Eastern Johnstone Strait

Gorge Harbor lies at the head of the Strait of Georgia and at the foot of Johnstone Strait.  Thus, it lies between the first and second of four gates or ‘dragons’ that guard or discourage the passage north.  On a flood tide, the Pacific Ocean sloshes down Queen Charlotte Strait into the narrower Johnstone Strait hell bent on getting to the Strait of Georgia. 

Add 15 to 20 kn prevailing southeasterly breezes opposing this flow and you have the formula for nasty square waves. 

There are two basic routes north from Gorge Harbor.  An easterly one lies against the mainland of BC and a westerly one passes near Vancouver Island.  Both routes transit strong tidal streams.  The western one begins in Discovery Passage – the home of Seymour Narrows about which the Canadian Coast Pilot has this to say: “…To proceed against the tidal stream … 17 kn (is needed) to drive through during the full strength of the tide. “  Not a time I want to be there.  Our boat will make 22 knots in smooth water.  The other route has 4 rapids that must be transited.  Note the word rapids – as in falling, swirling white water.  Now these places aren’t always so turbulent.  The trick is to pass through at or near slack water.  To do that you either rely on your chart plotter which will happily dispense nonsense without remorse; especially, if you forgot to tell it how many hours west of Greenwich you happen to be.  Don’t ask the guy down the dock.  It doesn’t look like he has been out of the harbor for a while.  You could look up info in the “Canadian Tide and Current Tables”; but, by the time you sort out Reference Ports, Secondary Ports and time zones you won’t make slack water today. 

Slack water occurs about every 6 hours, alternating as the current turns to flood and as it turns to ebb. Several other factors come into play.  Even with long daylight hours you have two chances at slow water.  Since you can't be four places at once how do you manage it all.  One option is to wait another day, study some more, have sundowners on the dock with friends, enjoy another meal at the restaurant and hope for an epiphany.  While a seductive and time honored option, it delays getting to Alaska.

So, what did we do?  We ignored the figuring, crossed our fingers and got an early start for the rapids.  We didn't hit slack water.  The current was with us as we were flushed through Yuculta then Dent with its Devil's Hole and on into calmer waters. 

Shoal Bay looked interesting.  Naknek and Wanderer tied up for a look around.  A kayak resting on the dock caught our eye.  At the top of the dock we met the crew.  A couple and their lively five year old daughter were making a trip up the inside passage in the kayak.  The pub was getting ready for a flotilla of 16 Grand Banks trawlers the next day.

Our two boats moved on.  We tied up at current-swept Cordero Lodge to learn that they were not open for the season.  We joined Halcyon and stopped in Blind Channel to buy some of Jennifer's fresh bread.  The Nordic Tug Raven invited us aboard for cocktails.  All three C-Dorys left Blind Channel and passed through Green Point Rapids at mid tide bound for Beaver Inlet.  Soon after we dropped anchor at 20:30, El called on the radio to direct our attention to a large black bear on the shore about 200 feet away.  Three rapids down,one more to go.  Whirlpool would wait for the next day.