Brooks Peninsula

At around 2:00 P.M. I received a location from Dave. He has made it around Brooks Peninsula.
Things may go a wee bit slower for a while since there are some heavy seas out there. Looks like he's tucked into a snug anchorage.

KMZ file to view

Hi all,
    The following is a link to the GPS track that Dave has been recording since we left Olympia. Thanks to Andy Jeschke for creating this for us. I have taken the libery of compressing it to a manageable size. If you click on the link, it should bring up a Dropbox dialog box. Click on open, and you will see a file called Flight of Cygnus.kmz. Double clicking on this file should start Google Earth and display our route so far.
If you have problems, email me or comment on this page.
Also, if you know of a way to post a direct link, please let me know, I would love to know how.
Cheers! Pete.

Google Earth Track Log

Klaskino Inlet

I think Dave is having some fun times sailing. He's moving fast behind a 30 to 35 knot N.W. wind. I wish I was there! He may hole up for a bit. I think the winds are getting a little high the next few days. He's in a spot called Anchorage Island.

Quatsino Provincial Park

Dave seems to be making good headway. I was worried when he didn't check in last night, but there have been some wind warnings, so he may have stayed put yesterday. In any case he is now in Quatsino Sound, at Quatsino Provincial Park.

Cape Scott!

This has been a dream for Dave for a long time. To round Cape Scott. Today he did it.

God's Pocket

It has been an amazing adventure so far.  I needed a bit of time off the boat to take care of a few issues. Dave has insisted on going on alone. I left him with my Spot Locator. This is a device that sends a satellite signal out when one requires. The messages are pre-programmed, so I can only know that he is ok, or not ok.
    This afternoon I received an OK message from the very northern tip of Vancouver Island in a snug anchorage aptly named God's Pocket. This is where Dave meets the north and west coast of the island. There is little there in the way of communications, so I will pass on when I receive a signal and tell you where he is.
Cheers! Pete.

Beyond Desolation

     So much has happened since I last posted here...
     Pete and I said goodbye to Pat and Betty. We were at Squirrel Cove, near Desolation Sound. Sorry, there is no Moose Cove nearby (my apologies to those unfamiliar with Rocky and Bulwinkle :)). Pat and Betty planned a few more days in the Desolation Sound area, and Pete and I were heading toward Hole-in-the-wall and Okisollo rapids; one of the routes to go "Beyond Desolation".

Betty took this sequence of images while Pete and I were sailing toward Gorge Harbour, BC. This is the way to travel!

Betty, Pete, me, and Pat at Gorge Harbour, BC tipping back a round of drinks. Thanks Pat.

     What a long sequence of goodbyes is has been. Doug Buster, my boss while of Health Dept. years ago arranged a goodbye lunch in May for our former co-workers there. We had a family BBQ in June to say goodbye. My niece, Lizze, asked me to take her and husband Chris out sailing. Co-workers from the Geological Survey dad a goodbye lunch for me at Oyster House. James and Becky met us in Gig Harbor for a wonderful goodbye lunch the next day. We said our goodbyes to Pat and Betty about a week ago

Lizze and Chris aboard Cygnus in Budd Inlet, Washington

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     Yesterday Pete and I said goodbye for now. He decided that it was necessary to attend to home and family in Quesnel, BC. So, yesterday I watched Pete board a bus out of Port MeNeill. This was very sad and difficult, but I accept that Pete is doing the right thing for himself. I will sail the west coast of Vancouver Island without his wonderful company. With luck we will meet up again when I reach Tofino or Ucluelet.
     I learned yesterday that cruising is about unexpected meetups as well as goodbyes. Greg Larson, a former co-worked from Health Dept. (who was at the goodbye lunch mentioned above), and his wife Heather sailed their C&C sailboat into Port MeNeill. It was good to see a friendly face in an (almost exotic) foreign port.
     Along the way Pete and I made a wonderful passage of the notorious (for high winds in the wrong direction) Johnstone Strait. This took 3 days, but we had some almost good weather for it. One stop was at Helmcken Island. This is right in the middle of Johnstone Strait, an unexpected place for a beautiful anchorage. Pete tried a little fishing for rockfish, but they were having none of that.

The view from our anchorage at Helmcken Island

Pete angling for rockfish

     I have just a couple more errands here at Port McNeill. Then it will be over to the fuel dock to top off the diesel. Then head toward the west coast. I expect to round Cape Scott Wednesday or Thursday if the weather holds...