Bjorklund Log: Alaska Trip Day 18

6/2/11

Millbrook Cove

Miles Travelled: 58

(Tor reporting)

Whew, what a day. Both boys woke early this morning at 0430. Jess topped them off while Tor got geared up in warm clothing and got the engine started and the boat ready for departure. After putting the boys back in their bunks for the rest of the morning, we were off.

By 0530 Yare had slipped out of the harbor of Port McNeill headed north. Motoring again. It was an absolute windless morning and we were riding the ebb north making close to eight knots (when we usually do 5.7). Quite a benefit when the tides are running with you!

Tor had learned an important lesson from the early morning trip from Forward Harbour and had bundled up in a number of layers to guard against the morning chill. All told four boats left the harbor early heading either around the north tip of Vancouver Island, or up the coast like us. We had the option of a moderate day stopping at an anchorage north of Port Hardy, or a long day jumping across Queen Charlotte Sound if the weather cooperated. We ended up making the jump.

Crossing Queen Charlotte sound around Cape Caution can be a harrowing experience. To begin with it is one of the few open ocean stints on this trip. Calm conditions can be rare with prevailing NW winds and tidal currents that can run over two knots. One of the reference books we had along mentioned checking the VHF weather report and paying close attention to Ocean buoy West Sea Otter. They claimed that if the sea state was less than 1.5 meters and the weather was settled - recreational boaters should go for it. We listened to the report and the sea state was only 0.8 meters and winds were calm so we continued motoring north.

Generally speaking it was a good day. The wind never came in, so we motored the whole trip. The swell was quite low but still rolly and uncomfortable.

We put Odin and Lars down for their nap at 0900 before we were out in the Pacific swell. They both had good long naps. Odin slept solid for close to 3 hours!! Lars awoke after a long nap of 1.5 hours but shortly after awaking it became clear that he was suffering from seasickness. Jess played with him In our berth/enclosure and he puked a number of times, immediately feeling better and smiling and wanting to play until the next round. Eventually he fell asleep on our berth and woke up obviously feeling better.

Perhaps seasickness is genetic? Tor felt pretty good despite the rolling motion of the boat. Spitting over the side quite often (seasickness for him starts with prodigious saliva production). He nearly made it the whole way across the sound and around Cape Caution, until a light NW breeze came up at the very end (just south of Egg Island) , that caused the diesel engine exhaust fumes to eddy back over the bulwarks and into the cockpit. Urrp. Evidently it was quite the juxtaposition for Jess to be down below playing with to happy giggly boys in our berth and look up and see an immediately post puking - green face staring back down the companionway.

We decided to anchor in a place called Millbrook cove and were the only boat to stop in for the night. The cove is completely protected from ocean swell hidden back behind two islands. We all were glad to be stopped and felt pretty tuckered after a long trip (58 miles for the day). We put the boys down for an afternoon nap, which wasn’t long but allowed the whole family to lay down for a well needed rest. Cape Caution is now at our backs with the real “inside passage” to Alaska ahead.