Tuesday, July 25th, 2023
We left Blind Channel at 9:00 AM to time the crossing of Seymour Narrows at noon. It rained all night and Marlene was suited and booted for the wet take off this morning.
It was a very easy cruise to and through Seymour Narrows. No issues. We tracked with a Grand Banks that left before us and let her go first through the Strait. Once we were on the other side of the strait everything changed. As soon as we approached Campbell River the sea swells came up, big and rolly but without wind and chop. At this point on the Marlene Meter it was about a 5, tolerable and still able to move about the cabin. Thirty minutes later, it was up to an 8 on the Marlene meter. We were both standing in position in the wheelhouse dealing with 4 foot waves that were building. Fortunately we were taking it on the head (bow) of the boat so it was wave up, hit, boat down, get ready for the next wave. This continued for 3 hours.
Once we were approaching Comox we had to follow the gates around the Comox Bar into the harbor . To do this we had to change the angle of the boat and started taking the waves on our beam (side). Ugg. For the last hour it was a washing machine into Comox, tolerable, not dangerous, but very, very uncomfortable. The really frustrating part of this journey is that it was unexpected. Yes, unexpected. Neither WeatherBuoy or PredictWind caught it. I should have got a clue when we checked the weather this morning and it couldn’t get a reading on the waves. It happens, no app is perfect. This was a NOT PERFECT day of the weather apps.
Side note: for any of our readers who may be thinking about a cruise to Alaska consider this: all of our travel to Alaska, including the big crossings (Cape Caution and Dixon Entrance) and all of the 30 days in Alaska were far less turbulent that the last two days of Johnstone Strait and Straits of Georgia. Alaska, totally worth the journey, current environs, not so much.
The day is now done. We are tucked in to our slip, tight and tucked in like sardines, but safe. Tomorrow is a down day. Hail to the women’s crew in the harbor.
Be aware of a little place called French Creek (Quilicum Beach) south of Comox, part way to Nanaimo. It was our port in the storm two days ago when we left Comox on flat water and then the sea’s went crazy. We surfed in with two boats right behind us. Could hardly get tied to anything because of the wind. The harbor master said look for anything bigger than you and raft to it. People came down and grabbed lines and helped all three boats get secure.
I feel like puking just reading this.