Moving from Adams Harbour

August 11th (Sunday) 
This morning, after doing our Spanish, we headed out fishing. We went to our well-known spot of Main Guy Rock, which was now almost just outside of our anchorage. It was nice to have such a short trip out to go fishing as opposed to having to come all the way out from the main anchorage of Calvert Island, Pruth Bay. We lost our first jig to Main Guy, but considering how many fish we have gotten from that spot I don't feel so bad. Today we got one China Rockfish, four Dark Duskies, and one Lingcod. When we pulled up our crab trap on the way to the beach to deal with the fish we only had one small rock crab. After filleting the fish we put four carcasses into the trap and tried resetting it in a more outer and more open area, so we shall see. 
When we got back home we had a good, and much needed, afternoon of boat cleaning. We gave the deck a very detailed scrubbing, using salt water of course. It has been a while since we have given it a scrub, and although we often wipe the deck after heavy dew, and remove dirt, it was still in need of a scrub. We also gave Kiki a good scrubbing, and boy did they shine afterwards. 
In the afternoon the wind had picked up from the South West, as had been forecasted, but instead of increasing in the evening it died right off. Also instead of showers, as was forecasted, we actually had some sunshine through parting clouds. It was a nice treat. 

In the evening we went out for a lovely glassy calm cruise in Kiki. We went across to the islands across Hakai Passage and did some trolling. We got nothing until just when J started to reel in. It turned out to be a Dark Dusky Rockfish, and we let it go. On our way back across to our anchorage we had a gull come up behind us and fly along with us for quite awhile. It flew about ten feet up and just off to our side, and sometimes it would cross to the other side. It was super cute flying along with us and looking at us. 

August 12th (Monday)
With the plan of moving anchorages, we went out to pull up our crab trap this morning. We did actually have crabs this time, but only six small rock crabs. No keepers. Oh well. 

Back home we got ready to head out and started our engine. We have been having some issues in regards to our new alternator and regulator install, and also with our batteries. Everything is not working quite as we think it all should. We did some more tests this morning before heading out. 

As we motored out of Hakai Passage Jason spotted fins a little out to the west. We went to investigate and found a very large pod of an unknown number of Orca whales. 

They were spread out and seemed to be mainly in groups of three, although it was hard to be sure as fins popped up and went back under. They appeared to be feeding as we saw many tail slaps and then whales surfacing. It was interesting because it is the first time that we have seen Orca whales since Miles Inlet at the mouth of Queen Charlotte Strait, and now here there were so many of them. It was hard to know where to look, as it always seemed I was missing something. I would look as three whales surfaced over to starboard, then I would here a blow to port, but when I looked it was gone, then a tail slap and blows up ahead. Action everywhere. We bobbed around out in the swells rocking from side to side as we watched. 

Meanwhile behind us, from where we had just come, a dense line of rain and wind was approaching. When the whales moved on so did we, heading into Kildidt Sound. We saw a lone Porpoise on our way in, and later a sea otter. We went into Watt Bay and then into the small unnamed cove to the south of Bremner Bay. As we came through the narrow entrance we entered into a beautiful little cove, but were disappointed to find a barge with a shed-like structure moored in the bay taking up the best area. We decided to leave and go check out Bremner Bay. We knew it was a deep anchorage, but were surprised to find that it was 70' deep up very close to shore. We decided to go and anchor in Goodlad Bay that was just 2.5 nautical miles further up toward the end of Kildidt Sound. Upon entering Goodlad Bay we were very disappointed to find that the only one feasible anchoring bay was already occupied by a sailboat. There was room for one more boat, and normally we would have tucked in, however, as we were planning to run our generator for four hours after anchoring so as to equalize our batteries we thought it would be very disrespectful to set the hook beside someone. 

We carried on. We headed back down Kildidt Sound to Clare Island, and went into the north-western bay. On the charts it showed that it should be about 15' deep at low water, so we were quite surprised to find ourselves in 80'. Once again we moved on. This time we pulled in through the narrow entrance to the bay further south, on the western shore of Clare Island. Finally we set the anchor in about 40' in mud. Through the day the rain showers with squally wind had come and gone, but as we anchored the more steady rain moved in over us. 
Although listening to more engine noise was the last thing that we wanted to do by the time we anchored, we were also aware that this was the perfect time to equalize our batteries. They had gotten a good charge over the time of our motoring and we were in an anchorage by ourselves with no one else to disrupt with our noise. We set everything up and started the four-hour equalization mode on our battery charger for our batteries. 

Ah the noise... During the equalization process everything must be disconnected from the batteries so we have no power. We had a cold dinner, and passed the noisy time in a new and beautiful anchorage. I wrote in our vessel log, my journal, and did this blog update, while Jason was being much more productive reading about alternators so that we can better figure out our issues. Our equalization was done around 21:30, so after hooking everything back up we headed to bed. It was tiring listening to noise and vibration all day. 

August 13th and 14th (Tuesday and Wednesday) 
Two beautiful sunny days!!! We hadn't had sun like this in a long time. What a nice treat to wake up to sunshine and blue sky. It was so motivating and energizing. We stayed anchored at Clare Island for a day. 

Anchorage at Clare Island.

It was a beautiful anchorage with a view straight out towards open water with a few distant islands in sight. We did a bunch of projects and generally had a very productive day, but because of where we were working and the fact that we were working on our own home in the sunshine, it was also relaxing. In the evening we stayed out in the cockpit and watched as the stars came out, and the full moon crept up over the treetops. 
On the morning of the 14^thwe enjoyed a cup of tea in the cockpit as we watched the sun come up over the trees and start to burn off the fog. We did our Spanish lesson time, and then some more cleaning, before raising anchor and heading out. The fog had cleared, although as the northwest wind picked up in the early afternoon it made a valiant attempt at returning before the sun won over once again. 

We made our way out and around the many islands, and then back in and up the passage to the north end of Hunter Island where we anchored in Ada Cove just off of Lama Passage. In the evening the wind died right down, and we watched as the sun set and the sky turned a beautiful array of brilliant colours, all reflected in the glassy water, with the silhouetted outline of the treetops on the two islands out from the anchorage. It was peaceful and still, and the air had held its warmth a bit and it actually felt like a summer evening.

It was funny, because it was just a few days ago at Adam's Harbour that we were saying it felt like fall. We have started to see flocks of ducks flying in V formations, and that combined with the chill in the air and the heavy dews at night made it start to feel like fall was coming. It is amazing how quickly it can feel like summer again when the sun comes out and the wind dies off. 

Ducks flying in V formation.