After a few great days at Calvert Island we are heading to the Spider Anchorage area. The forecast of fog has been correct and we have a lot of it. Plan is to make the 10 mile run out in the exposed ocean, then duck back into Fulton Passage. Wind forecast has it building to 10-20.
Anchor is up at 8:00 am. Visibility is perhaps 100' - maybe less. Picking our way out of the anchorage I know where the boats are but can't see a single one - spooky.
We are fine as all the navigation equipment is doing its job, and at the risk of sounding paranoid we have 5 redundant systems (yes really). I cannot imagine being out here in the 70's before GPS or Loran C.
There is a bit of current against the swell at Odlam Island but it cleared up pretty quickly. The one good thing is winds are calm - the winds had not yet built as per forecast. Once out into the ocean there are rolling swells but no more.
Approaching Fulton Passage / Spider Anchorage in the fog
Anchor down in Hurricane anchorage at 11:00, 60' of water with one other boat already there. Lots of room.
The fog started lifting as it hit the islands so we try for a dinghy run to the WWII radar station - well documented by Jennifer and James Hamilton in Cruising the Secret Coast. We are running in and out of patches of fog and just on the edge of what is comfortable with no radar. We get to the described bay on the SE of Breadner Point and cannot get safely ashore due to the low tide and large swells coming in. Shame - will need to be another day. We turn around back out of the patchy fog and make a run around Hurricane Island, through Spitfire Channel and back around through Brydon Channel. Good experience for running the trawler through later, and past many potential anchorages.
Anchor is up at 8:00 am. Visibility is perhaps 100' - maybe less. Picking our way out of the anchorage I know where the boats are but can't see a single one - spooky.
We are fine as all the navigation equipment is doing its job, and at the risk of sounding paranoid we have 5 redundant systems (yes really). I cannot imagine being out here in the 70's before GPS or Loran C.
There is a bit of current against the swell at Odlam Island but it cleared up pretty quickly. The one good thing is winds are calm - the winds had not yet built as per forecast. Once out into the ocean there are rolling swells but no more.
Approaching Fulton Passage / Spider Anchorage in the fog
Anchor down in Hurricane anchorage at 11:00, 60' of water with one other boat already there. Lots of room.
The fog started lifting as it hit the islands so we try for a dinghy run to the WWII radar station - well documented by Jennifer and James Hamilton in Cruising the Secret Coast. We are running in and out of patches of fog and just on the edge of what is comfortable with no radar. We get to the described bay on the SE of Breadner Point and cannot get safely ashore due to the low tide and large swells coming in. Shame - will need to be another day. We turn around back out of the patchy fog and make a run around Hurricane Island, through Spitfire Channel and back around through Brydon Channel. Good experience for running the trawler through later, and past many potential anchorages.
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| The narrowest part of Spitfire Passage at low tide - happy to be in the dinghy versus the Trawler |
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| Stopper Group Islet - trees have a hard life around here |
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Near entrance of Byron Channel looking SE across Kildilt Sound |
Click to follow route in Google Maps
Click to follow route in Google Maps