Montague Harbour.

Not Montague Harbour. (I was anchored in the the Northern  Bay, adjacent to Montague Harbour.) I got up late, had coffee and then worked for UVic for a couple of hours. It's amazing what you can do with only 1 bar of cell service. Unfortunately my laptop battery only lasts a couple of hours so I had to run the engine for 3/4 hour to charge up. I went to shore and walked to the general store at the Marina in Montague. It seems they are Covid paranoid. They moved their general store down to the gas dock. They had also posted a number of signs;

• Stay out
• Closed
• Go Away
• We hate off islanders.

Brutal. Decided to head to Ruxton on my way North. I was there once before on Sea Jay, our Thunderbird back in the day. I remember shucking oysters from the rocks. You couldn't take a step without stepping on an oyster. Can't wait to see what it looks like after all these years. So, after getting back from my walk, I had lunch and then took Skully to Montague for a block of ice. Then, I was on my way. Motoring up Trincomale channel with a following sea and a South wind. I was travelling with the tide so made good time. I dropped anchor in Herring Bay. The wind turned and came from the North which was NOT in the forecast. It was quite lumpy all night but T2 held fast and all was well until the wind finally dropped to zero and then it was so quiet. All you could hear were ravens.

Ruxton Island

Herring Bay Ruxton Island. A beautiful spot indeed. There were only three other boats in the bay when I arrived and they all left this morning. I was alone in paradise. Didn't last long as another boat dropped anchor while I was below preparing breakfast. Even though the wind subsided, it was cool so I lit a fire in the wood stove and fell asleep for an hour or so.

I awoke before low tide at 1300 hrs. Made breakfast and was soon travelling to the South Island per recommendation from DFO. In short order I had collected a dozen oysters for dinner. I tried to get clams but my extensive excavation revealed only a handful of the tasty critters. I abandoned the clams and brought my oysters home. Dinner tonight.

And so, while I did manage to get my fill of oysters, it was a far cry from the way I remember it 40 years ago. But then again, what isn't a far cry from four decades past?

In returning to T2, I completed a circumnavigation of Ruxton Island. There are many homes on this Island and few beaches. So while it's tranquil and silent, it's not suited for a long stay. I plan to leave tomorrow for my exciting transit of Dodd's Narrows and a few days at Newcastle Island.

Tonight? Dinner and bed. The life of a drunken sailor.

The highlight of the trip for me was fresh oysters. As it turns out, I only had one feed. In retrospect I should have just stayed there and got fat on Ruxton oysters. Out of an abundance of caution I struck up a conversation thread with a Biologist at D.F.O.

From: doug thomson <letsrock [at] shaw.ca>
Sent: Monday, July 6, 2020 2:13 PM
To: PAC CSSP / PCAM PAC (DFO/MPO) <DFO.PAC.CSSP-PCAM.PAC.MPO [at] dfo-mpo.gc.ca>
Subject: Ruxton Island oysters

Hi!
I’m heading to Ruxton Island in Trincomale Channel here in B.C. If I eat the oysters there, will I die?
Thanks
Dt

Sent from my hardened biohazard bunker.

The risk is higher on the North side - closed for biotoxins - the South Side Subarea 14-4 is open for littleneck and Manila clams, mussels and oysters.
There was a plankton bloom in Departure Bay - not a big one but enough to close around Mudge Island and Pylades Channel.
Stuart Channel and Tricomali Channels are still Open - Subareas 17-4 and 17-3

Dan Clark, Shellfish Management Biologist Dan.Clark [at] dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Cell 250-668-0700