Sailing West

Saturday Fiona anchored in McClintock Bay and waited for the wind to moderate before pushing west early Sunday.

Russ reported via SSB datalink on Monday: "Overnite McClintock Bay Sunday. Want good daylight for passage south of Royal Geographical Society Islands today. Reefs, etc. ETA Cambridge Bay Tuesday evening." By clicking on and enlarging the photo at left one see's why Fiona's crew did not want to navigate the straits at night.

He reported seeing Hapag-Lloyd Lines' cruise liner "Hanseatic making her passage west to east yesterday in Simpson Straits. Passed within 100 yds. Spoke to them [on VHF Channel 16]. Tooted salutes at each other."


The east to west cruise liner, Bremen, has already safely made the passage from Resolute to south of Gjoa Haven and may pass Fiona before Cambridge Bay.
~DH~

Entry from Russ Roberts' journal 8/21/09:

The Zen of Fiona:  "The 10,000 boats that are not named Fiona are not Fiona."  For some reason this thought arises from Eric's comment about Ocean Watch having kayaks and a swim platform.  Eric prides himself on having a functional vessel, without the slightest hint of "party boat" about it.


This morning breakfast at the Gjoa Haven hotel; eggs, over medium, link sausage, pancakes, toast, OJ and apple juice.  Shared breakfast with crew of Ocean Watch.  I am delighted to see them.  Although she does have a "razzle dazzle" type of paint job, I admire [Capt. Mark] Schrader's boat.  She looks stout and seaworthy.  A 65 foot Bruce Roberts design crafted in steel.

We started for Cambridge Bay at 1215 in the teeth of the wind.  Sailed for about 10 minutes.  Then turned NW into high wind & chop.  Headed to a bay on SW of Koka Lake for the night - it might be 2 nights - until the wind subsides.  Doesn't seem like a lot of progress today.  "I could have eaten dinner at the friggin' hotel, g******it," said David, a man not normally given to profanity.

The three other guys went to shore in the hard dingy.  I stayed aboard to take pictures of it, riding low, making for shore under the power of an ancient Seagull outboard ... and pictures of David at the oars, rowing back, after the Seagull decided to not start.