Destination: Farewell Harbor

Day 1     85.3nm       

We eagerly departed Discovery Harbor at first light, along with some water taxis on their first run of the morning and a few crew boats. Discovery Passage weather was clear and breezy, but the winds picked up as soon as we made the turn at Chatham Point into Johnstone Strait. Typically 10 to 20 knots winds running into an opposing ebb current can make for a chunky run, but Rhapsody’s stabilizers helped to smooth out the ride.

Photo: Entering Chatham Channel

We missed slack water at Blackney Pass, so we detoured on a slightly longer, scenic route up Havannah Channel and Chatham Channel. The area is peppered with interesting sights; old homesteads, newish homes and docks, First Nation reserves, middens and ruins which hint at once-livelier times. Chatham is a narrow, shallow, boulder-strewn passage with range markers as navigation aids. Nobeltec navigation software has made these shoreside markers obsolete, but it’s fun to use them to doublecheck our course.

Next came a brief sidetrip along Clio Channel into Potts Lagoon to check out friend George’s crew camp vessel, Salmon Seeker.  

Photo: Salmon Seeker in Potts Lagoon

Photo: Potts Lagoon logging site

Loggers were busy sorting and stacking logs near the shore while George’s crews were uphill somewhere building or rebuilding logging roads. Signs posted along the shoreline warned of blasting activity, but no alarms sounded while we were there. Nonetheless, Potts Lagoon was a busy place on that day!

Continuing on along Clio Channel into rock-strewn Beware Passage, we finally arrived at Farewell Harbor on Berry Island, a favorite and familiar destination. It felt great to drop the anchor, still in bright sunshine and out of the wind, and realize the adventure has really begun.

'Farewell Harbor was named in in 1870, by the officers of H.M. surveying vessel Beaver, because it was the last place surveyed, and that in the Beaver they had “Fared well, and now it was good-bye, Farewell.” (John Walbran)'

Photo: Farewell Harbor Lodge, Berry Island, BC

Photo: Farewell Harbor Lodge, Berry Island, BC