MONTAGUE HARBOR TO NANAIMO

We awoke this morning to a very serene anchorage.  The sky was clear blue and the water like glass.   I made a nice warm pot of warm cereal which tasted really good this cool morning and then off we headed to the marina dock to relieve Ziggy. 

BEARDS AND MOLD

The little marina in Montague was like a ghost town during our visit.  Several old weathered small boats and dinghies looked like they were tied to the docks and forgotten, many with such thick growths of moss on their undersides that they looked like they beards and others filled with standing water and covered in mold.  It was surprising.

FEAST OF BERRY BUSHES

We walked up the road and let Zig have some time as we’d be on the water today for quite a long time.   The hills were so green and lush and the undergrowth was covered with berry bushes thick in bloom and some on the tail end of blooming and beginning to form berries.  In a short few weeks this area will be a feast for the stroller who has a hankerin’ for wild berries.  Mmmm, yum, good.   

OFF WITH A FEW CALAMITIES

We hauled anchor not without a few calamities as the hose that Larry uses to spray off the anchor muck came completely off the sprocket.  Larry got sopping wet and then one of the breakers decided to load was too much switched itself off and everything went dead, but we managed to get everything back running quickly, anchor up and washed and off we went.

We’re passing beautiful Galiano Island admiring its tall shores of shear rocky cliffs topped by thick fur trees and if you look hard enough through the thicket you will surprisingly see little cabins and houses nestled in amongst the trees and foliage. 

Galiano Island protects us from whatever might ail the great Georgia Straight. We get a brief glimpse of it as we pass Porlier Pass.  We can see the waves rolling out on the straight as there was a small craft warning today.  Incredibly, just a short distance away, our protected seas are dead flat calm inside.  (Porlier Pass is the channel separating Valdes Island and Gabriola.)

HOMAGE TO DODD NARROWS

We are timing our passage today to go through Dodd Narrows, just south of Nanaimo, at slack tide which should be at 1:00 PM today.  We are fighting a bit of a current now as we head up Trincomali Channel in that direction.  In the distance behind us we see two power boats probably rushing to get to the narrows on slack tide also.  Their wakes are full and splaying white streams off their bows.  

Historically boaters will time their arrival at the rapids just before slack.  Traditionally these travelers will gather on each side, forming an informal queue as they get ready to take their turns going through once the current becomes slack.  It’s a very narrow opening and during ebb or flood it can be a dangerous place.  It’s customary to let the boats come through first that are on the flood and then by slack it will be proper for the other boats to ride the ebb.  This protocol doesn’t always happen that way though.  This gathering of boats and timing to the tide has been a tradition going on for 100s of years, no matter what type of boat.  It’s somewhat like a homage we all pay to the rapids, a respectful timing and waiting, for a safe journey, whether heading north to more waters effected by rapids or south and free of their entrancing control.      

The Channel we are heading up to Dodd Narrows is wide and expansive and we see the tall mountain peaks of Vancouver Island to our left.  The clouds hover over the island and whip up in strange curls, probably from the warm land updrafts that swirl up the steep and varied faces of the mountains and valleys.  We pass old anchorages and ports that have been our destinations and stops before.  Each one, we reach for the binoculars to get a glimpse of them to see if they are the way we remembered them.  Some are and some have new buildings.  We are passing them by today though as we want to get farther north to see areas we have not been.

Valdes Island is less settled as we only see one or two houses.  On our left is Thetis Island that has a nice marina and anchorage.  We made that our base once as we took their small island ferry to the mainland on Vancouver Island to see the cute little town of Chemainus.  It’s become quite a tourist attraction since the economy went defunct and they turned to painting large murals all over town to attract tourist and it certainly was a success story.  They also have a well respected theatre company. 

MERGING

It’s fun to look out and see all the boaters heading north to meet at Dodd Narrows, some merging from other channels to the west and those coming behind us and ahead we see some merging up at Gabriola Pass coming from Silva Bay. 

Larry says we’re right on schedule.  We have an hour and a half to go before we reach the narrows.  We pass the Light at Gabriola Pass.  It’s a beautiful place with a cluster of white lighthouse buildings and bright red roofs.

STRUGGLE FOR POSITION

We’re finally making the approach now and can see some boats going through already in both directions.  Boats ahead and beside us begin to merge together and politely fight for position.  A sailboat on our port is pushing hard but can finally see we are going faster than he is and eventually relents and slows down.  We follow in behind another trawler that we have been keeping pace with across the Bay for the last hour.  Its name is Northern Ranger. 

ANNOUNCING THEIR INTENTION

We hear someone on Channel 16 announcing their intention to come through on the flood from the north.  He said he was a passenger vessel and following another power boat.  He asked all those concerned to come back on 16.  We soon saw beautifully restored and converted fishing vessel called Tamarack come through.  It was a lovely sight and well cared for.  Following her was the “passenger vessel” with a dark blue hull that called in the “Securite”.   

SAILBOATS WITH SPINNAKERS UP IN DODD NARROWS

As he was coming through, two sailboats headed through at the same time in the opposite direction.  We followed Northern Ranger as he headed to the constricted channel and then noticed two large sailboats coming through Dodd Narrows up ahead and of all things under sail and with a spinnaker up no less!   Being under sail gives them officially total right away but they should never be under sail coming through there.  Old Northern Ranger kept his course though as he had to to be safe.  I just couldn’t believe these goons on the sailboats.  I tried to see their hailing port on their sterns as they passed but there was none.  I think they were charter boats but not sure. 

NOT AS BAD A SCUBA DIVING IN THE RAPIDS

It seems like there is always something to talk about when going through here.  Last time we came through here we were heading home from Alaska.  There was people scuba diving right in the rapids with a dive boat standing by waving people madly away from where they were diving.  I still can’t believe that.

EASY PASSAGE

It was an easy rapid as Larry timed it pretty close to slack but I still was amazed and shocked that two sail boaters would endanger themselves and other boaters by coming through under sail.  Maybe that is the protocol here but I think it is risky. 

Well, we head on up to Nanaimo and pass the huge familiar pulp mill on our left and as usually the case some pulp containers filled over the brim to our right waiting for a tug to come and take them on their journey across the straight to Vancouver or some place nearby for processing or loading onto a freighter. 

WELCOMING SKYLINE OF NANAIMO

It’s a beautiful day and great to see the welcoming skyline of Nanaimo as we head in to the center of the harbor and to the outer docks.

NANAIMO

THE DOCKS LOOKED EMPTY

We pulled into the harbor and marina and were astonished to see it so empty.  Usually the outer docks are packed.  We pulled in with ease and had the pick of spots.  The dock hand said he thinks it’s so slow because of the high fuel prices.  Maybe so.  The weather was perfect and you’d think there would be a lot of boats out now.

THINGS ARE PROSPERING

We’ve been to Nanaimo a few times before and know the town pretty well.  They’ve had some rough economic times over the years but seem to be slowing but steadily coming out of it.  A huge half-built multi-story complex that has been sitting partially completed and empty, hovering like a huge ghost over the harbor for the last few years now is filled with workers, hammering and banging away during out stay.  So I guess it got its financing or conquered whatever hurdle was keeping it vacant and incomplete for so long.  It was a terrible eye sore and reminder of tough times so I’m glad things are looking up. 

Also a big portion of town has completely disappeared as they’ve begun construction on a new convention center.  I guess with all that encouragement and a strong economy, it has encouraged other small entrepreneurs to move in and open little shops and eateries.  So there were lots of new things to discover. 

The downtown on the hill has so much potential anyway.  The layout of the streets is unusual as they meander around in what feels like a hap hazard layout with no consideration for the convenience and size of cars and for sure trucks so if feels very pedestrian friendly and old timely and well almost stage set like, like the perfect little town.  Now with the renovation going on everywhere I think this is going to be a really fine destination even though it already is.

SPINNAKERS AND DRAGON BOATS

And if that wasn’t enough, every night at dusk the dragon boats race back and forth across the harbor with the speed of light in perfect unison.   We can hear the drums banging repeatedly to keep the paddlers in pace. 

FERRIES AND FLOAT PLANES

Of course, we don’t want to forget to mention the island ferries coming and going and the little surrey boat shuffling people across the harbor to the “Dinghy Dock” restaurant and back by New Castle Island.  The float planes too are a big part of this activity, riving up their loud engines and coming and going, weaving across the water and landing through the maze of cruising boats, tugs and their loads it’s a calamity of activity. 

FUNKY LITTLE BOATS

We especially like to watch all the funny little boats that the locals use to get around.  They are the littlest boats you’ve ever seen and it seems like the junkier and funkier they look the better as far as they are concerned.  Some are hilarious.  Oh, and how could I forget the fishing boats and crab boats that leave early in the morning and come back at dusk, rushing up to the dock beside us and unloading their fresh catch to a pick up truck with empty containers that has backed down the big ramp and way out on the concrete docks. 

NAVAL SHIPS

Yesterday we had three huge vintage navy training ships here.  They were a training crew as far as we could tell and they quietly snuck out before dawn this morning.  So with all this going on, there’s really no need to even leave the boat if you want something interesting to watch.  It’s great.

STOP BEFORE THE DREADED STRAIGHTS OF GEORGIA

Nanaimo is usually a stop over point for cruisers getting ready to head north or cross the “Dreaded Straights of Georgia”.  So usually on the dock, there are always discussions to eaves drop on about the weather and thoughts about the conditions on the Straight tomorrow.  We had one nervous Grand Banks owner next to us that was fidgeting around waiting for the wind to die down from 7 knots to nothing I guess.  He finally left heading across to Lund, which is quite a stretch, for one day’s cruise at 10 knots.  As they left, they said, “if it’s too rough out there don’t be surprised if you see us coming back to the dock.”  There’s always a bit of intimidation before a crossing and if there isn’t you may want to see if there’s something wrong with you as the Straights can shake the steel out of any old mariner.

We love the little town of Nanaimo. There are a couple old hotels there that would not be worth mentioning any where else but here they are like remote outposts.  Nearby are a couple galleries with Indian art which are quite nice and some other good galleries with Canadian art which are quite impressive, and several little restaurants, some trying their best to like a little SoHo like.  

THOSE LOVELY UGLY TEA COZIES

I always like to head on up the hill to the historical section to the Scottish Deli, which I think is called Mac Kenzie’s.  We always used to stop and get some afternoon tea because I love the funky little tea cozies they served the pots of tea in.  My goal is to someday find the knitted that makes them because they are so ugly they are lovely.  Unfortunately, they don’t serve tea anymore.  So I did manage to track this knitter down to a local yarn shop across the way but this is the second time she’s been on vacation.  One of these days I’ll get one of those ugly little tea cozies. 

EXCHANGE RATE WREAKS HAVOC ON BOOK SALES

We found a great nautical chart and book store that has about the best collection of nautical books and books on the local area from Puget Sound to Alaska that I’ve seen.  There were so many books that I would’ve liked to have purchased but the Canadian exchange hasn’t caught up with the publishing trade yet.  Even though the Canadian dollar and American dollar are almost on par with each other, the Canadians are still charging the listed price on the back of the book so the prices are ridiculous.

We always like to stop for coffee, lattes or tea down on the water front too.  It’s a great place to sit and watch the people walk by.  I usually manage to talk Larry into sitting there with a scone while I walk the docks by the fishing boats which are always interesting.

We always enjoy our stay at Nanaimo.  Tomorrow, the dreaded straights!

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NANAIMO PHOTO GALLERY

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