On to Shearwater

Today dawned rainy and chilly. We departed our anchorage with no issues after repositioning the chain in the chain locker so it did NOT pile up into a mountain and back up the winch when bringing it up – as it had the last 2 times we weighed anchor. Now that we are in deeper anchorages and putting out 200-300 feet of chain, the chain has had opportunity to cause excitement, at least for me. I have memories of the chain jumping the winch and dumping the anchor and the entire 400 feet of chain into the water while the wind was blowing and we were literally between the rocks and hard place – a friend’s boat – last year. I am still working to overcome my anxiety about retrieving the anchor, so these last few times of chain hiccups did not help. But today we seem to have the kinks worked out.

Anyway, we proceeded to have a pleasant cruise to Shearwater, which is a small fishing village on Denny Island. You are seeing this blog post because they have good internet and cell phone service!

We wanted to check in to see if we could get some fresh produce and fishing and prawning bait. Since it is raining and gloomy, we decided to stay the night. Fortunately, we also got here on the day they receive their supplies, so I lined up with others for the 1 pm opening of the grocery store and had the pick of the fresh supplies.

Ted, Sarah and I then took the small ferry across the channel to the First Nations Village of Bella Bella, while Larry put out the first prawn trap of the season. Ted and Sarah had been to Bella Bella last year when work had just started to build a new Longhouse for the Heiltsuk nation, and it is nearing completion. We were fortunate enough to get a brief tour of the ongoing work which is scheduled to be completed and ready for potlatches in October. The smell of cedar was pervasive and wonderful.

Bella Bella is a small village, but had an impressive looking school. This is the totem in front of it from the commemoration about 20 years ago.

Walking on the dock back at Shearwater, we also saw the trimaran Triceratops that we had heard in distress on the radio yesterday – their rudder had broken and they needed assistance out in Queen Charlotte Strait. Turns out they are one of the Race to Alaska boats, all no-engine boats racing 750 miles from Port Townsend Washington to Ketchikan as fast as they can. He was fast at work crafting a new rudder and intends to continue on to complete the race – so we didn’t keep him too long talking!

Tomorrow we head for Rescue Cove. We are starting to watch the weather at Dixon Entrance, which will be our last significant challenge for crossing into Alaska.