Pacific NW

Expeditions

With rain on the deck and pressure systems on the move, we decided to lay in today and linger one more day in Haida Gwaii. We are perched at the edge of Hecate Strait, preparing for the crossing back to the BC mainland coast. Justin and I had a “day of silence” in which we don’t speak to each other for the whole day. It is our way of giving each other personal space every now and then, and works quite well. He’s just wrapping up another long love letter to his girlfriend Christina with a flourish. In the morning mist Modulus and I went for the most incredible row among the tide pools. Crystal water revealed a scene equally as colorful and varied as any I’ve seen in the tropics! I discovered many new life forms that I didn’t know even existed, both plant and animal. Bright blue and purple starfish, billions of sea urchins, kelp forests, and pink corals slathered every rock, pool, and ledge. I was followed around by a large school of perch, and an occasional kelp greenling poked his head out from under the rocks 30 feet below. I snuck up on a mink and an oystercatcher that was whacking apart a sea urchin. There were sea cucumbers and all kinds of crabs. The kelp rocked back and forth in the gentle surge. I rested my hands on the gunnels and took it all in as I drifted along in the current. Like an old friend, Modulus is always there during these extra-special moments of the voyage. The water was so flat I may as well have been snorkeling. When the tide came up enough I passed over a shallow sandbar and back to the boat, where Justin was cooking johnny cakes for breakfast. In the afternoon I went for an “extreme row” in Modulus to Hot Springs Island. Wind and current were both against me on the long, hard row and waves continually splashed into the boat, soaking me. I took pleasure in the workout and on the way discovered a thundering and gushing blowhole! As I was paddling around a rocky cliff I felt the whole face of it shake each time the swell came up on the rocks. Water was forced through an underground fissure and shot up in a violent plume! I hopped out onto the cliffs for a closer investigation, so that I might become showered in the mist and hear it at its loudest booming. Today I had Hot Springs Island all to myself. I soaked for several hours and watched the ravens fly close overhead. Justin had pointed out the other day how they cant their tails to shift direction of flight. They continually hovered overhead, cocking their tails and eyeing me in the pools below. Both my boats were safe in harbor–Silent Partner tied snug to a mooring buoy with Justin aboard and Modulus hauled high on the beach and tied to an alder tree. I was able to enjoy my soak to its fullest. On my row back it began to pour a warm rain, and I had my second “soak”. We are running out of fresh water on the boat. The mountains of Haida Gwaii are relatively lower and water on the islands is scant. I rigged up a raincatcher on the bow with one of those tinfoil space blankets and a few clothespins. It did quite well and the water is soft and sweet. We got a fire going inside to keep everything dry in the cabin, and boiled a pot of pasta and several cups of tea over the firebox.