Cosmos Cove

The Cosmos Cove of memory (MY memory, not the captain’s) was a pleasant anchorage with a lot to recommend it. On a previous trip a group of seiners clustered at anchor near the entrance, waiting for an early morning opening the next day. We were snug and comfortable near the head of the bay, anchored in the sunshine. Capt. even caught a salmon off the boat deck while we were anchored (and wasn’t it fun trying to net that one?!) After dark the seiner deck lights and anchor lights glittered like some magic floating kingdom.

Fast forward to 2008 and there is NO, I repeat NO rerun of that memory. In a SE storm it blew like crazy from all directions in Cosmos. A southerly 37-knot gust was be followed by a 32-knot northerly, and the lines of approaching williwaws could be seen sweeping across the water. With a 6:1 scope on the anchor chain we didn’t drag a bit, but Oh! did we rock and kite in these winds. It felt like we rode the wild end of a pendulum. While there was no official anchor watch, we both woke repeatedly during the night to check our position on Nobeltec and the radar. 

Was I seduced by a memory of sunshine when I suggested Cosmos as our anchorage? Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. The captain has announced we don’t need to overnight in Cosmos again.