O Canada

We are going to Desolation Sound and a bit North of Stuart Island for 16 days end of July and beginning of August. Not sure yet if we will jump off at Lund or from the Vancouver Island side but our plan is to drive and ferry past the open water and more crowded waters.
 
Capital Sea,

I'd recommend spending a night in Lund. There is a great bakery there and some nice small shops. We also spent the better part of a day out at Savary Island, just a few miles from Lund. We got lunch at a restaurant there and walked around for several hours. It has gorgeous sand beaches and lots of places to walk. No dock for anything other than loading/unloading, but easy anchoring in shallow depths with sand bottom.
 
Susan and I will be in the san juan gulf islands for the week of the forth and maybe another week if she can get it off. Also may take a week at the end of Bellingham weekend. We dont know how far north we are going to get but would like to be in the broughtons in july. Will be cruising fishing and shrimping the whole way.
 
Retriever, like I said we are undecided which ferry and drive combo will precede our adventure. I have been to Lund before and camped in Powell River. Our trip was in the spring and we checked out the waterfront and ramp in Lund. To be honest, we are pretty sure we saw a guy breaking into cars at the boat ramp and the guarded lot in town was not fenced, so Lund lacks a certain luster for us. Also since Kath does not skipper solo and does not drive the truck with the trailer in tight situations, the logistics are not very attractive. The ramp is away from the guarded lot and the boat would need to be taken a mile or so, as I recall, to the dock down hill from the guarded lot. Do I have all this right? It has been a few years.

Also, the photo's of your setup near the base of the waterfall at Teakerne Arm are grand. Not sure how much sun you were able to enjoy each day by what an awesome location.
 
Never been to Lund, so you know more about it than I do. We decided to take the ferry from Tsawwassen (just over the border) to Duke Point (Nanaimo) and motor up island when we went to Desolation in 2005. We launched - and parked - at Salmon Point Resort, perhaps 10 miles south of Campbell River. The parking is in their back lot inside the resort, so reasonably secure. The ONLY downside (other than the cost of the dang ferry, but you have that which ever way you go) is that the entrance to their marina is a bit tidally influenced (to say the least!) and you want to be coming and going at some time OTHER than low tide! It is a quick buzz over to all the good spots in Desolation from Salmon Point. I would go there again...

Capital Sea":2ssv5f1h said:
Retriever, like I said we are undecided which ferry and drive combo will precede our adventure. I have been to Lund before and camped in Powell River. Our trip was in the spring and we checked out the waterfront and ramp in Lund. To be honest, we are pretty sure we saw a guy breaking into cars at the boat ramp and the guarded lot in town was not fenced, so Lund lacks a certain luster for us. Also since Kath does not skipper solo and does not drive the truck with the trailer in tight situations, the logistics are not very attractive. The ramp is away from the guarded lot and the boat would need to be taken a mile or so, as I recall, to the dock down hill from the guarded lot. Do I have all this right? It has been a few years.

Also, the photo's of your setup near the base of the waterfall at Teakerne Arm are grand. Not sure how much sun you were able to enjoy each day by what an awesome location.
Click to expand...
 
We're planning to cruise the Rideau Canal in June and the St.Lawrence River to Montreal in September, both from our home port on Lake Ontario.

The Rideau runs 125 miles north from Lake Ontario to Ottawa on the Ottawa River.

http://www.rideau-info.com/canal/

From where it starts to empty the Great Lakes at Kingston on Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River flows some 600 miles to the Gaspe and Gulf of St. Lawrence. It's a mighty river, many miles wide on its run to the sea.

http://www.lakechamplainpub.com/st_lawrence_river.htm

We'll leave doing the Ditch to Florida--and crossing over to Cuba--to another year.

--Georgs
 
Roger.

I hope you visited with Pierre and Tove at the SBS. In spite of our visit, they had a good year in 2008 and would like to see us come back with more friends. :roll:

Dang, that sunlight is getting to me...

Merv
 
Capital Sea,

I can't speak to the trailer or launch facilities in Lund. We don't have a trailer so we boated up from Anacortes. Even if we did have a trailer I'd still take the boat all the way from Anacortes. The Gulf Islands offer good cruising in their own right.

As to Teakerne Arm, our spot was ideal. We arrived mid afternoon and left mid morning the next day, so we didn't get that much sun. This was OK since it was in the 80's everyday and plenty warm without sun. We had to leave once the tide started dropping or we would have been too close to the rocks for comfort. I'd say that was my favorite anchorage in Desolation Sound. There is a great lake for swimming nearby and not many boats overnight, especially when you are tucked in by the waterfall. You could probably raft up several C-Dory's there and have a nice mini rendezvous.
 
Warren, Don't trailer to Uculet, when you can launch at Port Alberni, and have a beautiful trip out of Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound out to the Broken Group. Much better ride on the water than on the road. There is a C-Dory dealer in Port Alberni, at least there used to be. I didn't check that just before posting this.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Lund is an OK launch with (pay) parking close by. Just a long way to go. We intend to check out some of the places closer to the lower 48 by car this year prior to making any decision.
Merv
 
Though I agree this may be a great time to do a Canada cruise we will not be going this year. For those who are considering it and don't mind a combination road trip and cruise, the area including the lakes at the head waters of the Yukon River, the upper Yukon River and Skagway, Alaska to access the Alaska Inland Passage all represent some great remote cruising opertunities in a relitively close area. These are the links to the video and write up of our first cruise in this area in 2003 for those who may have the time and be interested in a similiar trip.

Wouldn't recomend the 25 CD on the upper Yukon River, but we showed it can be done with the 22 CD.

Write up
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=7717


Video
http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=4831

Jay
 
Merv, is there a launch at the base of the town near the dock? The ramp I remember was West of there by a rustic campground and looked like it catered more to paddlers. It had no dock associated with it.
 
Steve,

At Lund the launch is right "downtown" in the harbor opposite the hotel. It is a bit funky in the sense that it seems to have split levels so you have to get all your wheels on the same section :shock: There is parking right nearby. Just stop and negotiate where to put your rig and let them know for how long etc.

There is another ramp behind the hotel that is used by commercial boats. I know nothing about that one.

You can probably get some pictures if you google Lund. I will see if I have any in my records.

The bakery is good :D

Merv
 
Harvey,
There is still a C-Dory dealer in Port Alberni and doing well. Port Boat House is down near the Quay at the bottom of Argyle Street.

Andrew
 
Andrew,

I've contemplated going to the West Side of Vancouver Island as well and don't relish the thought of trailering the boat down to Uclulet. Do you think it's a better bet to launch at Port Alberni and leave the truck and trailer there? Are there safe places to leave the truck and trailer in PA for a week or so?

As for cruising down to Barkley Sound by boat, I've heard the Port Alberni inlet can get windy at times plus we wouldn't have a vehicle so I'm not sure what the better alternative would be.

Peter
C-Dancer
 
The C Dory dealer in Port Alberni ought to be able to help with parking in that area. I have done the run down the inlet in a 13' whaler a couple times and it gets windy in the afternoons usually. Sometimes not bad though. But I have done it in the late morning and returned early that evening those times and it is not that bad usually. No different than any other estuary that gets stiff breezes in the afternoon. Sometimes you will find gillnetters in there which make it tough to get around. But their seasons are usually just hours or a couple days.
 
Not for all, but my favorite way going to
Bamfield and north is by water. Cornet Bay to Oak Bay to clear customs; then on to Sooke for dinner and overnight.

Leave very early (first light) the next morning and take off to Bamfield. We have made that run many times -- rarely a weather problem if you leave early (Check the weather systems before leaving home).

The Neah Bay departure is fine -- and as Roger says, many small boats make the crossing in the summer months. I've been trapped a couple of times by weather, and it can get lonesome out there! If you go that way I suggest a buddy boat.

For me it is PITA to do the ferry thing - BTDT many times. Expensive, and lots of hassle. Most folks go that way and like it. The run down from Pt. Alberni to Bamfield is fine most of the time, but afternoon wind can make for a rough ride, and commercial nets are actually tied to the log boom floats -- :thdown :thdown :thdown :thdown.

I like to fish further up north -- Ucluelet and Bamfield are getting too "touristy" now -- but each to his own!!

Above all, just GO! :thup :thup :thup
Dusty
 
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