Deep Cove
We've spent the last few weeks exploring BC, keeping up with boat problems and making some progress forwards on upgrades!
After sailing up from Port Angeles, we stopped in downtown Vancouver for a couple days.
We stayed right in front of the Granville Market for a bit! The Market is super cool - definitely a highlight of Vancouver. They have all sorts of arts and crafts stores, brewery and the fresh food market. So we were able to stock up on local fresh meat and vegetables right there.
Then we headed up the creek and anchored out in Deep Cove. Whilst it's only 12Nm to Deep Cove, there are 3 bridges to go under.
Lions Gate Bridge
One down two to go and I neglected to tell Ashley that we wouldn't fit under the final bridge unless they lifted it for us. After a radio call we were able to get the bridge lifted, a super cool thing to see.
Oh but the Bridge Operated decide it wasn't necessary to lift the bridge the whole way.
Video of the Railway Bridge
So we survived by inches, and then we were in Indian Arm.
Deep Cove is as it sounds very deep.
There were a few boats permanently anchored there, but we got a great spot just off the Public dock.
This turned out to be super handy on for several reasons.
One the outboards wasn't operational so we had to row.
Secondly after pumping the dinghy up for the first time in 6 months we found that one side of the dinghy was regularly deflating.
Finally and probably the funniest; because the dinghy was deflating we were using the wooden oars as Paddles. Normally a great idea until one trip paddling back the oar broke in 2. Luckily that broken oar balanced out the half deflated dinghy and one slightly less strong paddler ;)
Deep Cove was awesome less than an hour from Vancouver and Paul's good friend Steve lived just up the street, and we sometimes had access to a car.
All of this allowed us to start on repairs.
Paul’s friend Jason owns the Evolution Sail loft and he let us come in and help do the repairs to the Mainsail and Genoa.
The repairs were only minor, but we also replaced the UV cover and did some minor reinforcement which will keep these sails going for a long time.
But it was a great experience, and we were so appreciative of Jason taking time to teach us a few tricks.
There's been a red tide about, and the water is crazy! It practically looks like blood in the water at times, and the phosphorescence at night has been amazing!
Deep Cove is amazingly pretty and we were in the area for 2 weeks and it wasn't all work.
We snuck away for a weekend to explore the Indian Arm.
All the rain Vancouver gets makes it a great place for Hydroelectric Power.
There are 2 old power plants nestles on the cliffside of the inlet.
We spent the weekend anchored near Granite Falls.
The anchoring was pretty awesome, but deep.
We dropped the anchored in 85 feet of water and then backed towards the shore. When the anchor was set the fun began.
We had to get a line from the back of the boat to the shore so if there was any wind we wouldn't drag our anchor and drift away.
Not easy at the best of times, harder when you can only paddle the dinghy with on oar.
We got the line around a solid looking tree and once we had every thing set we were only about a boat length away from shore!! It was Ashleys deepest anchor and definitely the closest she had ever anchored to shore.
It was an hour or two before she was convinced we weren't going anywhere...
The next day we had a little time for exploring so we went to the Falls to stretch our legs.
The climb isn't for everyone, but the view was certainly worth it. We made it about halfway up before running our out time.
We were expecting guest so we head back to the boat.
Steve and Nat brought their ski boat up from Deep Cove and tied alongside. It was the kid’s first night ever on a boat and they were excited! They had bought fishing rods and after a quick rip to the end of the arm in the ski boat, we set up on the boat for the evening.
The boys pulled out the rods and got setup at the front of the boat. As soon as the line hit the water there was a fish on it. I think each one caught at least 3 fish!
The following day we got some wakeboarding in at the end of the Arm before Steve and Nat headed home.
We spent one more night before returning to our spot in Deep Cove.
Deep Cove was super beautiful, but the boating community wasn't the most friendly - we were nearly chased off by harbor patrol our first day there for anchoring out. The local yacht club wouldn't let us touch their dock, and the marina turned off their water after we fueled up and offered to pay for their non-potable water... We ended up having to do jerry can runs on shore to top up on water until we got back to downtown Vancouver. When it was time to leave Deep Cove, Sequoia Yacht Club helped us out and we were able to stay at Royal Vancouver Yacht Club for a night of rest and repairs. Paul replaced a few oil hoses and did an oil change while I washed the boat for the first time in a month.
Next: onto the Gulf Islands!
