June 27, 2020. Varney Bay to Coal Harbour. 3.5 NM. 1030 to 1100.
Varney Bay settled down nicely last night, as the gusty afternoon winds gave way to an overnight calm. The anchor alarm app showed that the boat barely moved all evening. The deck was wet this morning with more overnight rain, but it had stopped by the time we got up.
We had an easy morning, taking advantage of the fact that we were planning on filling up the water tanks in Coal Harbor, and taking showers, with the water heated by the diesel heater, even though it wasn’t that cold out. We had a quick breakfast of toasted bagels and tea, then headed out on deck to pull up the dinghy in preparation for tying up to a dock. That accomplished, I pulled up the anchor solo again, for more practice, and we motored out of Varney Bay. The wind was only a few knots, and we had some jobs to get done, so we didn’t bother to sail. The sky remained overcast and gloomy, but the rain held off.
Coming into Coal Harbour
We tied up to the long outside dock at the Coal Harbour Marina around 1100, and squared the boat away. The marina is a pretty industrial setting, which seems primarily to exist as a fishing boat tie up, and as an air taxi service. In fact, it is called AirCab marina, and there are almost as many seaplanes here as there are boats. Several came and went during the day, presumably flying out charter customers. Once we had the boat tied up, we walked across the metal gratings that comprise the dock to the marina office, which is located in an old airplane hangar. Coal Harbour was an RCAF base in World War II, and the hangar is one of the remaining artifacts. Inside, there is a free museum, which we didn’t get a chance to see today, but will try to go tomorrow. The harbor master was a man of probably early to mid-60s, who looked like he had had a stroke at some point. He was a bit difficult to understand, but very pleasant, and kindly invited us to tour the museum any time. The cost for the marina was $20.00 per night, paid in cash. We had been told $15.00 over the phone when we called a few days ago, so the prices seem a bit flexible, but we weren’t really about to complain at that price. A receipt was provided with the date we are leaving written on a business card, but no other information was transferred. Pretty simple system overall.
AirCab Marina. The office is in the Hangar to the left
The marina is pretty rudimentary, which explains why it is fairly inexpensive to stay. There is no power on the docks, and to our surprise, no water either. We had read in one of the guidebooks that water is available, and in fact, there is a hose up near the office that you can use to fill a bucket, but not to fill your tanks. We had to flush the water maker anyway, though, so we decided just to run it while we did boat chores, and fill our tanks that way.
Lots of history in Coal Harbour
We headed back to the boat, and had a lunch of soup, bagels with lox and salad, to help clear out the fridge a bit. Then we set about cleaning up the boat in preparation to be away for a couple of days. We pulled everything out of the deep cockpit lazarette, and while I was down there, we took the opportunity to switch out the cockpit shower fixtures to the new ones we had on the boat. Right now is not really cockpit shower weather, but I had this project already half done, and this seemed like a good opportunity to finish it.
Cockpit shower, all cleaned up
Once we had the shiny new shower holders installed, we re-arranged the deep storage. We put Sara’s paddleboard away, and tucked some other items into the back that we are unlikely to need anytime soon. Then, I took advantage of the reasonable internet here, and caught up on work emails, and started through this week’s pile of files for my review.
While we were working on the boat, Paul and Caroline from Giebateau came along the dock for a chat. The had sailed around this morning, and are anchored in Coal Harbour, just past the docks. We had a long talk, trying to learn as much as we could from their years of experience. They have fascinating stories about waves in Antarctica washing over the boat so that they couldn’t even see it, and pushing through thin ice in Alaska in February. Paul had heard our Espar heater go on this morning in Varney Bay, and they were pretty amused at the idea that we would need heat on a late June morning. They heat their boat with oil lamps most of the year, but I could tell that right now, they are happy just with a warm shirt and a jacket. Oh well, it seems a shame not to use the heater when we have it, and it made for a comfortable morning and nice warm showers. I’ll happily admit to being less hardcore than the two of them! We’re not sailing in Antarctica just yet!
We finished boat work and real work around 1700, and went for a long walk on the road toward Port Hardy. We figured out our plan for the next couple of days. It turns out we can’t rent a car tomorrow, so we will have an extra day in Coal Harbour. Monday we’ll get the car, and head down to Nanaimo to drop Sara off so she can head back to Rossland for work. I’ll try to get a visit in with my parents, and it sounds like I might even get to see Christopher, who is planning to come to the Island to visit his cousin in Victoria for the week. Fingers crossed!
Monashee resting on a dock, where she’ll stay for a few days
Back on the boat, we had a delicious sweet and sour pork stir fry on rice for dinner. Sara is really figuring out the cooking on the boat. We only had two smoke detectors go off while she was stir frying! Then, we were victims of the internet access once again. I’ve been sitting here doing research and downloading some software. Sara is reading at the other end of our delightfully long cockpit benches, and we are enjoying some clear skies to the East, with threatening clouds still hang to the West. The wind, which has gusted all day, has settled a bit, though, and we are hoping most of the fishing boats are in for the night so we won’t get rocked by wakes as they pass.
Relaxing in the cockpit to finish the day
Soundtrack: LCD Soundsystem Dance Yerself Clean. Always reminds me of J.P. AuClair. Not too many people will get that connection, but if you google J.P. Auclair street segment from all.i.can., you’ll get to see Rossland and Trail in a whole new light, and hear this song, too.
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