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little wind blew in homfray Channel, where snow-dusted valleys separated high mountains thick with snow. T WinterT T BoatingT t was 04:00 hours onT Snow,T December 31. We’d left Port Hardy early, hoping Storms T to reach Seymour Nar- i rows for the 11:30 slack. T The winds were calm in T and Hardy Bay, but visibilityT was near zero. Daylight was Solitude hours away and a blizzard Story anD PhotoS by obscured what little ambi- T Jennifer & JameS hamilton ent light there was. We peered through the snow from our unenclosed upper helm, trying to discern what lay ahead. Our 40' power- boat, Dirona, and a large, T well-lit seiner were the only T T vessels leaving the harbour. TT Pacific Yachting • December 2007 • 35 T TT The water surface at the Quarterdeck Marina was iced over, and when the authors stopped across Queen Charlotte Strait to the were forecast to improve the next day. their boat, M.V. Dirona, it stayed where it was, blocked by the thin ice. Coast Mountains was even showier than We had not expected calm seas the fol- in the summer. Their peaks, white with lowing morning and had hoped only that The seiner was slightly ahead and snow, seemed taller and more imposing. conditions might be safely passable. They started taking waves over the bridge as Our next stop was the Quarterdeck it turned south into Queen Charlotte Marina. There, we found the missing wINTER BOATING cOMFORT Strait. As we neared that position, I public dock strapped to the outside of the thought I could see something in the seine dock. Even with the public dock TwO piecEs of equipment that we con- sider essential to comfortable winter water up ahead, perhaps a large, white gone, we had our choice of moorage. cruising are a diesel furnace and flotation boat. James already had the helm hard One of winter boating’s many advantages suits. The suits are similar to ski jumpsuits, over and had turned us back to Port is that marinas are less busy and often but with built-in flotation and extra insula- Hardy. “That wasn’t a boat.” he said, “It charge reduced off-season rates. Dock- tion. we use Mustang 2175s, which are was a wave.” Conditions may have been ing was easier too, almost like parking standard issue with the coast Guard on calm in Hardy Bay, but Queen Charlotte a car. The water surface was iced over, both sides of the border. we can toss these Strait was a mess. and when we stopped the boat, it stayed on over light clothing, add a pair of gloves where it was, blocked by the thin ice. and perhaps some ear warmers and be PORT HARDY We were in Port Hardy fol- Several centimetres of snow fell that instantly warm in the coldest weather. lowing a wonderful winter trip through night—we woke to a snowy scene, hushed we wear them to ride on our unenclosed the Broughtons. We’d arrived two days and still. It fit our plans well—a hike along flybridge and in the dinghy, or to relax on deck at anchor. we initially bought the earlier, planning to first tie off at the pub- the Port Hardy Harbour Walkway and suits as safety equipment, but they have lic dock to walk about town before going Nature Trail. The trail runs along the west completely transformed our winter boat- to the Quarterdeck Marina to have din- side of Hardy Bay, then branches either ing experience. we no longer have to don ner at their pub. The public dock, how- to a lookout at the southeast corner of multiple layers of clothing for warmth—the ever, was nowhere to be seen. The city the bay or to the Quatse River Salmon hassle of doing that tended to keep us removes it in the winter, we discovered, Hatchery. We walked to both. The winter inside more often. with the suits, we can to avoid storm damage. scenery was just beautiful, with snow cov- be outside and comfortable in the winter The Port Hardy Coast Guard office is ering the ground and caught in the trees. as often as in the summer. at the top of the pier. A couple of offi- Ours were the first footprints along most To keep our hands warm and dry, we cers came out to say hello and allowed of the trail, except for some ducks. wear sealskinz waterproof gloves. Fleece us to moor on their dock for a few hours. gloves absorb water too easily and quickly become waterlogged, and neoprene gloves They were curious about our travels, but LEAVING PORT HARDY—AGAIN We had tend to smell rotten after a time. ski glovesT not particularly surprised that someone planned to leave Port Hardy that after- work reasonably well, but don’t stand up would be out boating in the winter. We noon, but a gale warning was in effect to much wear and will eventually absorb were still a bit of a novelty, especially while a front passed through. Winds at water, too. we carry the standard water- since we weren’t from the area. Scarlett Point in Queen Charlotte Strait proof sealskinz gloves as well as a more Port Hardy was snow-dusted and were blowing 35 and gusting to 47, with insulated winter version. —J & JH mostly quiet. The view out Hardy Bay two to three-metre seas. Conditions T T 36 • December 2007 • www.pacificyachting.com weren’t. After turning back, we waited T several hours for daylight before trying again. The waves were still big, but we felt comfortable proceeding because the snow had stopped and we had daylight. Fortunately, there wasn’t much wood TT in the water either, which, besides the weather, had also been a concern in the poor visibility. The winds were from the south, and tightly spaced two-metre waves rolled towards us. We could run only at about four knots—any faster, and the boat would pound. Conditions eventually did improve as predicted, and finally we were able to make better time. The day’s rough water was the first difficult condi- tions we’d encountered the entire trip, and it was no surprise. Other storms had when Blind channel Resort says they are open passed through in past days, but we’d the seiner that morning and one small year-round, they mean it. The authors purchased fuel on New Year’s Eve and could have gotten always had advance warning. (Actually, boat that crossed to Alert Bay from Van- it New Year’s Day. storms can often be a positive aspect of couver Island. We love the solitude of winter boating for us. We enjoy being winter boating—even the most popular us down enough that reaching Campbell safely anchored in a protected cove with summer anchorages have plenty of space. River before dark was not even a possibil- a hot cup of tea while a big storm passes But we sometimes can’t shake the feeling ity, so we cast about for alternatives. We through. We listen to the weather reports that some unusual calamity has befallen wanted to keep running south and not and watch the wind and pressure change all the other boaters. lose a day to a fuel shortage. on our weather station.) Fuel availability is typically not a prob- Snow fell heavily as we passed Alert BLIND cHANNEL Except for the snow, lem in the summer, but many facilities Bay, producing another winter-white the weather fortunately was no longer a are closed in the winter or have reduced scene. The only downside was that vis- concern. Our next problem was fuel. The hours. Check in advance for any potential ibility was reduced to less than a mile. run from Port Hardy through Johnstone closures if you go. We consulted the cur- We’d seen plenty of snow this trip, but Strait would nearly consume our remain- rent Waggoner Cruising Guide for possibili- it still felt a little strange to be out in the ing supply. We expected the fuel dock in ties and found that nearby Blind Channel middle of Broughton Strait in a blizzard. Campbell River would be closed from was open year-round. They might already It felt lonely, too. The only other boats early New Year’s Eve through New Year’s be closed for New Year’s when we arrived, we’d seen under way the entire day were Day. For this reason, we had tried to leave but it was our best bet. Port Hardy before daylight in the hopes We turned off into Sunderland Chan- Beyond empty Prideaux Haven, Mount Denman’s of reaching Campbell River to refuel by nel. Usually, we skip the inside routes snow-covered tooth is set ablaze by the evening’s setting sun. early afternoon. Rough water had slowed and run through Johnstone Strait and T T T TT T Discovery Passage, but since we weren’t TTwINTER wEATHER going through Seymour Narrows this would be a nice alternative route for us. Understanding basIc weather terminol- south, big weather usually follows. Except for Whirlpool and Green Point ogy and local weather systems gives greater Every boat should carry a barometer Rapids, the waterways were quiet and confidence in boating year-round and to track conditions between forecasts or still. Snow powdered the trees above and can even make storms entertaining. One monitor them out of radio contact. we use a extended down to the waterline.

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