Looking for Fuel station & Retest Cape Horn self steering

We are here now in Bamfield, West Coast Vancouver Island

We had a problem with the Cape Horn not working out side Cape Flattery. West wind was great to do sail. Stephen tried to figure it out for hour. It is hard with winds and waves together. We motor the boat and sail back to Port Renfrew. Which is just an indentation, no breakwater and no escape from the swell from the Ocean. Bamfield, Stephen also never been here before.

From Barkley sound has a long inlet 85 km to Port Alberni. What we are looking for is to fill fuel and this place seems a good place to test Cape horn after Stephen did repairs in Port Renfrew.

Our journey was slow, with just enough tide and swell to slow us down to around 4 knots. Of course just as we got close the wind blew up on the nose and we got beaten up with swell and tide for almost 3 hours until we ducked into the reef encumbered entrance to Barkley sound. Quite spectacular the Ocean swells bounding in over the reefs. We hoisted the head sail and made up for some lost time, for about 30 min, until the wind died!!!! Then we entitled the small channel that leads to Bamfield. {Totally motoring from Port Renfrew to ~~Port~~ Bamfield for 10.5 hours.} A spectacular place after we entered Barkley sound by Trevor channel before turn right to Bamfield inlet.

Second try not success

Friday 20 June 2014

Strong wind warning in the afternoon till midnight on Juan de Fuca strait.

05.30 a.m. Leave Sooke Harbour government dock This morning the noticed of the sky was red early morning before we leave. At the same time we can see the moving of grey cloud and start to cover the harbour and nearby the area. We untie the boat and motor to Juan de Fuca Straits is already rough early morning. So the boat is pounding and continue with out a sign to stop to pound. We then check the forecast of today along the way. It is strong wind warning today in the afternoon to 20 knots and from west. No way to do like this for at least 8 hours. We decided to canceled today. Ok. we must come back to Sooke. 09.30 a.m. Docked at Sooke Resort and Marina {Luksana’s choice} Moorage charge for one night for high season = $63 {Include shower, water, WiFi only available in the office area.} We actually say good-bye for the price that the young new staff set for us a whole 40 ft. while our boat only 35 ft. Then we decided not to stay here and suddenly the one generous American call us and he handed a $20 with polite saying that he would like to do like we do, (Live the dream) please accept the money and enjoy the stay. Very impressive and thankful. Along our way we have on the whole been met with great people who have been helpful and fair. Now this was not the case at the “Sooke Resort and Marina” which amounts to a complex of rentable small condo’s which seem to host a competition for the noisiest drinking party per unit, and a set rather worn and somewhat dilapidated float dock for mainly sport fishing runabout. Since we had been in Sooke this vacant piece of dock space had been empty. No wonder with the gouge mentality. So not a berth just a piece of dock with some broken bits. So what do you get for your money. Nothing more than that. O yes there is a single small bathroom and shower available. Must be the most expensive shower on the coast! To be fair you can get a cup of coffee or tea in the Marina Office, FOR $2. If our unknown American benefactor ever reads this, Thank you. You did make Luksana very happy, and clean after her one hour hot shower! Thank you we will pass on the kindness.

Sooke – Cape Flattery – Port Renfrew

Cape Horn is not working properly, Rough night in Port Renfrew}

Saturday 21 June 2014 Sunny and clear sky early morning, Sea no swell in the morning and there are many sport fishing boats are gone for fishing 06.00 a.m. Leave Sooke Resort and Marina with flood and steer the boat on the right side of channel to cross after port Renfrew. 11.00 a.m. Pass port Renfrew then Cape flattery We just out of Juan De Fuca Strait! after wait for 10 days. We motor another two hours because no wind. Then right as ordered and on time West wind let us use the main sail and headsail, she lean perfectly, fast in 10 knots of wind and heads off at 6.2 knots heading to south. Here we go!!!!!

Wait. Then Stephen started to use Cape horn Self Steering System. It doesn’t work properly and he try to fix it while the boat location in the entrance of Juan de Fuca Strait and Cape Flattery. Big ship is heading to our boat. It doesn’t work. After we hang out near Cape Flattery for hour. I spent much of this time with my head in the lazerete or fighting with the control arm of the steering. Had to happen the engine smells in the locker and the bouncing around I did a quick projectile vomit and even though I was not incapacitated it was obvious that we could not fix on the ocean. Angry and frustrated we are forced to motor and sail across to Port Renfrew. Many crab traps before enter to Port Renfrew.

8 p.m. There is no place to dock. We anchor and feel the wave until it stop after midnight. Not a pleasant stay. No fuel service and we cannot dock here. Steve did work on the Cape Horn which now seems to work fine. Also fixed the headsail furler . The Line was jamming on an old rivet that had pulled half out and was jamming into the rope. p.s. In Sooke and also Port Renfrew, people here are likely to lay down buoys and crab traps all over the entrance of the channel.

From Port Renfrew to Bamfield | Beaten by waves and wind in Barkley Sound

Sunday 22 June 2014 10.00 a.m. Leave Port Renfrew sea was smooth with small waves and low NW swell. Lovely and beautiful seas until 5 p.m. Sea start to created waves we start to go very slow as 2 -3.5 knots Wind start to blow and waves become much bigger. At the reef line around Cape Beale the ocean waves splash white over the rock reefs and cover all over big area. We still far about 2 hours to get to the corner to enter. We can not go fast only 1.5- 3.5 knots. As always, in these situations, very tense incase the engine stops. We pass the light house very slowly Cape Beale. Entered into Trevor channel 7.30 p.m. Entered to Bamfield 8.30 p.m. Docked at Bamfield Harbour Authority.

Moorage is 75 cents per ft plus tax. Monday 23 June 2014 Electric in this small town shut down since in the morning and we have to wait until 2 p.m. to fill up propane tank. Time to explore this beautiful very unique village.