Monday, September 10, 2018

Hotham Island, John Island, Cockburn Island



Sept 1-3, Sat, Sun, Mon-Hotham Island, John Island, Cockburn Island
On Saturday we start to head west but don't go too far as we head into Oak Bay and Hotham Island.  This anchorage was suggested by many boaters and it is a favorite of many.  On our passage through the rocky bay, we pass 12 loons scattered throughout and Colletta is pleased to have a family of 3 in our anchorage all day.  Residents (Norm and Elaine) have a comfortable home on this bay and Elaine kayaks out to greet the new boaters and offer a welcome and have a chat.  The six of us -Steve, Diane, John, Pam, Tom and Colletta- enjoy dinner together one last time before we split up as we begin to head west at a quicker pace.  We will be making arrangements to get home for a weekend wedding of Colletta's brother. (Congrats Mike and Laura)  This dinner we shared was delicious and the socializing reminds us what good friends we have the pleasure to travel with. 
After a morning discussion, we decide to travel through Whalesback Channel and aim for Johns Island to anchor for the night.  This morning we pass nine loons, go through the narrow passage of Little Detroit, and travel through Whalesback Channel.  It is so named because of all the little rocky islands along the way, looking like the back of a whale popping up out of the water.  Johns Harbor is actually a passage between John and Dewdney islands.  It has good protection from any wind and we settle in - we are the only trawler here with 3 sailboats around the point.  A lone seagull stalks our boat waiting for crumbs to be shared and we happily oblige.
The morning starts with a log on our anchor chain.  As Colletta pulls the anchor up, a large 8 diameter inch log is laying on the chain.  Tom maneuvers the boat around and the log slips off, to our relief, so we head out onto the big water of the North Channel.  There is little protection from any winds and waves and the forecast lied about the conditions on the water.  We traveled in large head seas of 2-4 ft with a 3 second period between the waves which makes for a rough and sometimes pounding rides.  After a time the captain averted our course and headed southwest toward Meldrum Bay to make the ride more tolerable.  We traveled parallel to Manitoulin Island so the land mass could decrease the fetch and thus the wave heights.  About half way there, the port engine overheated which forced us to run on one engine the remainder of the day. Colletta did enjoy seeing 5 monarch butterflies float by and wonder what they could possible be doing 10 miles out in the Channel. We continued on to the south end of Cockburn Island and Robinson bay.  We anchored in amazingly clear water with a sand bottom and could see the chain resting on the bottom in 12 feet of water.  Even at anchor, it seemed as if the boat could not get settled or decided which way to face.  Tom changes the impeller on the port engine as that gets water pumping thru it and it seems to run fine.  The evening was a little rolly and we were in bed early.
The entrance to 'Little Detroit" passage. A very narrow
channel that you issue a securite' call on the radio to
let other boaters know you are entering the channel. It
once was a booming logging town at this location

As you enter the narrow channel you can
use these range markers to line up your entrance.
You keep the top sign's red line above the lower
signs red line. When the lines are exactly above
each other you are on the correct entrance course

The anchorage at Robinson Bay. Crystal clear with
a sand bottom, something you don't see much up
here in the North Channel

Completely surrounded by pine trees, but we had
gentle roller waves in the anchorage the whole night.
Rocked us to sleep
 

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