After riding out some windy days in Lady Boot Cove, Anne and I decided it was time for a resupply run. We had been out about two weeks since leaving Campbell River, so we took advantage of a nice weather window on a calm, misty morning and headed across to Port McNeill. The crossing through Queen Charlotte Strait and into Blackfish Sound was foggy at first, but cleared up beautifully. We spotted a big group of stellar sea lions on the rocks and a nice raft of sea otters, though no whales yet.
This season, we added an Em-Trak B945 AIS transceiver to the boat, which has been fantastic for safety in these foggy channels. It lets us see other boats, including large cruise ships and fast-moving boats, and we can even make a direct call to them on VHF if needed. Check us out on Marine Traffic
We fueled up at North Island Marina, then docked at the Port McNeill Harbour Authority, stocked up on fresh groceries and booze for happy hour, and filled our big water tanks plus the deck bladder using a good three-stage filter. Vancouver Island marina water is reliable, and we like to top off whenever we can since remote spots can run low or not be potable.
Now we’re back in the Broughtons at our favourite anchorage near Madrona Island with blue skies, a crab trap out, and plans to relax here for a while. The weather is turning again, so we will hold off on heading farther north for now. Stay tuned for more adventures.
*Check out the 2026 Boating Season Playlist*
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