August 27, 2008 Day 97
We were out of Boughey Bay by 7am to see how Johnstone Strait looked… The weather reports were favorable and much to our relief and gratefulness, Johnstone Strait was almost a mill pond and we would have a strong current going with us in the next hour. The winds were blowing around 10 knots; with a light chop when we first entered but after the current turned, we had a smooth ride. We had decided to head to Port Neville if the seas were rough but if not, continue on to Forward Harbour for the night. Lee called and offered another suggestion; "if the weather continued to be as nice as it was at the present time, to continue on to Thurston Bay Marine Park and spend the night in Handfield Bay." We thought it was a grand idea... Taking full advantage of the day and current, it turned out to be a 48 mile day but what a day it was. Around Race Passage and south of West Thurlow Island we got up to 10 & 11 knots over the ground on the Omega due to the swift current.
Just before we turned into Nodales Channel around Ripple Pt along Johnstone Strait, Lee spotted a pod of Orca. OUR FIRST ORCA sighting all year…
What a thrill. Daleen quickly went to the cockpit with camera in hand and then on to the bow of Omega to watch the power of their feeding and the speed in which they swam w
hile John piloted the Omega at a safe distance. Not a lot of breaching and spy h
opping but lots of feeding and 
swimming along the shoreline. What a thrill…. We wondered when we saw the male orca surface behind the tour boat "Who is watching who??"
As we turned in Nodales Channel, we had a contented smile on our faces. A good day with Orca, calm seas and a great current was had by all. We rafted onto the anchored Helen Marie around 3pm in Thurston Marine Park, tucked into the back corner of Handfield Bay. It was calm in the bay but another lighter rain squall was heading our way but no winds – thank goodness.
Daleen took a nap before our delicious fish dinner caught by Lee & Rosey and John read and puttered around the Omega. What a beautiful anchorage. Rosey had said they saw bear in this anchorage on an earlier trip so we will be on the lookout in the early morning.
We were out of Boughey Bay by 7am to see how Johnstone Strait looked… The weather reports were favorable and much to our relief and gratefulness, Johnstone Strait was almost a mill pond and we would have a strong current going with us in the next hour. The winds were blowing around 10 knots; with a light chop when we first entered but after the current turned, we had a smooth ride. We had decided to head to Port Neville if the seas were rough but if not, continue on to Forward Harbour for the night. Lee called and offered another suggestion; "if the weather continued to be as nice as it was at the present time, to continue on to Thurston Bay Marine Park and spend the night in Handfield Bay." We thought it was a grand idea... Taking full advantage of the day and current, it turned out to be a 48 mile day but what a day it was. Around Race Passage and south of West Thurlow Island we got up to 10 & 11 knots over the ground on the Omega due to the swift current.
Just before we turned into Nodales Channel around Ripple Pt along Johnstone Strait, Lee spotted a pod of Orca. OUR FIRST ORCA sighting all year…
What a thrill. Daleen quickly went to the cockpit with camera in hand and then on to the bow of Omega to watch the power of their feeding and the speed in which they swam w
hile John piloted the Omega at a safe distance. Not a lot of breaching and spy h
opping but lots of feeding and 
swimming along the shoreline. What a thrill…. We wondered when we saw the male orca surface behind the tour boat "Who is watching who??"As we turned in Nodales Channel, we had a contented smile on our faces. A good day with Orca, calm seas and a great current was had by all. We rafted onto the anchored Helen Marie around 3pm in Thurston Marine Park, tucked into the back corner of Handfield Bay. It was calm in the bay but another lighter rain squall was heading our way but no winds – thank goodness.
Daleen took a nap before our delicious fish dinner caught by Lee & Rosey and John read and puttered around the Omega. What a beautiful anchorage. Rosey had said they saw bear in this anchorage on an earlier trip so we will be on the lookout in the early morning.
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