Might do a trip from Nanaimo to Echo Bay in the Broughtons this summer. What's good along the way? Expect to transit via Dent Rapids. Has anybody gone lately?
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Perhaps Echo Bay This Summer!
- Thread starter Kings Gambit
- Start date
Yeah, you'd probably have to commit minimally two, maybe three, weeks to sail RT from Everett.
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Better to take two to three months and spend time at several places along the way and really enjoy the PNW. Much prefer Shoal Harbour, a very nice anchorage right next (west) to Echo Bay. We preferred the east side of Echo Bay before it was taken over by the new owners and closed down Wind Song. Even kicked out John and his bead lady's float home and gallery. Shoal Harbour is also next to Billy Proctor's museum, well worth a visit. At low tide you can still see the remnants of a First Nation clam garden as you past through the entrance on the starboard side.
Always felt unwelcome by the owners during our brief Echo Bay stop overs. They cater more to the power boat elite. Sailboaters, not so much. We avoid the place.
Thanks, Terry. I agree, of course--a couple of months or more would be ideal. Plans are in place to move the boat to WA/BC next summer and do as you suggest. But in the meantime; it's (two wk or three) better than staying home and seeing nothing of the place, IMHO.
Any insight on Dent Rapids?
Any insight on Dent Rapids?
Some. Depends upon whether you're making passage north or south. Heading north we try to plan our transit through Yuculta Rapids on an ebb slack, which will carry you north, through Dent, with the current for some distance to your next anchorage. If not, you can layover in Big Bay until you can follow a favorable current, which runs pretty strong (ten+) at maximum flow.
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Terry, we had the exact opposite experience at Echo. Pierre was great. But I also agree shoal Bay is good and next to Proctors. I would stop in at Echo again.
BTW, treat Dent with great respect. I have seen boats (really) broach trying to negotiate the rapids at the wrong time. Viewed with binocs from Big Bay.. There can be huge overfalls..
Whats the attraction with Dent? If you have the WX, go up Discovery Passage and Johnstone Strait. Would save you a few days. You could go through Surge Narrows and Beazly Passage to the Octopus Is and then out to Discovery Passage through Okisolo Channel. (I think its channel) Octopus Is are worth the visit.
Pretty much the way we came this year Mark. Von Donop, White Rock Passage, Beasley-Surge to the Octopus Islands then Okisolo, Nodales and back to Cordero for Shoal Bay and Blind Bay.
If you have the WX should be in caps. Johnstone Strait can be a pig in the wrong weather.
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Just left Echo Bay 3 days ago. In Port McNeil today. Didn't use Dent this year but did last. Unless you have something you really want to see using that route I think this years route is prettier.
You can go through the islands but there still is 15mi from Hardwicke Is to the entrance of Port Harvey in Johnstone. If necessary, you can duck into Port Neville..Decisions made at the time..
Good holding at the head of Port Neville. We sat out a 40kt blow in Johnstone Strait on June 5 in there.
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To the OP, I remember you made a long run to Desolation Sd within a timeframe last summer. Now, you are doing the same but going farther north and going into areas that have weather/tides that are completely different. Extreme caution is advised re weather vs schedule and you may not make the Broughtons in your timeframe. If you set out in unsettled weather, your boat should have a plotter, AIS, radar. I’ve had to use it all with weather unexpectly closing in.
Thanks so much for your input. Yeah, last August we made the trip Vancouver to Octopus Islands/Waiatt Bay & return in 15 days, stopping at Gorge Hbr & Prideaux Haven. Really good weather nearly all of that time. More time this year for the longer trip--Nanaimo to Echo Bay/Port Harvey & return; about 20 days. However, this year I'm not the skipper and do not have to ride the boat the entire round trip. As it's not a charter the time-frame/schedule is not as "forced." If the Broughtons are not made b/c of WX then I guess it's c'est la vie. Try again next summer.
Four years the boat at Ventura Harbor and we never did sail into Cuyler Harbor, San Miguel Island (65 n.mi. distant to weather), as "planned" more than once. But, we will someday.
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Hi Mark, agree. Heading south on a flood through Dent into Big Bay a few years ago. Really strong overfalls. Hard work trying to keep Belle-Vie on due course. Quite the experience.
Arriving Echo Bay,
We did make the Broughtons; arrived Echo Bay yesterday from Lagoon Cove. Thursday we were in the JS for a 9 n.mi. stretch between Sunderland and Homfrey channels to make Lagoon Cove from Forward Harbour via the “Blow Hole” in the final mile. The Hunter 45 we were on did have the equipment you mention, plus full cockpit enclosure. I can now well appreciate the value of that combination of technology cruising those waters!! Forward Harbour proved a great anchorage. By the way, JS was under gale warning Wed & Thur but the strongest winds did not reach that stretch while we were in it.
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I did not find the rapids (Yaculta, Gillard, Dent) troublesome with our passage last week during the neap tides. I saw Beazley Passage of last year more of a challenge, especially in the northbound direction. We left Dent Island Marina about 30 min before slack to pass through there.
Mapcarta view of Yuculta (locals pronounce it You-clatas) Rapids, Gillard Rapids (next to Gillard Island), then Dent where it shows Devils Hole (next to Dent Island), if I understand the geography of the area. Very confused waters during peak flow periods. Strong overfalls, shifting currents, fast flowing water during flood stages. https://mapcarta.com/24717264