We are currently in Sointula harbour, arrived last night and staying today...more later.
The last update was on July 9, when we arrived at Lagoon Cove. We left on July 10 and arrived at Village Island, where the abandoned ruins of Mamalilaculla are. We first anchored in the west side, the recommended anchorage, for access from old wharf and path to village. However, although we were protected from waves, we were in winds gusty to 20 kts and the crew rightly wondered at the wisdom of 3 guys rowing ashore. We moved to an anchorage on other side of pennisula, out of the wind. However, this meant we had to bushwack through the forest for about 1/2 mile. It was well worth it.
There are old stilt foundations and some buildings visible in the tangle of berry bushes ( we are still not in agreement as to what type of berry--but they do have thorns!). There is the last cross beam from old long house and the slowly decaying remains of a sea-wolf totem.
[Village Island photos]
Dinner was fresh baked pita bread with canned chili augmented with fried ham/garlic and cut up fresh veggies.
Lunch was Quesadillas with goat cheese,cheddar cheese and salami.
{crab pot was out but no legal crabs were caught }
Skipper managed to loose the windlass break handle overboard, which will be replaced in Sointula.
July 10:
We motored through Village Passage out to Blackfish sound; and were greeted by a humpback whale!. We had great sailing conditions until we closed in on Wenyton passage: there was a 5kt current at 90 degress to our course and we could not clear an island... I will post a photo of the chart plotter and you will see our circles in the water, despite snappy tacking by the crew. So we put on the motor for the last 1.5 hrs into Sointula harbour. Dinner was at the Whale Rub Pub (which only has the name "rub pub" outside. I gather we were the first people to eat at the newly opened kitchen..it was a good meal and one I didn't have to cook.
We decided to spend July 11 at Sointula also.
July 11: on dock at Sointula
you can google this to get more history if you are interested; it was founded in 1901 by dissatisfied Finns working in the coal mines at Nainamo; they invited Matti Kurrika, a Finn socialist writer to help set up a worker's utopia. It obviously didn't work since he left 2 yrs later, but many carried on.
The homes that are occupied are all neat and well cared for; on the waterfront road, there are many abandoned/decaying buildings from the fishing days. It has a east coast feel with many buildings and homes built out over the beach/water. The tag line for the town is " .... a place of harmony".
I tried to get the ferry to Alert Bay to visit the First nation cultural centre/museum but missed it by seconds. I went to the local museum instead. It was a typical small town display of donated items with no evident theme, but good to see non-the-less.
I managed to improvise a replacement windlass handle: I got a 1/2" X 14" galvanized bolt from BC's oldest Co-op hardware here. It is old school hardware, with hundreds of wooden bins that allow you to buy one or many bolts/nuts,etc.... [ yes, I did buy 2 incase it happens again!]
There are loaner , flaming pink , bicycles for use between "downtown" and the marina.. Andy has taken off on one and we will get a report later.
This perhaps says all I can say about Sointula: on the brochure for the town, there is a line that says, "please note that the 7:55 ferry on Sunday leaves at 7:20"
I will put up some photo's on the blog once I get organized now that I have wifi access finally. I will also put some on the Flikr site ( you can click on the link on the right hand side of the blog)
The last update was on July 9, when we arrived at Lagoon Cove. We left on July 10 and arrived at Village Island, where the abandoned ruins of Mamalilaculla are. We first anchored in the west side, the recommended anchorage, for access from old wharf and path to village. However, although we were protected from waves, we were in winds gusty to 20 kts and the crew rightly wondered at the wisdom of 3 guys rowing ashore. We moved to an anchorage on other side of pennisula, out of the wind. However, this meant we had to bushwack through the forest for about 1/2 mile. It was well worth it.
There are old stilt foundations and some buildings visible in the tangle of berry bushes ( we are still not in agreement as to what type of berry--but they do have thorns!). There is the last cross beam from old long house and the slowly decaying remains of a sea-wolf totem.
[Village Island photos]
Dinner was fresh baked pita bread with canned chili augmented with fried ham/garlic and cut up fresh veggies.
Lunch was Quesadillas with goat cheese,cheddar cheese and salami.
{crab pot was out but no legal crabs were caught }
Skipper managed to loose the windlass break handle overboard, which will be replaced in Sointula.
July 10:
We motored through Village Passage out to Blackfish sound; and were greeted by a humpback whale!. We had great sailing conditions until we closed in on Wenyton passage: there was a 5kt current at 90 degress to our course and we could not clear an island... I will post a photo of the chart plotter and you will see our circles in the water, despite snappy tacking by the crew. So we put on the motor for the last 1.5 hrs into Sointula harbour. Dinner was at the Whale Rub Pub (which only has the name "rub pub" outside. I gather we were the first people to eat at the newly opened kitchen..it was a good meal and one I didn't have to cook.
We decided to spend July 11 at Sointula also.
July 11: on dock at Sointula
you can google this to get more history if you are interested; it was founded in 1901 by dissatisfied Finns working in the coal mines at Nainamo; they invited Matti Kurrika, a Finn socialist writer to help set up a worker's utopia. It obviously didn't work since he left 2 yrs later, but many carried on.
The homes that are occupied are all neat and well cared for; on the waterfront road, there are many abandoned/decaying buildings from the fishing days. It has a east coast feel with many buildings and homes built out over the beach/water. The tag line for the town is " .... a place of harmony".
I tried to get the ferry to Alert Bay to visit the First nation cultural centre/museum but missed it by seconds. I went to the local museum instead. It was a typical small town display of donated items with no evident theme, but good to see non-the-less.
I managed to improvise a replacement windlass handle: I got a 1/2" X 14" galvanized bolt from BC's oldest Co-op hardware here. It is old school hardware, with hundreds of wooden bins that allow you to buy one or many bolts/nuts,etc.... [ yes, I did buy 2 incase it happens again!]
There are loaner , flaming pink , bicycles for use between "downtown" and the marina.. Andy has taken off on one and we will get a report later.
This perhaps says all I can say about Sointula: on the brochure for the town, there is a line that says, "please note that the 7:55 ferry on Sunday leaves at 7:20"
I will put up some photo's on the blog once I get organized now that I have wifi access finally. I will also put some on the Flikr site ( you can click on the link on the right hand side of the blog)
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