Well we finally made it back to the boat from June 18 to 29th! We had wanted to be out longer but as you may recall from our other posts, we had planned to be boating April to end of June; as such we had commitments which required us to be back home in Coldstream for the first week of July.
Our time on Kozad in June was great, the weather could have been a little better but we are not complaining at all! We just cruised the Gulf Islands as follows:
Salt Spring Island: Our first three days were spent in Ganges; you may remember this is Jan's favorite spot to start our time on the boat.
When we were at the dock a nice boat came in with the husband driving and wife on the swim grid for docking; everything went well until she missed with the boat hook on the the boat behind them. She dropped into the water but miraculously she grabbed the other boat's anchor and hung on!
Wife in water!Husband very concerned and dropping everything to help; NOT!!!!
We met new friends here last year, see posting June Cruise on Kozad; Mike and Penny joined us again in Ganges one year after we first met.
Mike & Penny on Kozad, Ganges, Salt Spring Island
Mike & Penny were going to come over on their boat but it had a fuel tank leak! Instead they drove over and we had a great time; visited the market, drove the Island, lunch at Fulford Harbour, visited Ruckle Park, Mount Maxwell and Cusheon Lake. Then we had a great supper on board Kozad!
Jan, Mike and Craig; hey wait a minute - that's my wife!
Mike & Penny on Kozad, Ganges, Salt Spring IslandMike & Penny were going to come over on their boat but it had a fuel tank leak! Instead they drove over and we had a great time; visited the market, drove the Island, lunch at Fulford Harbour, visited Ruckle Park, Mount Maxwell and Cusheon Lake. Then we had a great supper on board Kozad!
Jan, Mike and Craig; hey wait a minute - that's my wife!
Jan and Penny at Ruckle Park, Salt Spring Island.Last year when we were here there was a family of swans that came to visit, this year a beautiful swan was back again looking to be fed.
Salt Spring Island Swan visiting KozadMontague Harbour, Galiano Island: we planned to go to Connover Cove, Wallace Island after Salt Spring, but the tide was too low to enter the harbour so we stopped at Montague Harbour. It was so nice we decided to stay the night, we did hiking, dinghy ride visiting all the bigger boats! We came across the same sea lion carcass on the beach we saw in April; this time there was less there!
Seal Lion on beach in April, 2009
Little left by June 2009We were lucky to come across a Heron fishing; he was only about 10 yards from us and he was catching some sort of eel, worm, or fishie thing that was approx. 12 to 18" long, flat looking with a bright green coloring, which coiled and moved like a snake? Beats us what it was, but it was sure entertaining watching him fish for 30 minutes.
Heron fishing at low tide on North beach at Montague Harbour
He caught about 8 of these in the 30 minutes we watched him; not sure what they are but they varied in size from 6 to 18" in length and were bright green in color. This food must have tasted awful, each time he would swallow one the Heron would rinse his mouth out with water!Connover Cove, Wallace Island: we arrived early to beat the minus tide; and were lucky enough to get onto the dock. Although at noon we were sitting on the bottom tied to the dock the tide was so low!
MV Kozad tied to the dock at Connover Cove a beautiful small harbour,but very popular in the summer months.
Wallace Island is a picturesque spot, nice hiking trails which takes you through an old meadow with heritage buildings and interesting features.
An old abandoned jeep along one of the hiking trailsleading from Connover to Princess Cove!
An old pump which still works:the green hand water pump also works and is from 1948!
Kozad on the dock - very small!The anchorage is very tight and requires stern tying to prevent swinging.
There is an old cabin where boaters place placards with their boat names printed onto pieces of driftwood. There are hundreds and hundreds of signs hanging or nailed to every surface of the cabin.
Front of the placard cabin at Connover Cove
View of inside of cabinWinter Cove, Saturna Island: We departed Connover Cove early again to beat the falling tide, it was raining, cool and windy but our trip to Saturna Island went well. The entrance to Winter Cove is tricky with a reef which extends into the bay.
What is left of The Robertson II a 130' tall ship which hit the reef July 3rd, 2007
This is a very beautiful anchorage, just be careful of the reefs!
Party Boat with approx. 28 young'ns having fun!
We had a nice time here, great hiking trail which leads to Boat Passage which is a small opening which leads from the cove to the straight! The water roars through here and it is more of a rapids than a passage way - only to be used at slack tide; but not by us!
Boat Passage; Winter Cove, Saturna Island; very strong rapids!
Beautiful cloud formation at Saturna Island
Between North Pender Island and Sidney; these were settled seas as we had just come through 6 to 7 foot standing waves!
Main Dock at Port of Sidney
Docks at Sidney, B.C.
Jim came down to the docks and had supper with us; Jan misses her children!
Jan and Jim at Port of Sidney Marina - new hair cut for Jim!
What is left of The Robertson II a 130' tall ship which hit the reef July 3rd, 2007There is a wreck of a large wooden sailing tall ship which went aground a few years ago. The article of the sinking of this tall ship can be viewed at the following link: Robertson II . The heritage data and specs for the vessel can be located at: The Robertson II. She went aground and had to be abandoned on July 3rd, 2007.
We also happened upon a reef in Winter Cove; we were at high tide and riding in our dinghy. We thought we were clear of the reef as we were fairly far from shore, but that awful noise of the prop hitting rocks will not soon be forgotten. Damage was not significant but enough to require us to purchase a new propeller.
We also happened upon a reef in Winter Cove; we were at high tide and riding in our dinghy. We thought we were clear of the reef as we were fairly far from shore, but that awful noise of the prop hitting rocks will not soon be forgotten. Damage was not significant but enough to require us to purchase a new propeller.
This is a very beautiful anchorage, just be careful of the reefs!When we were at this nice anchorage a 40 or 45' boat cruised in and out of the cove. There were approx. 28 people on board, all drinking, music playing and having fun! Oh to be young again and not worry about what might happen.....
Party Boat with approx. 28 young'ns having fun! We had a nice time here, great hiking trail which leads to Boat Passage which is a small opening which leads from the cove to the straight! The water roars through here and it is more of a rapids than a passage way - only to be used at slack tide; but not by us!
Boat Passage; Winter Cove, Saturna Island; very strong rapids!
Beautiful cloud formation at Saturna IslandSidney Spit and Port of Sidney Harbour: we departed, once again, early from Winter Cove and were going to take a route to the south of Pender Island along Haro Straigth to Sidney. There was a strong current running to the South West, which was the way we were going; but the wind was blowing from the South West 30 to 35 knots. This causes very rough seas and standing waves , sort of like you were in a washing machine! We took a look at the south course we had plotted and decided to take a more protected route and over the top of Pender Island.
All was well until we rounded the northern tip of the island and hit the bad weather and seas. We had 6 to 7 foot standing waves, and Kozad was burrowing the bow and anchor into the waves; what a ride! We discussed going into Otter Bay to wait out the weather, but by the time we were adjacent to the Bay, the waves had settled somewhat and actually we were having fun and enjoyed the ride, so we decided to ride it out!
All was well until we rounded the northern tip of the island and hit the bad weather and seas. We had 6 to 7 foot standing waves, and Kozad was burrowing the bow and anchor into the waves; what a ride! We discussed going into Otter Bay to wait out the weather, but by the time we were adjacent to the Bay, the waves had settled somewhat and actually we were having fun and enjoyed the ride, so we decided to ride it out!
Between North Pender Island and Sidney; these were settled seas as we had just come through 6 to 7 foot standing waves! We made it to Sidney Spit and were going to pick up a mooring bouy and stay the night. This area is very sandy and at the north tip of an island; as a result the sand shifts and the charts are not accurate! We know this because the chart indicated we had 2.6 metres of depth at low tide when we went aground onto a sand bar! Ooops!!!!
It is a sinking feeling, no pun intended, when the depth sounder starts to show red and the alarm goes off!
Craig ran to the back of Kozad and looked down to see sand and sea weeds where there should have been water under the keel! Well, what to do now as the tide was still falling.... oops again! If we stayed hung up we would settle down onto the side of the boat and list over into the water!
Craig looked at Jan; grimaced, crossed our fingers and put the boat in gear! We powered up and off of the sand bar we went, after we turned around and found deeper water, we dropped anchor in 30 feet and awaited the tide to turn before we could attempt to get to a mooring buoy.
Well we waited 5 hours and watched two sail boats duplicate our efforts, they also became hung up on sand bars; the wind was still blowing SW 30 to 35 knots so we decided to head for the docks at Port of Sidney marina. Luckily we had an uneventful short hop over to the marina and docked without any issues.
We stayed two nights at the marina as we are trying to decide if we would like to move Kozad over to Sidney. The amenities are more conveniently located as well the marina is nicely done and it feels like a resort.
It is a sinking feeling, no pun intended, when the depth sounder starts to show red and the alarm goes off!
Craig ran to the back of Kozad and looked down to see sand and sea weeds where there should have been water under the keel! Well, what to do now as the tide was still falling.... oops again! If we stayed hung up we would settle down onto the side of the boat and list over into the water!
Craig looked at Jan; grimaced, crossed our fingers and put the boat in gear! We powered up and off of the sand bar we went, after we turned around and found deeper water, we dropped anchor in 30 feet and awaited the tide to turn before we could attempt to get to a mooring buoy.
Well we waited 5 hours and watched two sail boats duplicate our efforts, they also became hung up on sand bars; the wind was still blowing SW 30 to 35 knots so we decided to head for the docks at Port of Sidney marina. Luckily we had an uneventful short hop over to the marina and docked without any issues.
We stayed two nights at the marina as we are trying to decide if we would like to move Kozad over to Sidney. The amenities are more conveniently located as well the marina is nicely done and it feels like a resort.
Main Dock at Port of Sidney
Docks at Sidney, B.C.We spent a day cleaning the boat, which was covered in salt from the rough seas, we fixed an electrical switch for the wipers which broke during our rough passage, and did the laundry. As well as took in the Thursday evening market downtown.
Jim came down to the docks and had supper with us; Jan misses her children!
Jan and Jim at Port of Sidney Marina - new hair cut for Jim!Brentwood Bay: We left Sidney early after two nights and three days of taking in the town and getting to see Craig's cousin Colleen and her husband Dave. The weather was still windy, as it has been our entire trip.
We took a look at staying the night at Butchard Gardens on a mooring bouy; the area was so tight and you had to go passed abandoned sinking/floating wrecks. Coast Guard is suppose to be doing something about removing these eye sores as they are also an environmental hazard.
Abandoned Boats & Barges near entrance to Butchard Gardens, Brentwood Bay.
We decided to head back to Brentwood Bay a day early. This would let us get things organized before we went back home and would ensure that Kozad was settled in till our next trip.
We took a look at staying the night at Butchard Gardens on a mooring bouy; the area was so tight and you had to go passed abandoned sinking/floating wrecks. Coast Guard is suppose to be doing something about removing these eye sores as they are also an environmental hazard.
Abandoned Boats & Barges near entrance to Butchard Gardens, Brentwood Bay.A great trip we had, a bit of adventure, we learned a couple of things and can't wait to get back out on the boat.
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