (LOL).
Be safe outhere.
Deb & Jim
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