Starting the Trek North: Nanaimo through Cape Caution by Greg & Lori Bernard

The area between Nanaimo and the northern tip of Vancouver Island is a large and amazing area that includes two major cruising destinations: Desolation Sound and “The Broughtons”. In addition, Northern Georgia Strait, the Discovery Islands, and Queen Charlotte Strait are also worthy destinations in and of themselves, and with some effort, can reward the adventurous boater with quiet and solitude that is hard to find in the two more popular areas. All of the areas boast a variety of secluded anchorages, marinas, and communities to explore. In addition, routes through this area are the usual course for those taking on adventures to the more remote parts of the West Coast – north to Alaska, and south down Vancouver Island’s Pacific coast. This course will help to prepare boaters – power and sail – for voyages north from Nanaimo as far as the Rivers Inlet area north of Cape Caution. Topics will include:

• The boat and equipment
• Personal readiness and preparation
• Tides and Currents, and strategies for optimizing speed over ground
• Routing options and voyage planning for passing through “the gates”
• Summer weather patterns and forecast interpretation
• Select anchorages
• Useful reference material
• Provisioning
• Fishing basics
• Tips we’ve learned for maximizing our time “off the grid”

Where applicable, there will be an opportunity to practice some of the necessary planning skills in the comfort of a classroom. We will also share stories of our own adventures to these waters, and in the process, inspire you to consider cruising to these magnificent waters.