Anchoring 101-104

Had an unanticipated very challenging course in anchoring at Copeland Islands just north of here. We dinghied around to a very pretty little horseshoe bay just around the corner from where we had anchored on the Malaspina side of the island. There was a sailboat, tucked in the center, but when we motored around the next day it was gone. It had looked an easy place to settle back into, but as we were doing so the wind came up a bit and kept pushing us to the rocky steps at the northwestern edge of the opening. Ken took a stern line to shore and had to work hard not only traipsing over the sharp-as-diamonds barnacled rocks, but fighting the wind and our full keel to haul the boat in at a proper angle and position. No sooner did he return to the boat when the wind freshened more, and we could see that we were too far outside of the inlet. So I took the dinghy to shore and let go the stern line and we returned to the other side of the island and our previous anchorage.
There were 2 boats there now, and we pulled up in front of them and could see that neither had a stern line, so we just headed up into the wind, and dropped anchorin front of them in about 50 feet of water. We were head on to about 20 knots of wind, and the first time the anchor didn’t set but we tried it again and with about 200 feet of scope out we got a good set. Good thing too because it blew all night. On our night time potty breaks we both went on deck to check our position. We were holding fast, though I was more concerned about our swing than anything else.

I spent some time doing an eye splice on the deck line, though I’m going to need some more time to perfect it. I also whipped the ends with the French Whip, which is oh so simple as well as elegant. I’m going to whip the bobstay at the bottom of the bowsprit, as the anchor chain will eventually chafe it. Should look terrific and functional too.

We came up the Malaspina Straight, gateway to Desolation Sound, noticing vapors out of the exhaust pipe. The engine was running fine, so after Ken’s investigation at Westview (a lovely vacation spot, see photos) and consultation of the diesel for mariners book figured the Yanmar just needed a valve adjustment. We are awaiting the Yanmar mechanic here in LUND BC to do just that. LUND is the end of the road, the multinational North American continent spanning, West Coast artery road Highway 101. A block of ice costs $3.50 Canadian here, so I am ready for 5 dollar bread at Nancy’s bakery. Actually I got 6 big cinnomin rolls--day old--for 6 bucks!