Friday 8/3/2012 - Victoria, BC to Montague Harbor
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/montague/#
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/montague/#
We coordinated our departure with the other boats on our slip that morning. The powerboat behind us left first. They used headsets and were so calm docking and leaving the dock - nice teamwork. We were next, assisted by the sailboat in front of us.
We had scoped out a couple of anchorages that we could stay at in case we tired early or ran out of daylight. Our first option was Prevost Island, 12 nm away from Victoria. Our second option was Ganges Harbor which was recommended to us by cruisers in Victoria. Ganges was 17nm away from Victoria. The weather and the currents were working with us so we went past both and decided on an anchorage called Montague Harbor.
We entered Montague Harbor in the early evening and found a nice spot among the many boats anchored there. Montague Harbor put us in nice position to cross Dodd Narrows the next day. Dodd Narrows is a narrow channel that must be crossed at or near slack tide. Slack was at 1300 the next day and Dodd narrows was 20nm from Montague. It would be an easy motor in the morning to make the slack tide. All the other boats make a variation of the same approach and they all congregate around the entrance to Dodd Narrows around the slack tide. Dodd Narrows is a dog leg - you cannot see the boats coming the other way, so you have to advertise your intent to cross on channel 16.
We entered Montague Harbor in the early evening and found a nice spot among the many boats anchored there. Montague Harbor put us in nice position to cross Dodd Narrows the next day. Dodd Narrows is a narrow channel that must be crossed at or near slack tide. Slack was at 1300 the next day and Dodd narrows was 20nm from Montague. It would be an easy motor in the morning to make the slack tide. All the other boats make a variation of the same approach and they all congregate around the entrance to Dodd Narrows around the slack tide. Dodd Narrows is a dog leg - you cannot see the boats coming the other way, so you have to advertise your intent to cross on channel 16.
