Mike and Beth's Adventures

Nanaimo is a major city and a transition point in the Pacific Northwest.  It is located at the top of the Gulf Islands.  Boating north, until this point,  has been an enchanting trip through protected waters that surround and course through closely packed islands.  The interplay of clouds, sea, winds, currents, forests of lush green and wildlife make for a tranquil journey.   As the tide recedes tide pools can be accessed along the shoreline North of Nanaimo, harsher conditions will be encountered.  Stretches of open water will be traversed.  Wind and current have longer fetches to work their magic.  Additionally, the winds and currents are likely to create a beam sea if you are crossing the Strait.  The Pacific winds are channeled through low terrain to blow forcefully as you pass Qualicum Beach.  Whiskey Gulf area, a torpedo test range, located in the Strait of Georgia, must be avoided if it is active. Ports, which offer comfortin...

  When crossing from Vancouver Island to Vancouver, the city, on the mainland, the decision on which route to take is an important one.  This is for several reasons.   First the geography of the area.  The west coast of Vancouver Island is pleased with a densely packed collection of islands.  Second is the seas water which must move around these islands as the tide cycles between low and high.  This change is large at around 14 feet, but can be even higher under certain conditions.  As large volumes of water must move through narrow passages, it must move quickly.  The movement can often be violent accompanied by aggressive swirling that mimics whirlpools and is easily capable of capturing and spinning a boat if passage is attempted when currents are at their max.  A much safer tactic is to transit these areas at slack water. This is the time when the current pauses as it prepares to move in the opposite direction due to the tide change....