Klaskino Intet

     After losing an anchor at Sea Otter Cove I sailed on to Quatsino Sound. This is the northernmost of the “Five Great Sounds” of Vancouver Island’s west coast. There is obviously a boat ramp somewhere in there (Winter Harbour among other places) as the sport fishing boats were (almost) more numerous than the biting flies. I was able to make the trip from Sea Otter Cove entirely under sail with northwest winds of 10-20 knots

Quatsino light

My good friend the Sea Otter (this is why I haven't been enjoying any crab dinners)

Klaskino Anchorage

Cygnus at Klaskino Anchorage

at my back. I set the wind vane steering for the first time this trip, so the wind provided both the propulsion and the steering. Great Sailing! All along the way the features of the Brooks Peninsula became clearer. This will be the last great obstacle in my course along Vancouver Island’s west coast.

     After sailing through the fishing fleet off of the Quatsino light, I anchored for the night at Koprino Inlet. The flies here were very difficult to cope with. It was unbelievable how many horse flies can hang out around one place. It is a pretty enough anchorage, but I left first thing the next day to get away from the flies. I ran the engine a few hours to charge the batteries (the windlass battery was especially hurting after its exertions trying to save an anchor at Sea Otter Cove) and anchored behind Anchorage Island in Klaskino Inlet. The Brooks peninsula loomed in front of me all the way, covered, as it is want to be covered, in a blanket of low clouds. This is known as the “Cap on the Cape”.  Tomorrow I plan to leave at first light to make it around Cape Cook, and the Brooks Peninsula, before the afternoon gale kicks in. Gale force winds are a regular feature of this location, there is rarely a day that weather radio does not call for this. As with all obstacles I find along the way, my plan is to turn it into a non-event with careful timing. Guess we’ll see… J