We started this leg of the trip with gales forecast around Cape Caution and the outer waters that we would have to transit to get back to the "inside" part of the inside passage between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. Our original plan was to to get to Pruth Bay at Calvert Island before the winds started picking up offshore, and wait out the weather for a couple of days in the relatively protected anchorage there before crossing around Cape Caution. But... as we left this morning, the forecast started sounding like our Thursday window for rounding Cape Caution was not much of a window anymore and we might well end up stuck at Pruth Bay for an extra couple of days. This was going to throw a wrench in our schedule for dropping off Sue's dad, and picking up our friend Mim at Port McNeill. Buoy reports were still good offshore, so we made a quick decision to turn our six hour day into a twelve hour day, and make the crossing ahead of the incoming weather. As it turned out this was a good call, and we ended up making it into Queen Charlotte Straits and to a nice protected anchorage at Allison Harbor before things got bad offshore. As it turned out, the forecast was updated from Gales to Storm warning (40-50 kts) so we were glad to be around the corner and in some calmer waters.
Great anchorage for hiding out from the weather:
Lots of little lagoons and inlets to explore at Allsion Harbor:
As we picked our way through the labyrinth of passages around the anchorage, we found a secluded little beach where a black bear was casually turning over 50 pound stones looking for snacks:
Storm clouds building:
Got Sue's Dad out in the dinghy the next morning for some bird watching:
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