Around Haida Gwaii

Dad is leaving today on a 3 week jet ski trip. His plan is to go around the Queen Charlotte Islands. I will posting his GPS location when I receive them and post the link here so you can see his progress.

For Day 1 Location, click here.

Dad's friend Henry met him and escorted him to Gibsons. He has arrived at Nelson Island. Getting out of the bay initially was a bit wild as a boat was making a beeline for the marina while a ferry was also in the way. There was a bit of a roller coaster ride with the ferry's wake but all was well:)

PS I know that the pictures are cut off... I can't edit the html on this blog because it hasn't been in use for two years:) Will fit the other ones in better next time!

Click here to see where he is tonight. Who wouldn't want to stay in a park named `God's Pocket'? Wow, he's really moving!

Today's location is here.

Here is an update from Joanne:

He left God’s Pocket this morning after 11 hours on rough waters yesterday…what possess a man to want to sit, literally, on the water for 11 hours….. has to be hard on the butt and kidneys!!!! Ah well he is happy in his adventure!!!

He said they (B&B God’s Pocket) fixed him a nice steak dinner last night…so all the comforts… Starbucks mocha’s in Campbell River…steak in God’s Pocket and now on to possibly camping in Shearwater, that might mean work, having to haul out the tent etc =) or on to Hartley Bay, not sure if he wants a B&B there…the thought of bed bugs high on his list of dislikes…we will see where he lands tonight.

For today's location, click here. Well, he's in Prince Rupert. He had grilled salmon, halibut, prawns, oysters and a beer in a pub:) He might stay two nights depending on the weather forecast for Wednesday. He may head over to Haida Gwaii tomorrow if it there is good weather. He met a guy who took a large canoe around the islands so he is going to talk to him to get some info. He is happy to be living his dream! Be safe dad.

Today's location. I think he is planning on staying at a B+B here. We have missed a signal or two from him so he will be sending two per day to make sure we get it (and I don't freak out!).

Here is an email from him today:

On a dial up email in Oona river-- nice trip over but ran into a sand bar-- have to take cruise control off!!! raining, not watching too closely Thank goodness tide coming in so waited and ski doo no worse for wear ( i hope)
Nice BB and had nice sandwich and now dinner ( vegetarian!!)
All is well and hoping to get over to Charlottes tomorrow-- Lutz who used to be post master in PR says mail slower now than 20 years ago once the Ottawa Feds got too involved-- has some good water advice--he runs bb--little cabin with 2 beds up stairs--taking some pics---just went for walk around old town-- interesting--should we buy a property up here?
Better send before cut off.

And a phone call with Joanne:

Racing with a porpoise today

Jack’s dislike for any intervention which might hold him back is well known to all. On his last trip he was stopped by the harbour master in Victoria for going too fast in the inner harbour, speed demon that he is. Well this morning while leaving Prince Rupert he was doing over 6 knots to get out of his own wake and low and behold lights and sirens, stopped….once again over the speed limit in an inner harbour…just wants to fly!!!

Then later in the day while cruising using his home made cruise control….a series of elastics of different lengths and thicknesses depending on which speed he wants…. not paying very close attention to the GPS …sees it says “shoal” …water looks a bit different….. when crash right into a sand bar… “glad I didn’t knock my teeth out”….. wake up call !!!! …thankfully the tide was rising instead of dropping so he was off and way soon after.

He is very happy and enjoying all the interesting places he gets to see, weather much better than the first couple of days. Tomorrow off to Q Charlotte City.

Happy Sailing Jack

Today's location.

Part of an email from Joanne:

Jack is settled into his B&B. Had to walk from the dock which was a distance.

It was a challenging ride in that he had not idea if he was going in the right direction except for his GPS, rainy and low clouds made visibility poor.

Waters were not too bad small swells but enough to get clothes etc wet. He is now drying them over his veranda railing. Not sounding as chipper as yesterday on Porcher Island and it is not as pretty where he is now either =(.

Long day…sort of OK accommodations….and tomorrow must go to parks orientation session before he can go down to the south island. He did not sound as pumped about it at all.

Queen Charlotte City

Dad, glad to see you're using the backpack I gave you! Big trees up there!

John circled the Queen Charlotte's in a 10 foot row boat in the 60's. Giving dad some advice.

Waiting for the tide to rise because he bottomed out on the sandbar.

View from Butedale

Doug's Cabin. All iphone pictures.

View from Eagle Bluff B&B in Prince Rupert

See the seadoo in the center, hope it's there tomorrow!

View of Oona Bay B&B, very peaceful place.

Today's location; Queen Charlotte City

Part of an email from Joanne:

All is well. He is off to Louise Island tomorrow where there is a float camp that he will stay at and probably do day trips from there. It all depends on the weather.

So far the weather has not been great except last night he said it was beautiful and calm out. His B&B is higher up on the hill so he can see the harbour. He has hitch hiked down to the dock and back. He has met some interesting people and they all know he is the guy that came in on the jetski. Apparently no one has done that before!! He is getting pointers from the locals about places to stay and none are too encouraging about going around the whole of the 2 islands on the west side ( thank goodness) so he is adjusting his plans a bit. He was down at the dock and someone called out his name…turns out there was a PO there who he had met on one of his other trips…small world…she was there with a kayak group.

Tomorrow will be an easy day, only about 3 hours on the water. He sounded rested today.

Today's location.

Today's locations were here and here.

Today's location. And also here.

Looks like he's back in Queen Charlotte City!

From Joanne:,

He is in QCC staying at a lovely B&B/Hotel he says. Closer to the harbor, a room with a view.

He and I were talking earlier in the day about how he was going to get back. Weather warning out for tomorrow on south island and he thought it would go up the Straight. So he had a few options to discuss the last of which, he thought, he might fly out to Vancouver and go back later to pick up the jetski. We talked for awhile of other possibilities but settled on that one. This was about 5 pm. As he was heading out to go for dinner he spotted a jet ski go by!!! another one in QCC??? so he watch where it landed and went to speak to its owner....well a long story shortened he may have found an empty trailer heading back to the mainland on Wed....so go figure the possibility of that happening just after we were talking about how to get home!!! The owner, a she, will even drop it off at the lake as she is headed for Seaschelt....what luck is that!!!!

So now for his adventures on the South Island. He has met some very "eclectic" folks and had many coincidents along the way.

He used the floating lodge at Crescent Inlet as his home base for 3 nights. There were other travelers as well, the kayakers from "Moresby Adventure Group" one of which was a PO he met before through work. Others were some adventure authors who write articles or books on places like the floating lodge. So way out in the middle of no where he meets up with a couple, Peter and Carla Vassilopoulas of Pacific Yachting magazine whom he had met 3 years previous on his trip to Alaska...again what are the chances. Also at the Floating lodge was Michael McCarty of the national Traveler magazine. He says they had a great visit. Such a small world out in the middle of lots and lots of space.

On his way back from Rose Inlet on the southern tip, he was passing trough very tight Burnaby narrows when a zodiac is coming his way.. he and the fellow wave ..slow down and the other fellow asks " are you Jack"...by now he has a bit of a reputation....turns out is is Andrew the pilot of the float plane company Jack connected with prior to leaving . He told Andrew "my wife made me contact you for possible emerge relief" so just think Jack, if not for me, you would have passed this fellow in the middle of no where and you would not have know him!!! All these small little run ins are definitely making the trip very enjoyable.

This morning he was in no particular rush and was sitting on the floating dock when he heard the noise of whales passing by...sure enough right in front of the dock d pod of Orca's......that would be so exciting!!! then he took out a kayak to go to the end of the islet where he saw bears and deer. Must be a beautiful place.

Jack says this trip is not one of the plans on his bucket list because he does not believe it should be called a bucket list. All life's adventures should be taken advantage of as they present themselves. Not overly planned. He says he is having a good time, very happy he went, a bit disappointed he did not get around the whole island esp.. the west coast but he will have to do that once he has a plane or buy a bigger machine that can go farther on less gas =) He also pointed out the Hectic Straight is the worlds 4th most dangerous body of water....ahhh great to know now that you do not have to cross it again. Thanks for small mercies and the lady who will be giving his a lift back.

Tomorrow is a trip to Masset where he will overnight then back to QCC to catch his lift on Wed pm. He should be at the lake Thurs pm

Click here for today's location.

(Rose Harbour, south end of Morseby)

From last night:

An update. Jack is on the ferry as we speak. He is getting a lift back with a gal who just happens to have an empty trailer and is headed for Seschelt. He will be at the lake tomorrow evening.

Apparently he made a quick trip out to the west side just to get a taste of it and now “defiantly” has to go back to “do it”. There will be lots of stories.

A picture of dad preparing to cross Hectate Sound. Dad is now at Green Lake, safe and sound. Just sharing a picture...

Doing some exploring without a motor!

Just outside of the floating lodge....a whale and her calf.