The building next to the General Store at the Barnabas Camp on Keats Island.
Tag: Keat’s Island
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Looking Good from Both Sides
While at Plumper Cove on Keats, we hiked over to the Barnabas General Store on the Barnabas Camp compound.
A 40 minute hike each way, we took a big pass on the Christian books on the shelves and instead we went a little crazy and had a round of Barq’s Root Beers.
The ice cream looked pretty good.
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Coffee with a View
Sitting on a couple of sail bags on the foredeck, sipping a morning coffee.
Here’s the view this morning from Plumper Cove on Keats Island.
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The Moon Also Rises
It was a lovely moonlit night at the anchorage. Full moon is still a few days away, July 7th
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Beauty, eh ?
After yesterday’s fun and intense inbound trip, our trip home was at the other end of the spectrum.
We left the dock on Keats Island around 8, and ended up motorsailing all the way back to Horseshoe Bay, with barely a ripple on the water the entire trip.
Hard to complain when it’s so darned beautiful.
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Dock’s Eye View
From the outside float, looking out into the Plumper Cove.
That yellow can marks a big rock, just off the float.
Years ago when I did my cruise and learn course, we did docking practise here.
The rock wasn’t marked then, and we did manage to hit it going dead slow, in a Banner 37.
Hiting a rock with the keel isn’t a sound you ever forget.
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Makes You Wonder
There’s a big yellow can marking this rock, just off the outside float at the Plumper Cove Marine Park.
I’d love to know the story behind the engineering decision to build out the docks right next to rock just below the surface at chart datum.
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New Sails Pay Off
We had a crazy ride up Howe Sound from the northern tip of Bowen to Keats Island.
The wind was a gusty 25+ knots on the nose – I had a deep reef in Madsu’s main and my new 60% North Sails jib up.
Fantastic combination – we ploughed through the waves at a steady 5.5 knots, heeled at about 25 degrees or so.
It was a wet ride, with spray well into the cockpit as we pounded through the steep waves.
I loved the feel of the boat riding through the rough stuff – she was working but under control and seemed ready to scream along for days – comfortable and in the slot. Loads of fun in brilliant sunshine.
I didn’t get the camera out until we were approaching Keats – I’d pulled one of the reefs out of the main by that point and the wind and particularly the waves had let up considerably.
The ramp down to the docks at Plumper Cove Provincial Marine Park
Two days away on Madsu, a short solo trip up to Plumper Cove on Keats Island.
Wind was basically inflow into Howe Sound, but loads of puffs and crazy gusts on the outbound trip made for a fast and furious ride, albeit in the sunshine. Madsu rarely made under 5 knots SMG, no matter what point of sail it seems.
Spent a rocky night at the Cove with the wind blowing in from the straight. Once again, Madsu was the smallest boat in the park – but looking sharp under her blue tarp and a foredeck full of sailbags.
Trip home this morning was outstanding – hit by three separate squalls and cracked 6.5 knots SMG on a close reach. Frantic tiller/mainsheet work as boat went from flat to pinned in gusts, even with a reefed main and #2 jib.
Thankfully, now have my new North Sails foresails – made for a hairy and fun trip home. Surprise ! Not another sailboat in sight until I headed into Queen Charlotte Channel. Squalls came complete with cold, horizontal rain and a few hailstones. Still wearing shorts, but also had to don a toque and heavy foul-weather jacket for the ride.
No time for lunch or photos, just time for tiller and trim.
Verdict: when can I do THAT again.