Back then, one could go for hours without a fix.They tracked one satelite at a time.
Not only that, but if they weren't visible like low on the horizon, it was unreliable.
My first trip to Haida Gwai was with satnav. Huge improvements since then. I have done 10 trips to Haida Gwai . Another planed for this summer. Favorite crossing is from Gillen Harbour to Thurston Harbour. Leave at dawn and get in on last light.Excellent hunting and fishing up there.
Thurston Harbor was where we were (on the buoy at the head of the bay) when contacted by the tour guide company guide to help in the search as we were the only boat there. As we came up from the Cape St James area it was really nasty in a very low-lying overcast and a couple kayakers passed a ways in front of us. Sailed up the coast and the surf was hitting the various land masses and throwing up huge spray in the air. The ceiling dropped to the surface, drizzle turned to rain. We past "pods" of other kayakers headed north in this stuff. Visibility turned into a few boat lengths and our radar was really tested to find where to turn in order to get into Thurston Harbor. The navigation with an intermittent GPS under rolling seas, high wind, and thick fog was really challenged. The radar was helpful but being new it wasn't to be totally trusted. at the head of the bay the visibility picked up and we found a mooring buoy and took it not knowing who it belonged to but I think there was one other one.
On the shore were a few yellow tents and a person or two were visible. A guy in a kayak came over to our boat wearing a black outfit and was very nervous. Asked if he could use our VHF. Well .... okay. Wondering who this guy was. He called someone and they discussed things and the gal on the other end said she didn't want to call the Coast Guard because they were positive there were missing kayakers.
A short time later another sailboat came in and anchored and this guy left to be with it. Then he came back and asked if we would go up the south shore of the main inlet to look for any kayakers which we did, then returned via the north shore but found no one. As we exited Thurston Harbor a Coast Guard helicopter arrived on the far shore and we could see his landing lights as they were apparently looking on the far shore. It was really starting to get dark now.
The agreement was the other boat would search the far shore (north shore) while we did the south.
As it turned out, there were two kayakers and they rescued them but the male kayaker had passed away of hypothermia while the gal managed to survive.
Had we taken the north shore we would have been there first, and with the walk-through transom and drop-down ladder we may have been able to rescue them both, first. Also, we had just got our new Ardic forced air heater!!! this was in '93.
The other sailboat, we found out, was a tour boat and they provided tours of the Charlottes so the guide knew them.
A couple weeks later we were in Queen Charlotte City and the Coast Guard came and inspected our boat. Thoroughly! Taking everything apart but didn't find anything. We paid duty on our alcoholic beverages so that was good. We were on the dock behind "Dark Star", a 50ft +-something foot ferro owned by a Vancouver rock star who almost lost it on the same route you took. It was a huge boat not only in size but also in tonnage. Ketch with a bowsprit and two dolphin knockers of about 3/4" stainless steel rods. One of them was broken by the swinging anchor that came loose from it's tie-downs and was working on the other rod. Had it went, the boat would have been de-masted. The skipper was so seasick he almost died and his girl friend or wife was the one who brought it across Queen Charlotte Sound.
I suspect our boat inspection may have been because we were tied up behind him, and, the way we went up one side of the channel as if we were maybe trying to escape? Also, they may have known we came up direct and crossed paths with a big fishing ship that was scraping the bottom for fish. Don't know what they call it. It had two huge reels on the stern, I swear, maybe 15 feet in diameter. Perhaps they thought we picked up some drugs from the ship?
Anyway, our return trip to Gillen Harbour was one of our worst trips due to the angle of sail with the waves. It was a broad reach and the boat swung from one side to the other. As we approaching Gillen / Dewdney Island it was quite dark and there were two sailboats headed toward us under sail and passed quite close. They were unexpected as we didn't see any other visiting "yachts" except for Dark Star, so it was a surprise meeting them out there.
Gillen was a beautiful harbor but it had some big horse flies. Same goes with Dundas Island.
You are fortunate to be able to access the islands because from here it is a really long trip.
We did get to see the Golden Spruce before some idiot cut it down.
The Cape Scott > Cape St James was a "leave at dawn, arrive at dawn" run. Given the option I think I'd do it again. At the time we both had to get back to our jobs so time was a factor.