Point roberts to Sunshine Coast?

Guest · Jul 20, 2009

Gulf Islands

We've been through the area many times. Bedwell has mooring balls for $10 per day. A provincial park ranger motors by and collects the fee. Ganges is a very nice anchorage this time of the year, but it can get a bit crowded. If a southerly is in the forecast plan on obtaining shelter in one of the marina slips. I'm not aware of any public mooring balls in Ganges Harbor or vicinity.

Our route to Nanaimo is through Dodd Narrows. I'm not aware of any public mooring balls on the way, but many very nice anchorages. Be sure to make your run through Dodd Narrows at slack water. It is a bit of a hike from Ganges so timing is important. Better to arrive early and wait rather than late and try to push through. Currents can run 12+ knots.

No public mooring balls in Nanaimo but the bay has very good anchoring. The museum in town is worth a visit as is the Dingy Dock Pub on Protection Island. Wednesday is race day and always a hoot to watch from the pub.

So, except for Bedwell anchoring is in for the most part. Ganges to Clam Bay or Pirates Cove make for very good layovers. Pirates Cove is about ten miles from Dodd Narrows, which makes for an easy slack water run.

Desolation Sound is doable but considering the time constraint plan that one for next year. Can I help you with anything else? If you can pick up a copy of Waggoner Cruising Guide. It has lots of good information covering the areas you plan to visit. Also a copy of Ports and Passes will give you the slack water time for Dodd Narrows and Active Pass.

Terry Cox

Neil McDonald · Jul 21, 2009

Pirates Cove

Guest said:
....... Pirates Cove make for very good layovers. Pirates Cove is about ten miles from Dodd Narrows, which makes for an easy slack water run.

Pirates Cove on the east side of De Courcy Island is a small protected cove with a narrow entrance which makes an excellent layover with very good onshore walking opportunities. Apparently the Pirates Chest has recently re-appeared at the head of the spit for visitors to exchange their minor "treasures".

Be aware that the submerged portion of the spit at the entrance extends a considerable distance north west from the land and unwary boaters can hit the rocks. The house on the foreshore immediately to the north west of the entrance has a couple of channel markers in the yard. Head straight at these until you are almost ashore then make sharp turn to port and safely enter the cove.

Last time I was there found a power boater wandering around lost trying to use a small scale road map to navigate the Gulf Islands! He had his location accurately pinned down to plus or minus 30 miles!!!!

Dodd Narrows is narrow and sail boats can only transit at slack tide.

Guest · Jul 21, 2009

Cruising

FWIW, as Neil points out it is narrow and the safest time to transit is slack water. There is a 30 minute window on either side of the slack water time where a sail boat can transit and make it through before the current has had time to build. I've found it best to favor the west side of the pass.

Monitor VHF channel 16 as you prepare to transit. Commercial traffic (log rafts, tugs, etc.) use the pass and will hail their intent; you should do the same. It can get crowded at times.

Terry Cox

Neil McDonald · Jul 21, 2009

Smugglers Cove

teucer said:
I think I might go out thru Poirier pass of even Gabriola pass to avoid the narrow. I might find a bay there, perhaps Silva or even Degnen bay. I might drop a few prawn trap on the Staright side of gabriola and then cut accross to maybe Secret cove etc.... Nanaimo sounds like a better option on the way back.

Is there any good spot on the sechelt, pender hardour Jervis inlet side of things to see, walk on or visit.... Safe bays, moorings etc...

Don't be scared by Dodd Narrows. Its fine with just a little caution. If you do go through it, you can then overnight at Newcastle Island - which is about a mile due east of Nanaimo and has the unique Dingy Dock floating pub.

I have always been underwhelmed with Degnen but Silva Bay is good for an overnight but a bit commercialized.

On the Sunshine Coast (sechelt, pender hardour Jervis inlet side of things) you can pick up a buoy at Plumper Cove on the north east side of Keats Island very near Gibsons (get there early) or further up the coast a wonderful spot is Smuggler Cove just south of Secret Cove. The very narrow entrance of Smugglers is very easy and the amazing hidden bay behind has rings in the rock wall for a stern tie. Its a marine park not to be missed. A little to the south west of Smugglers is Bucaneer Bay ...between North and South Thormanby Island. Day anchor near the inner end of the bay and visit the wonderful beach that joins the two parts of this island.

Stu Jackson · Jul 21, 2009

Ian Tyson, of the Ian & Sylvia Canadian folksinging duo, wrote a great song about and called Smuggler's Cove - on the Live at Longview CD.

Who wouldn't WANT to go through Dodd's? Sounds like a hoot! and a true adventure...wish I could go. Will be up there in mid-August visiting in-laws, but no sailboat.

John Nantz · Jul 21, 2009

More comments....

Clearing customs: One thing you might consider is seeing if you can clear customs at White Rock. I have heard you can but I've never done it. When you go through customs to get to Point Roberts you might ask. What this would do is to free you up in not having to go to Bedwell and you could go somewhere else instead.

Port Browning vs. Bedwell Hbr: Personally, I would prefer to go to Port Browning vice Bedwell. Caveat: the last time we were there it was for sale so if it has sold I don't know what the new owners may have done to change things. Pt. Browning is a laid back family oriented destination as opposed to Bedwell which has gone more, shall we say, "upscale"? As in catering to yachties? Mega yacht types. And Pt. Browning has somewhat better anchoring as it is not so deep. You can walk to a small shopping center and if the blackberries are in season there are lots of them free for the picking.

Ganges: You're being nice to the ladies on board by timing your trip to the farmers/arts and crafts market. A few cautions about Ganges.

First, I've seen a lot of boats drag anchors there. The holding is not the best and a lot of people shorten up on the scope because of the numbers of boat anchored out and I've seen some quite large boats, even crewed ones (read: big boats), drag.

Second, there is a lot of water traffic that creates noise and wakes. Float planes coming and going (usually land from the north and take off to the south) and other boats that barrel in pulling a large wake then as they approach the anchoring area they slow down while their wake follows them and washes through the anchorage rocking everybody.

Suggestion solution: Anchor somewhere else and allow for a slightly longer dinghy ride. A couple suggestions would be (1) south of the Government marina, or (2) east of the small rocky islet, the one with a small shack and a dock on it. The second spot is my favorite. There is a rocky shoal that extends out north and south from the islet, the southern one being the shallowest, so make sure you have plenty of water under and maybe also go dead slow. The holding at (2) is better than the area where the crowds anchor.

Ganges farmers market: Dinghy to the Government marina and it is in the adjacent park.

Saltspring fair: This is something the ladies would probably like to attend if it is active while you're there.

Silva Bay: This is a nice bay but gets crowded. If you arrive on a weekend it can be more crowded. Lots of boat traffic from Vancouver.

Nanimo: Anchoring here is really, really crowded. There are a lot of fairly permanent boats anchored out and haven't anchored there for many years because of that problem. Since you'll probably arrive on a weekday maybe you'll be luckier at finding a spot with swinging room. Be sure to watch for and stay out of the way of float planes.

Pender Harbour: The wind seems to really blow through here and you think there must be "a gale out there". Actually, I think the wind is worse in the harbour! Garden Bay is another area where it is common to drag anchor.

Sunshine coast: We like Westview. There is really no anchoring available but the marina is very friendly to "yachties".

Guest · Jul 21, 2009

Cruising

Just a follow-up point to John's comment about White Rock. I have cleared there many times and I usually do it by cell phone. You need to pull into the south side of the wharf and dock, which is the government side. Call in and they will normally clear you over the phone. I actually think they can see you from their border offices.

Watch your water as you come in and depart especially at low. There is very little room between the dock and mud/sand bar. One time I must have sounded evasive on the phone because the person instructed me to stay and an agent would meet me. Three agents and a dog arrived 30 minutes later and, while one remained on the dock asking me a series of questions, the other two and the dog scoured our boat.

They were very courteous, told me that I had more than a couple of beers as I had indicated on the phone, gave me my clearance number and told me to have a nice trip. Since then whenever I clear I always maintain full disclosure to any question that I am asked and never provide unsolicited information.

I've never had a problem finding a place to anchor in Nanaimo. Try to arrive earlier in the day rather than late in the afternoon when it fills up. Newcastle Island is a great place to explore. Remnants of the pulp stone quarry, champagne raccoons, deer, other critters, plus well groomed trails make for a nice afternoon outing.

Terry Cox

Bob V · Jul 22, 2009

John, you will be happy to hear

that Port Browning marina is getting a new lease on life. I was anchored in Port Browning in June while the construction crew was remodeling the pub building (lower floor w/ bathrooms and showers).

The owner who was trying to sell had no takers so he is trying a new tack by investing some money to fix things up a bit. It is a great place to anchor. I feel bad for the marina owner though. How can he make any money renting slips when there is so much good anchorage. We can even pick up a wireless internet connection from the mariana pub while at anchor.

John Nantz · Jul 22, 2009

Spend your money!

Terry - thanks for your input about White Rock and customs. I'm going to have to give it a try.

Hopefully there will be a picture of Protection Island with the anchorage and float planes in the foreground. This was taken with a wide angle setting so the horizon is pushed back and the anchored boats look further away than they actually are.

Bob - On the one hand it's sad that the owner of Port Browing couldn't find a buyer but on the other hand it's good that it didn't sell because hopefully the more family atmosphere is retained.

Frankly, I can't remember how long it's been since we've anchored out there but it's been a while. This is one place, along with Westview, where I actually prefer to be on the dock because it is more interesting to talk to people. We've had some very interesting experiences there.

A few years ago we met an elderly couple on a small sailboat. The husband worked the BC coast in a number of jobs from logging camps, fish cannerys, and boat building. He was around 90 years old and they had a number of photo albums on board which they showed us. Pictures going back to when he was probably in his 30s.

One thing impressive was he used to contract plank fishing boats - planking a boat on a weekend!!! He was in charge of setting up logging camps. There were pictures of some of the camps and the loging equipment. It was very interesting and I tried contacting some historical groups to tell them they should capture his information for historical records.

Everybody: With regard to going north and visiting the beautiful British Columbia, be sure to take along lots of money and leave what you can behind. Especially in places like Port Browning, for example.

Many of these places have a very short season so if they have difficulties making it financially then there goes our nice places to visit.

Montague Hbr: Eat at the restaurant. See picture of dinghy dock with heron.

Saltspring Island Fair: Picture taken on Sept 15, girl with her winning rooster. The women will really like this side trip. There is a free shuttle bus from Ganges to the fairgrounds.

Like Terry said, be honest with what you say you have on board. There is a tendency to stock up on all kinds of food and drink but this doesn't help the local economy, and if you get caught it doesn't look good. It's not worth it. Both BC and Alaska cater to tourists so to let them know how important we are, and they don't charge visiting (like the US does - 25$ "customs decal"), lets hope they never will.

Enjoy yourself - it's your vacation! Spend Money!!!

Stu Jackson · Jul 22, 2009

Returning

Is the US Custom's jerk still at work at Friday Harbor? I hear there's another "dude" at Roche who isn't too friendly either.

So, for those of our brethren coming south, or those of us US citizens coming back, watch out for the bureaucratic goons.

Other than that, have a great time. Fulford Harbor at 7:00 a.m. is a great place for a cuppa.

Neil McDonald · Jul 22, 2009

Another Caveat

Stu Jackson said:
Is the US Custom's jerk still at work at Friday Harbor? I hear there's another "dude" at Roche who isn't too friendly either.

So, for those of our brethren coming south, or those of us US citizens coming back, watch out for the bureaucratic goons.

Without commenting on Stu's opinion of US Customs personnel, you should know that much of the regular rum bought in Canada comes from Cuba. So while you would have to be brain dead to take back Cuban cigars - and risk getting your boat impounded - you might quite inadvertently carry Canadian bought Cuban rum....... and the Friday Harbor people (who treated me well enough) know it!!

Bob V · Jul 22, 2009

If you are a frequent visitor to Canada (or a Canadian visitor to the US), it is well worth the effort to get a Nexus pass assuming you have a squeaky clean police record.

We got one before our first trip to Canada via boat because we travel with dogs and I did not want to be caught circling for a turn at the customs dock. When we get to shore after a crossing the first order of business is shore leave for the dogs ASAP.

In about 10 round trips across the border in the last few years we have always handled clearing customs over the phone. On my way into Canada they ask where my first planned stop is. When I tell them I am anchoring at Port Browning that night they reply that I should tie up at the outside dock upon arrival and wait 15 minutes before going out to the anchorage. They only came by to check me out on one occassion and that was my first time when I forgot the name of our destination and called it Point Roberts instead of Port Browning. They told me that Point Robert is not in Canada (duh) an then I stammered for a bit before I figured out where we were really going. I probably sounded flustered and they figured they better check me out. They came by and asked all the usual questions and asked to see our paperwork.

I have never met a US Customs agent on return to the states. We usually anchor at Stuart on the way home and they do not ask us to stop by Roche Harbor on the way there. As soon as I give them my Nexus Number, they know everything else including who I travel with.

They just ask a few questions about what you brought back, where you stopped and how long you were there. The cards are also usefull if you drive across the border.

Guest · Jul 23, 2009

Cruising

The first year that the I-68/Nexus program was offered we tried the I-68, but found it not worth the money or effort. Since then we decided on neither and just clear at a designated customs location. So far so good.

Terry Cox

Bob V · Jul 23, 2009

They had some problems at first,

but they all seem to have worked out nicely now.

I don't know if it is worth the hassle or not because I have never experienced any of the hassles that I have heard many others complain about. I know that the custom agents at Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor are famous for being very unpleasant to deal with.

I have seen first hand while I was on the guest dock at Roche and my friends had just cleared customs they were heading to their boat when a large motorcruiser came to the dock and asked with help handling lines. Incoming boat tossed off the bow and stern lines to my freinds who cleated off while I watched. The agent came charging out of the booth and chewed them out for interacting with a vessel that had not yet cleared. It was obvious from the size of the boat and the age of the couple on board that help was needed to handle lines.

John Nantz · Jul 23, 2009

Customs agents at Roach and Friday Harbors... uh...

Bob V said:
... I know that the custom agents at Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor are famous for being very unpleasant to deal with.

....., a "little" unpleasant? "LITTLE"??? Bob, you're so kind!

I'm with Stu on this. Since my last (of a few) experience, I haven't been back to Roach or Friday Harbor in many years so I don't know if they've improved or not. They sure could learn some lessons about customer/public relations from the Forest Service, but every US Agency is different.

For me, I'd clear anywhere else except those two places. The guy at Port Townsend is really nice but it is a bit of a hassle doing it there because you have to call ahead and the guy is run pretty ragged. Maybe if the next time I tell him I'm clearing in PT because of the bad apples in Roach and Friday he might pass it on up to his superiors? Now there's a thought.

Oh, and one more thing, about spending money. When you buy stuff in BC be sure to charge it (it makes for a better record that way because they track sales) and tell the cashier, or whomever you're talking to about buying something, that you're on a boat!

And make that a SAILboat!

Guest · Jul 23, 2009

Cruising

Hi Bob, I've cleared at both Friday and Roche and in those cases never really had an issue with agent courtesy, delays, tempers, hunger, boat handling, mercy, terrorists, suicide bombers, etc. Maybe others just pushed the wrong buttons; not sure.

My last time at Roche required that I purchase a current customs tab, which I obliged with my credit card. The agent told me it would arrive by mail in a few weeks. Well, I received a notice from customs several days later that they could not process my credit card because of trouble reading the numbers that they wrote down.

I called customs and explained my plight to a very nice agent. She said that I need not worry, they dropped the ball and the next time I cross the border to purchase a new tab at that time. She also said that if I had refused to purchase the tab my return could have been denied. Hmm. I'm almost tempted to test that threat.

Terry Cox

John Nantz · Jul 24, 2009

Banned ..... to British Columbia?

Guest said:
She said that I need not worry, they dropped the ball and the next time I cross the border to purchase a new tab at that time. She also said that if I had refused to purchase the tab my return could have been denied. Hmm. I'm almost tempted to test that threat.

"Banned" to British Columbia? That's a threat????

Guest · Jul 25, 2009

Man without a country

Hi John, yes it would be terrible if I tested that threat and I was denied entry into my country. That means I just might have to go join the Hemming Bay colony. Maybe twenty residents there with a colony club house. Very nice, remote and friendly. Some who live there part time are US citizens that BC allows them to stay for six months out of the year. Tempting, tempting.

Terry Cox

Point roberts to Sunshine Coast?

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