The second half of the race went well, better winds and much less rowing. Some rowing and paddling mainly during some evenings and light mornings. Frequent sails changes and setting and shaking reefs though. The drifter was used much less, and the #1 became the primary headsail.
We settled in to a 6 hours on, 6 off watch schedule, with someone fresh rotating in every three hours. We pushed hard through Johnstone Strait, which combined with rough conditions in Queen Charlotte Strait led to our only overnight rest break of the trip. Otherwise we waited for a couple of hours two times for more favorable tidal currents, at the docks in Campbell River (and to get more water, since the high pressure, 80 degree rowing had us worried about our supply), and Otter Cove where Discovery joined Johnstone Strait. But in the end we finished with a healthy surplus of water with the cooler weather and faster sailing of the later 2/3rds of the race.
Getting around Price Island was a bit frustrating with easing winds, but they filled in from the southwest for a fast nightime broad reach to get inside Aristazabal. Unfortunately this lead to our second, and by far scariest log strike at 3:45 in the morning darkness. A jarring impact at the bow, and then another strong hit on the keel, and a kick to port as we dragged it. Perhaps going too fast in the dark, 6.5 knots surfing over 7 at the time. A bump to the rudder and Mark saw it go by in the weak light, declaring it to be on the larger side of the logs we had seen. An inspection showed no initial leak, though we would start to accumulate half a cup or so of saltwater a day, so I suspect a minor crack behind the keel.
The inside route was otherwise pleasant. Another highlight, that could only happen under sail, was hearing the breathing of an orca pod surfacing, before we could find them visually in the late evening fading light.
Banks island seemed to take forever, and then the northern Hecate Strait and Dixon entrance started off mild, lulling us in. The forecasted 10 to 20 knots was definitely an underprediction, and soon the seas were building and a second reef was in, and eventually the storm jib came out as it built to larger than what we had experienced on a former October trip in the Strait of Georgia. No one got any sleep that night, and the always hoped for relief of protection from Prince of Wales Island never came, as Clarence Strait provided plenty of fetch too, just less swell. But our night passage outside of Duke Island set us up for a good tide for the finish, by pure luck. After some light moments as bits of rain moved through, we had good wind all the way to the finish for tacking through the narrows. And despite what the race facebook page says, we did not miss the finish! We just ran one extra tack to make sure we had plenty of margin for the harbor entrance, since the huge cruise ship spoiled the wind.
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| Cooler, wetter, windier weather for the second half of the trip. |
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| Perfect conditions for sailing, and flossing. |
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| Another view of the water zamboni barge. |
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| Approaching Llama Passage. |
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| As we neared the entrance to Bella Bella, Fashionably Late and Global appeared from their trip on the outside. |
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| Dreamcatcher along Banks Island. |
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| Fashionably Late again. |
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| The sun sets quite far to the north. |
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| Big open water at the north end of the route. |
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| Dixon Entrance starting to get exciting. |
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| The sun setting on Dixon Entrance. |
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| Out of order, but our kelp gardening fiasco from our Queen Charlotte Strait rest stop! Only need to learn the lesson once not to drop the anchor around kelp. |
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| Typical days lunch or appetizer. |
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| The finish! After the bell ringing celebration. |
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| A tough good old boat and some hardy oarsmen, paddlers, and sailors. Plus Ben. |
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| Mark happy to be in Ketchikan. |
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| Sunset at the arrival day watedside bonfire. Four happy teams finished our day, and one that night. |
Thanks to everyone that followed us, cheered for us, and supported us in the race. JT heads home, Mark meets up with Julie for further land based travels, and Linda and Ben will continue to cruise SE AK, Misty Fjords and back to Prince Rupert. At some point there should be another post on Ketchikan sights and Misty Fjords.
