# Hoser from PNW



## FinnBay (Oct 19, 2010)

Howdy,

Last spring I bought a 31ft wooden sloop built in the 50's in Nova Scotia.
Had to do a fair bit of work but got it in the water june 11th.
I spent over 300hrs on it this summer, too much fun.:laugher 

Just got back from Princess Louisa Inlet, It was Sweet.
Just as I arrived the clouds lifted and there were waterfalls all around me.
Went through malibu rapids on the outflowing tide, what a hoot. 

Heading to Oakover inlet in the next few days to do some hunting. 
Nice here today, think I'll go sailin.

Happy trails :gunner


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

Cool! Are you running into much fog up there this time of year? I"d like to do Princess Louisa in the off season. Been there 3 or 4 times, but always in the summer.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Welcome to Sailnet... Ray's right.. off season at Princess Louisa would be kinda cool... how about Christmas!?!?


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

JRD22 showed me a web page of some folks who make the trip up there for New Years. Bilgewater was telling us about a winter trip he made up there. Just before he rounded the corner where the big cliff is and you could start to see the dock, fireworks started shooting up into the air from the dock area. When he arrived, Steve said the dock was almost full. Takes all kinds. Have you done a winter visit Ron? I would entertain it, but I would want _Fast Forw_ard to go first if the water was iced over. Your gelcoat is a lot tougher than mine.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Faster said:


> Welcome to Sailnet... Ray's right.. off season at Princess Louisa would be kinda cool... how about Christmas!?!?


Christmas ? Fast are you insane ? You'd freeze your tits off !! 

Seriously, dead of winter, you'd need some serious heating equipment wouldn't you ? How cold is it in January ?


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## erps (Aug 2, 2006)

The water in the bay freezes, although it's probably the fresh water layer over the saltwater.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

erps said:


> .... but I would want _Fast Forw_ard to go first if the water was iced over. Your gelcoat is a lot tougher than mine.


Says you.... I wouldn't carve a wide enough path so it'd make more sense for you to go first......

No we haven't done the winter thing., E is not that hardy.. I can't even get her to go to Plumper for Christmas..



tdw said:


> Christmas ? Fast are you insane ? You'd freeze your tits off !!
> 
> Seriously, dead of winter, you'd need some serious heating equipment wouldn't you ? How cold is it in January ?


It's pretty hit and miss.. It would likely NOT be snowing, just wet and chilly mostly but they're saying we're in for the coldest winter in 80 years so maybe this one's not the one!


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## FinnBay (Oct 19, 2010)

*Boats and Bikes*

Today it's like pea soup and the ferrys are sounding their horns regularly.
Yesterday was perfectly clear with a nice breeze.

I have heard that people celebrate the winter holidays up PrincessLouisa.
I do have a small woodstove and a decent coolant heater, fir bark burns great. 
Usually around zeroish but maybe colder up there at Christmas.
Not too many safe spots on the way up JervisInlet so extra caution is needed.

The weather clears right off when it gets down to freezing so it's sunny and warm in the day time but limited light hours and steep valleys cut the day short. No measurable snow here last year, just a trace but plenty in the hills.

When I was up PrincessLouisa (sept26) the warf was full so I just floated around and had lunch. 
There is a definated boundary layer where the fresh and salt water meet.
I felt my boat squirm both ways as I went through it.
After lunch I hit the rapids with the outflow, It's deep so no problemo.
On the way down I saw some petroglyphs near Osgood creek.

I was thinking of checking out GraceHarbour, It`s an excellent shelter and there`s some trails to ride there. ... and nobodyelse around. 
I ride a Ti LiteSpeed. :hammer... sorry not boat related but...

Happy trails
Sean

Here`s the boat when i got it. (Aprox. 10,000lbs)
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Here`s my LiteSpeed. (24lbs)
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Jervis Inlet from Island Sky deck.
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My secret spot.
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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Cold or not I'd stay out there until my snot froze......damn that is one beautiful part of the planet. 

Fast, I'd figured it would be well past snot freezing temps in January, if not then crank up the heater and lets hunker down.

Hey FinnBay....lovely rowing boat. Is that yours ?


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## Bilgewater (Jul 17, 2008)

erps said:


> JRD22 showed me a web page of some folks who make the trip up there for New Years. Bilgewater was telling us about a winter trip he made up there. Just before he rounded the corner where the big cliff is and you could start to see the dock, fireworks started shooting up into the air from the dock area. When he arrived, Steve said the dock was almost full. Takes all kinds. Have you done a winter visit Ron? I would entertain it, but I would want _Fast Forw_ard to go first if the water was iced over. Your gelcoat is a lot tougher than mine.


Ahhh...you remembered my story Ray, good memory. We were up there in January or February a few years ago. It was absolutely spectacular to say the least. Here's how the story goes...

Didn't really check the long term forecast, we just went for it and it turned out to be spectacular weather. We were wearing cruisers suites most of the time. We started out in Campbell River and spotted not a soul in 7 days other than one lone sailing vessel at the mouth of Jervis Inlet. We worked our way up Jervis and into Princess Louisa, the inlet was like a glass mirror. As I was making my way toward the head of PL, the ocean looked a bit peculiar in the distance. By the time we reached the last bend to port (where that big rock face is) we found ourselves in the middle of ice sheets. I scanned about, looking for a passage but nothing. It turned out to be quite thin and pushing through it would break off large clear sheets that would slide off and over the next sheet. It was quite a site indeed although the integrity of the gelcoat was always in the back of my mind. As it turned out, it took off a thin line of bottom paint at the water line but no other damage.

As I was rounding the point I saw a flare go off. Now, I was fully expecting that we would be the lone vessel out here in the middle of winter and now not only was there life out here, someone needed my help, I thought. As I finally caught sight of the government float in the last minutes of dusk, I soon realized to my surprise that half the float was full of boats.

We continued to slowly make our way toward the float with fireworks going off all around us, it was quite spectacular really and the surroundings just made it that much more interesting. As we got closer we spotted people with flashlights signaling us to a spot on the dock near the end. I could see a few helpful souls digging the snow off the dock for our arrival, how nice I thought. As we were securing the boat, a monk in white robes came over to greet us. He had some kind of book in his hands, as I recall it was a tide book or something like that. He also had drinks for us in his other hand. Talking to him was a challenge, I think he had a few drinks before our arrival.

In all, there were about 40 people out there all crammed onto these boats. They were all from the Victoria Yacht Club as I recall and they were out for their annual pig roast and beer fest or whatever they called it...it did have a name but I can't remember. We were invited to share in the festivities which included feasting on pig on a spit, fireworks, drinking, laughing, drinking, laughing, telling stories and more drinking.

All through the night and the next day, we could hear rumbling in the distance. Up in the snow covered peaks which are very close and steep in this inlet, we could watch and hear the mini-avalanches regularly. Later that day, two very large American power yachts with paid crew arrived and were greeted in the same way as us. They were nice and friendly but I think they would have preferred less noise... can't blame them really but what could I do.

The next morning the American Yachts had left very early in the morning which I thought to be a bit peculiar because I had figured the slack at the rapids was very late in the morning. I double checked the slack and assumed they must know something I don't, so we just stayed and enjoyed our morning coffee and breakfast before heading out a little later.

Malibu Rapids at the mouth of Princess Louisa runs pretty fast at times and as we approached, we soon realized that we were a bit early judging by the white water we could see ahead. So we decided to pull into the Malibu Camp float and wait it out for a while. We finished securing the boat and headed up the hill when we spotted the camp watchman coming down toward us. He was happy to see us and let us explore around a bit while we waited out the change. He told us that earlier that morning, two yachts had come through during a heavy ebb or flood (can't remember which) and one of them went to starboard of the green light and over the rocks with a loud crunching and grinding sound that he had heard from the other side of the hill. Apparently it stayed afloat and the two of them limped back rafted together to who knows where, but a long journey I'm sure.

Princess Louisa is spectacular in the winter and as a matter of fact, I prefer it in the winter. In my mind, I have a collapsible ice breaker attachment for the bow that I would likely implement for the next trip but in any case, with one person on the bow with an oar or something, it should be easy to break it up a bit as you slowly make your way through....well worth the trouble. The falls were wonderful with all the snow covered rocks and running so fast but very slippery to say the least but the steep snow covered rocky mountains are the best by far. It's quite magical back there in the winter.

Winter in Malibu Rapids leaving Princess Louisa Inlet with view of Queens Reach (Jervis Inlet)







http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu35/seayalatermoonglow/DSC01330.jpg


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## Bilgewater (Jul 17, 2008)

Welcome to Sailnet FinnBay. Obviously your over in Finn Bay I would guess and by the looks of one of your photos, that's the north side of the Lund Boatyard. I had my boat over at the Lund Gov't float on and off for much of this summer. For the last few months I've been up in the Okisollo Channel/Broughtons etc. but I'll be back in Lund and cruising that area for most of the winter. Hope to run into you.
All the best, Steve


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## GMFL (Jun 9, 2010)

Nice Pics.


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