After leaving Khutze Inlet, we were on our way to Lowe Inlet, a 60nm passage. We decided to stop for fuel in Hartley Bay, just to be on the safe side, in case we got delayed crossing Dixon Entrance and had to wait out weather for a week. And, we hadn't been to Hartley Bay yet. Arriving just before noon, we had to wait for the fuel dock attendant to return from lunch hour, which provided us a great opportunity to get off the boat and go explore on foot.
The people who live in Hartley Bay are of the Gitga'at band. This is their community house. Apparently, the wind blew so hard here a few years ago, it tore the roof off the front part of the building, along with knocking down power lines! The town is open to Douglas Channel, which leads up into the mountains and to Kitimat.
Later, today, they would have a bake sale to help fund a trip for the elders to Vancouver, BC. We had to be on our way after fueling, but left a donation with the fuel attendant.
This is placed just outside the community house.
Hartley Bay is a boardwalk town: these are their streets. People get around on foot, on bicycle or in their 4-wheeler or golf cart.
A view of the town and dock where Dog Star is moored. The fuel attendant lowers the diesel nozzle down to us to use.
Beautiful totem pole.
The church.
Apparently, Hartley Bay is a good place to take a tour from when visiting the Great Bear Rainforest. There is also a foot ferry to Prince Rupert from here.
On to Lowe Inlet:
Verney Falls. We anchored right near it, letting the current hold us in place.
Apparently, in August, one can watch the Brown bears eat fish right out of this falls.
Mackerel sky means a change in the weather...
Dog Star in front of the Verney Falls.
Perspective...
We dinghies over and floated around this area when we spotted two Sand-Hill Cranes. They quickly went into the forest. This was probably a grid from days past, where a person could pull their boat in there and work on the bottom of it when the tide went out. ...Maybe a person without a keel underneath.
Time for cribbage and happy hour. We do this many evenings.
David had put the crab pots out, and he ended up catching three! First crab of 2023!
Yes, you can cook crab in the Instant Pot for much less seafood vapor inside the cabin of the boat.
Next day: Leaving Lowe Inlet heading North in Grenville Channel, hoping to get as far north as possible. We ended up watching the tide and weather and left after noon. For days it had been looking like Saturday (tomorrow) would be our day to cross Dixon Entrance to Alaska. This is another of the "gates" in getting to Alaska, where we are out in the ocean swell and weather for hours. We hoped to get very near the end of Grenville Channel, making our long day a little bit shorter tomorrow. But, despite the wind and current going the same direction, the wind was building from 12 knots quickly to 19-21 knots as the waves also began to build to 2-3 feet. We decided to pull in to Klewnuggit Inlet for the night and try again in the morning. It would mean a 95nm trip to Foggy Bay, just over the international border into Alaska, tomorrow. But, we knew if the weather was good, we could do it, as we had done it that way 2 years ago. If the weather was bad, we'd have to wait it out for at least a week.
Once we turned into the East Inlet of Klewnuggit, the water was calm and we set the anchor almost all the way in. We immediately heard the sound of loons, crying their haunting sound. There were 3-4 couples paddling around, and eventually made a growling sound. We were able to identify them as Red Necked Loons, a new species for us!
We ended up having a delightful evening watching the light grow dim and listening to the loons song echo off the tall granite walls. In bed by 8pm for a very early start in the morning, first to check the weather, then hopefully leave.
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