July 8, 2017, Saturday — Miles Inlet to Green Island Anchorage —

We were up at 0415 hrs this morning checking the weather and lighthouse report for Egg Island.  Everything sounded excellent.  By 0500 hrs we were underway.  If our luck holds, we’ll be rounding the dreaded Cape Caution today.

The seas were smooth as glass, and we could see for miles

 

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We got passed Slingsby Channel without even a ripple.  I think Al was actually a little disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to try out his new strategy for getting across Smith Inlet when the seas are nasty.  He’d been planning strategy all winter on a way to take the pain out of rounding Cape Caution, and had come up with a plan to go up Smith Sound after rounding Cape Caution just far enough to lose the rough seas, and then cross over to Millbrook Cove, where we’d anchor for the night.  Oh, well, there’s always next year.  I wasn’t a bit disappointed as we cruised straight across Smith Sound, which was like a lake, and Rivers Inlet, which was just as calm, headed for Fury Cove on Penrose Island.

By 1030 hrs, we were entering Fury Cove.  There were boats anchored everywhere.  I’ve never seen it so full.  We took one look and headed  back out, on our way to Green Island Anchorage in Fish Egg Inlet, just about 12 miles farther north. 

I spotted the lighthouse at Addenbroke just about the time Al yelled “Whale ahead!”

 

 

I grabbed my camera and hurried out to try to get a shot.  I spotted humpbacks close to shore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hadn’t been to Green Island Anchorage in quite a few years, and had forgotten how pretty it is.  And, what made it really nice was that there weren’t any boats in the anchorage.  We anchored near a little islet which is covered with blackberry bushes.  They are so perfectly rounded, that they look like a gardener must be tending them.

 

 

It was early enough that I was able to get a paddle in before dinner.  I looked at the chart and discovered a creek not too far away.  I decided that would be my destination.  The current and a light breeze would be going with me, so the paddling was easy.  I spotted a couple of Red Throated Loons and set out after them.  They paddled just beyond shooting range for about 2 hours.  Finally, just before we reached the creek, I was able to get into a position where I wouldn’t be shooting into the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I suddenly noticed that the wind was coming up.  I was going to have to paddle against the wind and the tide all the way back to the boat.   It was a real workout.   I got there just in time for one of Al’s delicious spaghetti dinners.