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| Elcho Harbour - Sooo crowded - what is someone to do? (apologies about sun on the lens) |
We upped anchor at 7:40 and had a very calm start through part of Spitfire Channel (and happily at high tide) and headed out for the short 1.5 miles across exposed water - which was fine. Past Superstition Point a pod of Dolphins passed under the boat. Turning back in at Cultus Sounds was very interesting and past some wonderful anchorages and places to explore with more time - in particular Cultus Sound itself, behind the McNaughton Group, and around Sans Peur Passage.
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| Near Sans Peur Cove looking NW - lovely |
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| Into Hunter Passge - an easy run now |
The Hamiltons dedicate an entire chapter to the area 'Northern Hakai Luxvbalis Conservacy Area'. We can appreciate why, as it looks like a week could be happily spent here. We didn't have time to stay so pressed on into the easier navigating of Hunter Channel and past Bella Bella.
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| The good ship Redoubt passing Bella Bella |
Gunboat Passage presented no challenges with a bit of focus - we could even be a bit relaxed with the range markers unlike other passages we have been through. It looked like some nice anchorages on the way through and so some more solitary alternatives to consider close by Bella Bella / Shearwater.
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| Gunbaot Passage. Channel marker and range. |
We were amazed at how quickly the terrain and forests changed from the low and weather-worn feel of the coast to the steep and mountainous 'fiord-land'. A different experience to be sure.
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| NE up Dean Channel - it quickly changes from low coastal islands |
We pulled into Elcho Harbour. The guidebooks warned of rapid shoaling but we still got surprised. Slowly circling the bay looking to where best to drop the anchor we went from 40' to 7' in an instant! Yikes! Not wanting to have the anchor on a steep incline we backed off and dropped the hook in 90' of water at 4:20 pm.
A 57 mile day.
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| Elcho Harbour looking SE to Dean Channel. Impressive peaks in the background |
Braving the Horse Flies we took the kayaks into explore the foreshore. What we thought was a grassy delta turned out to be a marsh, and we kayaked right through the foliage. We went a few hundred feet up the river before it turned too shallow to continue. A nice little expedition.
The whole purpose of coming to Elcho Harbour was Alexander MacKenzie Rock. Ref Wikipedia.
and Ref BC Parks. Being light until 10:30 pm we loaded up the dinghy and set off back the Dean Channel. Being a bit later in the evening we also got some relief from the Horse Flies. Some guide books speak of anchoring just off Mackenzie Rock itself, but it seemed far too tenuous for us to try in either boat - partially due to the wind and swells coming up Dean Channel. It looks like a pretty tough temporary anchorage regardless. We pulled into the small south facing bay on the west of the point. Swells were rolling straight in so we used our 'standoff' anchor. Based on this Anchor Buoy System. The park itself is the cairn and rock inscription. We sat on the rocks and reflected on what an amazing feat it must have been from Mackenzie to make it there. Ironically he also only missed Captain Vancouver by a few weeks. .
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| From the cairn |
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| The inscription - bit tough to read in this photo though.... |
Before departing we walked through the forest to the west and marvelled at the trees elaborate root systems
