August, 2017. Went North on Vancouver Island to Telegraph Cove with Mary, Jeff and Debbie to chase good weather, whales and celebrate Jeff and Debbie's 31st Anniversary. We took advantage of a meal in Telegraph Cove before we departed to celebrate the occasion and spent the night among RV campers before a morning launch. On launch day, we paddled South and set up shop at Blinkhorn. From there we day paddled Johnstone Strait taking in amazing conditions. Surprisingly we had Blinkhorn all to ourselves even with a B.C. holiday in cue. Freshwater was abundant throughout the trip. Salmon jumped frequently like popcorn and Orca made selective appearances as we paddled and hung out. Blackfish were busy trolling similar lines. Sunscreen was a constant reach and squirt. Weather was hot and the beer was tasty!
Our final day paddle turned into a 14+ hr excursion when winds kicked up preventing us from reaching camp. Eventually we all made it to a small beach close to camp and patiently waited for conditions to die down. We prepped to bivy for the night with hasty supplies on hand. As late evening unfolded, winds diminished and waters flattened. At 1:00 AM we glided into the salt watching bioluminescence leave glowing trails of strokes and boat lines as we paddled back to camp. It was magical under a bed of stars, silence and calm conditions. Nothing digital to make these effects stunning, just pure nature.
During our trip a haze in the air left us puzzled until we learned of wildfires in B.C. The second worst wildfire season in their history. When we exited, we quickly got a bigger taste of it on land when headed home. We made the long drive south back to Nanaimo for an evening sailing and start the "de-salination" party. A very special and sweet adventure.