Part 9, Wild Duck



June 24-30, 2005. Rainy skies cleared as Fred and Diane Siegel came down the ramp at Port McNeill and boarded Safari for a two-and-a-half hour cruise to secluded Waddington Bay in the rocky Fox Island Group. All afternoon and evening three bald eagles entertained us by soaring overhead and plucking little fish from the small pool where we were anchored with several other boats. While setting the shrimp trap in Arrow Passage Fred and I noticed what seemed to be a freelance fish farm. The young idealistic Australian who lived in a small shack on the float enthusiastically explained to us that he was a volunteer participating in research regarding the transfer of sea lice from farmed fish to wild salmon. By nightfall we had sequestered 20 nice crabs. The next morning another 20 crabs found temporary refuge and sustenance in one of our traps. All but twelve were given amnesty.



Anca, Max and their children, Marieke and Russell, are the sole residents of stunning Kwatsi Bay surrounded by a high, sheer bowl of rock. Naturally beautiful Anca took our line as we tied to the dock and then rowed us over to a rock so that we could hike up to the waterfall. She gave us an air horn and canister of pepper spray for protection from bears and a cougar that was recently spotted on the trail. We brought our own beverages and appetizers to share at the nightly dock party with old and new friends before dinner aboard. The next morning we were amazed to watch two tiny Marbled Murrelets work as a team to encircle a school of shiners (piling perch) who made the water boil in their frightened frenzy. Then each bird in turn would dive down and pop to the surface through the knot of shiners with a mouthful of the little fish in a process they must have learned from humpback whales.



On our way to Lagoon Cove we spotted a large fish farm at Doctors Island and decided to stop for a tour. We tied Safari alongside the floating bunkhouse/office and after lunch, Bryant, the manager ferried Fred and I by skiff to the floating pens where he gave us an extensive tour and PR pitch. Each year Stolt Sea Farms Inc. harvests over 25 million pounds of Atlantic salmon from their 24 marine farms in B.C. We weren’t allowed to bring our fishing poles along on the tour.



At Lagoon Cove we didn’t need dinner after Bill’s all-you-can-eat boiled shrimp and shared appetizers with yet more old and new friends. We got some tips on spots to visit on Vancouver Island’s wild, west coast and a new bible from the friendly folks on Coastal Messenger, a stout steel hulled vessel. The next morning as we were preparing to get underway, Gay looked out and saw Wild Duck, our old Bristol 38.8 sailboat exiting the lagoon. Fred and I jumped into the dinghy and raced out to intercept them. The current owner bought Wild Duck two years ago from the couple who bought the boat from us.



At Forward Harbor we took the dinghy to a rock outcropping to access a trail marked by a deflated bumper. What a surprise to discover that the trail was marked every ten feet or so by a piece of plastic line, a plastic bag, a plastic bottle, plastic hose, etc. The trail led to a pristine beach on the windward side of Bessborough Bay where we saw Wild Duck sailing in the distance. By combing the beach we found our own plastic milk bottle, line, bag and board that had washed ashore, left the beach even more pristine and had a supply of objects to add to the trail markings. Back at the boat the clouds disappeared to reveal a snow capped peak that must have been the model for the opening title shot of each Paramount movie. When Fred and I went around the corner to find a good fishing spot instead we found Wild Duck at anchor in a nook at the entrance to Forward Harbor. We raced back to the boat and told Gay that we found a bear. She jumped into the dinghy and was surprised that instead of a bear she was invited aboard the boat that was built as a birthday present from me to her twenty years ago. Not a thing had changed since we sold it five years ago.



Detailed study of the tide charts got us easily through Whirlpool Rapids, Greenpoint Rapids, Shellpoint Rapids, Gillard Passage and Dent Rapids in succession at near slack without the excitement provided by haphazard planning. Then as we were checking in at elegant Dent Island Lodge Marina a call came in on the radio that 40 Killer Whales had just passed Frederick Arm in Cordero Channel and would be at Dent in ten minutes. We ran back to the boat, dropped the dinghy in the water and charged out to Dent Rapids but unfortunately the Orcas had made a turn at Nodales Channel en route to Johnstone Strait. When the guide boats came in with only four salmon, the excuse was that the whales had either eaten or scared away all of the fish. Dent Island Lodge is owned by the Nordstrom family for their personal use, but takes guests who are treated like family.



The route through Yaculta Rapids and Hole in the Wall led us to the beautiful Octopus Islands. While there we found The Cabin where we added our memento among the rustic hangings, carved signs and driftwood sculptures left by cruisers for many years. It was fun to find the artwork made from a piece of kelp that we left three years ago. Evening entertainment was provided by a bald eagle, a loon and a Pigeon Guillemot.



From San Francisco Bay

Safari came with Wyman and Gay

Diane and Fred

And left this memento to be read. June 29, 2005



On a beautiful day we cruised on to Campbell River via Surge Narrows and Cape Mudge.