The Inside Passage to Bella Bella: An area of breathtaking natural beauty, the west coast of British Columbia is a boater’s paradise and a photographer’s dream. Mike will describe how he and Sue have navigated these beautiful but hazardous waters over the past several summers – together with their good friends – on a 42 foot sailboat.
Sailors will agree there’s nothing better than having friends who keep their sailboat in interesting locations and who are always looking for crew. NSC members Mike and Sue Landreville have had the good fortune of sailing with their friends Chris and Edie throughout the Caribbean and most recently, along the beautiful coast of British Columbia. Over the last three summers they have spent a total of 75 days and logged over 1700 nautical miles sailing their friends’ 42-foot sailboat “Betsy B” along the inside passage of BC from Pender Harbour in the south to Bell Bella in the north.
The coastal mountains tower over the many fiords and inlets, the wildlife and marine life are everywhere, and the many boaters and locals you meet are often fascinating. Besides the great sailing, you can try your hand at fishing for salmon or crabbing and prawning. There are places to hike and fresh water lakes to swim in. But traveling these waters is not without its challenges. Anchorages are few in many places and it is very busy in the summer months. The tides can at times be up to 16 feet, the currents in the “Tidal Gates” are seriously dangerous, and there are numerous hazards to navigation. And then there is the ever-changing weather.
Mike will describe his and Sue’s experiences preparing for and exploring this amazing coastline briefly touching on the usual cruising considerations such as trip planning, provisioning, winds, tides and currents, tidal gates and tidal bars, and weather. His slideshow will attempt to portray the stunning scenery and abundant wild and marine life in the region. His comments and anecdotes will hint at the many things to do and characterize some of the interesting people they encountered along the way.
Twenty-year members of NSC, Mike and Sue are currently sailing Wanderer: a Catalina 320.
The kitchen opens at 5.00 pm, and the presentation will start at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday is Steak Night. Members of all local sailing clubs obtain a discount on food purchases by showing a valid club membership card. Attendees are asked to make a donation to support the NSC Legacy fund.
The speaker series continues weekly until April 17. Please see the Winter Speaker page for details.