Waiting it Out in Bligh Cove

 

September 3-5, 2022

I would like to start, first, by telling everyone the disappointing situation around fishing on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.  We had, naively, assumed that since we would be cruising down the rugged shores of the West Coast, past mainly uninhabited areas, that we would be allowed to fish for our food on the way down.  Of course, we did bring food on board, as we were not silly enough to have simply left our subsistence up to the ability to catch fish, but we had also fully assumed that we would get to enjoy an occasional outing in Kiki to catch a fish.  We have always enjoyed fishing during our trips, as it is curious to see what we can catch in different areas, and the West Coast of the Island was going to be the most complete open-water coastline that we have been able to fish.  Unfortunately, pretty much everywhere south of the Brooks Peninsula was closed to all Fin Fishing, and so since catching our salmon, we have not been able to fish.  Not even to jig for a single lingcod.  Very disappointing. 

On September 3rd, it was blowing SE 28kn at Estavan Point, South 25 at Nootka Island Lighthouse, and East 43 gusting to 48 at Solander Island, and we were sitting in a mainly glassy-calm anchorage with only the occasional gust, and because we couldn't fish we had ham for dinner. 

Bligh Island and Bligh Cove are named after Captain Bligh, the British Navy captain who sailed here with Captain Cook in 1778.  Captain Cook first brought his ships into a small cove on Bligh Island for repairs after a storm.  He apparently used two trees from the island to repair his masts, which had been damaged.  While anchored in the cove, which he named Resolution Cove after his flagship, he made formal contact with the natives in the Village at Yuquot, which he named Friendly Cove because of the friendly welcome that he received. 

We went over to Resolution Cove in Kiki and tried to imagine Captain Cook and his ships and crew there in 1778.  We got to see, from the water, the two plaques that were up on shore to commemorate the event, but they were up on a rocky bluff with no real access to them.  The one semi-landable beach was covered in barnacles at low tide and it didn’t look like there was any easy way over to the plaques, so the picture had to be taken from the boat.  

We then spent some time exploring the many islands out from Bligh Island before heading back home. 

After waiting out the Southerly blow, we then waited an additional two days hoping for winds so that we could continue our sail south.  We got a bunch of little projects done on board over those two days, and also spent time reading and enjoying our cockpit.  On one of the days we watched a seal playing and porpoising around in our bay, and a sea lion hunting and catching fish another day. 

Finally on September 5th the forecast was for NW winds of 10-20 knots for the night and the next day.  Yay, we would be able to move on!


Comments

  1. ColleenOctober 4, 2022 at 4:42 PM

    That was an interesting bit of history. Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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