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Portland Island

Transit Date:

Friday, July 5, 2019 - 09:35 to 16:09

Departure Location:

Cadboro Bay

Arrival Location:

Princess Bay, Portland Island

Total time:

6h 34m

Sailing Hours:

6.00

Engine Hours:

0.50

Max speed:

6.90kts

Average speed:

3.30kts

Distance:

21.70NM

After taking on provisions and water the night before, I sailed off my mooring buoy and spent the next 6 hours under sail, en route to Portland Island. It was wonderful. Only the second time I've managed to sail all the way to my destination. The wind was from the South at 10-15 Kts. I fought the ebb tide for the first several hours but then caught the flood to ride out my journey.

The wind intensified through Hughes Passage between Sidney and D'arcy Islands and I had some trouble jibing. My jib kept hourglassing around the forestay. I tried tacking but that ended up with Trouper 2 in irons. I was winging the jib for most of the journey as the wind was directly behind me. There were 15 boats at Sidney Spit and only a half dozen anchored in Princess Bay on Portland Island.

Shortly after arriving, a nice 40 foot sailboat (Reepicheep) arrived under the command of a couple of young ladies. Don't see that too often. As she motored past, the skipper wished me a good evening and asked how much line I had out. I told her about 60 feet and she deftly released her Bruce anchor and made fast for the night. Reepicheep is a reference to a mouse featured in the Chronicles of Narnia.

Not a half hour after arriving I got a phone call from Tania. India has been hit in the head with a bat at the skateboard park and she was on her way to the clinic. Tania asked me to come home but I declined after determining that India was going to be OK. Basically no concussion but a grim looking black eye. In retrospect I should have returned home to support Tania. She had some rather strong words with me upon my return.

I hiked to the picnic site at Princess Bay. On my way to the dinghy dock I almost drove across a couple of power boats stern tie line. They shouted a warning and I gave them the thumbs up. After a dinner of Steak and salad, I took Skully to Shell Beach to enjoy the last of the evening sunshine.

The wood stove worked amazingly well and I was soon sawing logs, so to speak. The next morning I got up and caught the ebb tide for home to check on poor India & Tania.

Portland Island