Exploring Sidney Spit

Transit Date:

Friday, October 12, 2018 - 14:55 to 17:59

Departure Location:

Sidney Spit

Arrival Location:

Cadboro Bay

Total time:

3H 4M

Sailing Hours:

0.00

Engine Hours:

3.00

Max speed:

6.26kts

Average speed:

4.94kts

Distance:

15.23NM

It was cold last night. My propane furnace kept me warm while lounging in the cabin, but after the fire went out and I climbed under my down sleeping bag, the cabin temperature got down right frosty. (Almost) Today was for exploring Sidney Spit. So, after a breakfast of home made cereal, I washed last night's dishes and headed for the beach.

I was anchored just off the Southwest beach at Sidney Island instead of the spit. In all my years of exploring Sidney Spit, I had never explored this beach. What a shame. It's amazing. You can walk this beach all day and still not get to the end. The sand is fine grain and is continually scrubbed clean by the rising and falling tides. It was warm enough to remove my shirt and so, bare chested, I walked and walked and walked. There was not another human on the beach. I came upon a small group of kayakers just leaving the beach and I thanked them for leaving as the beach was getting 'crowded'.

Exploring Sidney Spit has always been one of my favorite things to do in the Gulf Islands. There are very few beaches of this caliber in the Southern Gulf Islands. It really is a gem. After walking the beach for an hour or so, I turned around and headed back to the dinghy. I retrieved the crab trap on my way back to Trouper 2 and kept 2 Dungeness crabs. It was approaching 1500 hours so it was time to leave Sidney Island in order to get home just before dark. I had the flood tide against me so I ducked around the Northern tip of James Island and motored up Cordova Channel to mitigate the tide.

There was a small technical glitch. Upon leaving the spit, I snapped my transmission cable. I just had Gartside replace the last one I snapped so am not impressed. Rather than return to Gartside, I will see if I can repair the cable myself. Cruising season is pretty much over and I can sail off and on my mooring buoy so it's not a critical failure. I only really need reverse when I'm setting the anchor.

Exploring Sidney Spit Navionics track