Seymour Narrows

 

We departed our anchorage on Quadra Island at 8:30am and headed for Seymour Narrows, anticipating our transit around slack water.  Strong winds were predicted for Discovery Passage to flow the same direction as the current, the waves would not be steep but no doubt would be choppy.  Up ahead we could see three other boats entering the Narrows.  

Tug with Barge maneuvering in Seymour Narrows

A tug towing a barge was off our port side and was matching our speed.  We decided to slow up and let him go ahead, which proved to be a wise choice.  As we followed behind him we could see the tug move in one direction while the barge was off to the side, lagging behind going another direction; the tug periodically changed its angle or direction to keep in the middle of the channel.  It would have been rather unnerving to have a tug and barge bearing down on us from behind; if the tug had any kind of mechanical problem, there’s not much the captain can do about it, all that momentum just keeps moving!  Once through the Narrows, the tug was able to establish a straight track.  Captain George Vancouver had written about the nightmarish spectacle of Seymour Narrows.  At one time a two-headed pinnacle rock, called Ripple Rock, used to lie less than 9 feet below chart datum which created a terrible turbulence.  Vessels would get caught in the suction around the rock and be pulled under.  More than 20 large vessels and over 100 lives were lost before the Public Works of Canada removed the rock by explosives in 1958.  

Strong Winds in Discovery Passage

Measurements were taken afterwards and it was determined that 35 feet of the rock had been blown off with a minimum depth now being 45 feet below low water.  After transiting Seymour Narrows, we continued up Discovery Passage and experienced winds ranging from 15 to 40 knots but had only 2-4 foot sea chop.  The winds subsided as we progressed northward and the mountains rose dramatically from the sea, the beginning of some spectacular scenery.  

Chatham Point Lighthouse

We soon reached Chatham Point Lighthouse where boats either turn left into Johnstone Strait, or right to follow Nodales Channel.  High winds were predicted for Johnstone Strait hitting late in the afternoon, so we took the more protected route around East and West Thurlow Islands.  This route also includes some of our favorite stops like Shoal Bay and Blind Channel Resort.  

Nodales Channel

There was no wind to contend with in Nodales Channel and as we neared the next turning point into Cordero Channel, it was flat calm. 

Cordero Channel

We reached Shoal Bay on East Thurlow Is. around 12:30pm and chose to anchor out rather than raft up with other boats at the public wharf.   There would be plenty of time to visit with other boaters at Happy Hour, a tradition at Shoal Bay.