This is Beautiful British Columbia for Boaters

 

The British Columbia Government put out a information video  to showcase the different parts of the BC Coast, Vancouver Island,  Vancouver, The Sunshine Coast,  Desolation Sound, The North Coast ,  Haida Gwaii, Prince Rupert and the West Coast of Vancouver Island.  All great destination for the Boaters from all over the world.

We the people in the towns and cities along the way up North welcome you with open arms and we make sure you will have one of the greatest Holidays in your life.

 

Enjoy the beautiful British Columbia Coast

 

Go to ahoybc.com and start to make your holiday plan with your sail – or motor vessel.  You will find great harbours,  astonishing scenery and for all great people.  Start exploring and enjoy my Province  Beautiful BC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Our first trip with “S.V. ICEBOUND”

We took over  the vessel “S.V. ICEBOUND”  on the 1st. of October 2013.  My buddy Earl was retired and I was still 100 % active in my business.  We took her out for a overnighter to the other side of Quadra Island and stayed at Rebecca Spit.   We found out some  stuff we need to repair or replace. One thing of it was the very old Eberspaecher diesel heater, but that was not on top of our repair and replace list.

But like every time you buy a older boat, you see that some parts need to be replaced and thats was  here the same. But there where nearly new sails, a new Yanmar engine with 180 hours on.  Some professionals mentioned that this Saturna Pilothouse was one of the finest exemplars they have seen. The hull, the underwater, the prop, the shaft everything is in a great condition and the last owner spend lots of money and time to keep the boat in great shape.  The mast needs some attention, but is only the paint who needs to be replaced in the coming years. We need to  buy over the winter some safety- and other  items  that makes the living on board more easy and that we have some comfort we don’t want to give up.  But that story in a another blog.

“S.V. ICEBOUND” on the hook in Rebecca Spit Provincial Park

We had a great sail but then the wind giving  up,  and we needed to used the engine to bring the boat  to Rebecca Spit.

We enjoyed a great dinner from the BBQ and had a couple of drinks and we was early in the sleeping bags.

Sunset at Rebecca Spit   Provincial Marine Park in BC

The other morning we enjoyed another great sunny day in October and  slowly in the later morning hours we took the trip back to April Point Marina.

The ride up the Discovery Channel was a hell of  ride.  The wind was gone but the current with over 4 to 5 knots put us in the upper 9 to 11 knots traveling speed under engine over ground.  We made the trip in a record time up the Channel and safely moored the vessel at the April Point Marina in the early afternoon.

“ICEBOUND” back at the Marina

Far from the Home Port    Whitehorse Yukon  Canada

In the two season 2014 / 2015  many people came to us to ask how long we are under way from Yukon down to Vancouver Island.  So we told the them story how the Home Port on the  “S.V. ICEBOUND” is Whitehorse in the Yukon.   We both it from the couple they owned the vessel over a long time and they lived at the time the both the vessel in the Yukon and decided that there Home Port will be  Whitehorse. They sailed the boat in Southern Alaska and made long trips all over the places.

We agreed to keep the Name and the Home port and so we have always something to chat with other sailors.

This was the last scenery a day before we left for home

On the next blog I write over the trips we made in 2014

Please don’t lecture me to much over my writings skill,  but I try to improve over the next couple of months.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Boat ” S.V. ICEBOUND “

The Saturna 33 Pilothouse is a Bill Garden design and was produced here in Vancouver Island BC. in the early  1980 .

• The Hull type is a fin keel  with a rudder on a keg.  Very sturdy and great protection
• The Rig type is a Masthead Sloop
• LOA is 33 feet
• LWL is 26.75 feet
• Beam is 10.67 feet
• Sail ft2 is 503
• Draft is 5.5 feet
• Displacement is 13500 lbs
• Ballast is 5000 lbs

 

“S.V.  ICEBOUND” 

This sailing vessel handles great in any kind of conditions and keeps you dry in any weather.  She moves quickly on the rudder and with the high beam she carves true the waves like a knife true butter.

The vessel can be handled easily by one person for day sailing, but for longer  trips 2 people are all what it needs.

The layout of the boat is simple  3 people can stay on the boat for a longer time, but ideal is with 2 people.

Inside steering station with navigation desk

Light and airy feeling inside of the cabin. Port side  u -sofa with table

Galley with sink, icebox and 3 burner cooktop and oven.

U shaped  sofa with dinning table.  Great view true the windows, you see what’s going on around the boat.  Very nice and you don’t sit down in the cellar and only have little windows.  Ok, when you go offshore  sailing in rough conditions  you need to put storm windows on the outside and the front of the cabin.

Like I said in the first blog,  we are two old guy’s  who like to have some adventure in our old age.  Now I introduce the main players in this adventure.

This is my Buddy Earl and we together both the boat.  He never before was on a sailing boat or on the ocean in a small vessel. But he is ok and he likes the travel speed and the closeness to nature.

On t he trips we have done in the past 2 ½ years, he has shown the will to learn and he likes the sailing life.  His focus lays on  the nature, the wildlife and how the boat handles. He takes great photo shots and he likes my cooking.

That’s me, I was longing a long time  to be back on the ocean and restart sailing.  I grew up in Europe, and in my early adult years i learned  sailing. Sailing took me to the Mediterranean  Sea,  and later out to the Atlantic ocean.  But like lots of young people the work and the career  took a toll on this pleasure and so sailing was not on top of my list. Later in the early 30this I left  Europe for Canada and now I’m retired and like to regain the love of sailing and the love of the ocean.

I hope we will find mostly fair wind and  a gentle following sea

 

 

 

On the next blog the story will take you to our first trip to the Desolation Sound and beyond.

The Marina at Quadra Island BC

We have our boat  ” S.V  ICEBOUND “ at the April Point  Marina on Quadra Island. This small marina has boats  all year from all over the world  Europe, Mexico, US and for all locals  from Vancouver Island and the Mainland on the mooring. There are some live on boards in the Marina so you know there is always someone looking  out for your boat too.

In the summer months lots of big mega yachts stay for a couple of days in the marina and is nice to see some of well know faces  mingle with the normal folks here in the marina and at the April Point  Resort and Restaurant.

The Marina is in a idyllic location, secure from all winds and waves and there is a lot of wild life you can take in. Bald eagles  swoop down and catch fish, or you see the seals playing in the water and when you are lucky you can see a see otter sun bathing at the rocks  on the shore.

Trawlers, Motor yachts small and large and Sailboats all sizes are moored here.

 

On the Wharf are power and water

 

 

Idyllic morning  setting with the sun low on the eastern horizon.

Larry the Marine Master welcomes you and your guest,  he is there for all your questions and he will  make sure you have a great time and fun  staying here at the marina.

He can arrange mostly everything, from a day salmon fishing with a guide, no problem he knows the right guy, like a bike ride or a moped ride  no problem the resort 5 min. walk away has all the toys you like.  Like to go whale watching,  same here the whale watching boat picks you up at the wharf next to your mooring.  You like to go for a hike or a long walk. Same here Quadra Island is the place to spend a couple of days or a week.  You like to have a great coffee, beer or a glass of wine, no problem here either. You will find small cafes, bistros and small restaurants.

Light house “Cape Mudge” on the shores of the Discovery Channel

 

 

Enjoy a great walk, hike or bike on of the many trails all over Quadra Island

Hike along the shore on gravel beach   around Cape Mudge.

 

Enjoy the sun on one of the many driftwood  and take a rest and enjoy the scenery.

 

When you visit Campbell River the “Salmon Capital of Canada” then take time and make the short Ferry ride over to Quadra Island and spend a day or two on this magic Island. When you come on your own keel uspend a couple of days exploring the area and enjoy what the region has to offer.

Live is to short to run all the time and miss what is really important.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sail NorthBlog

This is the story and adventures of 2 old guy’s on board of the sailboat “S.V. ICEBOUND” exploring the West coast of British Columbia Canada and the Southern part of Alaska and hopefully the Aleuts.

S.V. Icebound is a 33 feed Saturna Pilothouse and  she takes us to different places in the Northern part of Vancouver Island, Desolation Sound and further North to the Broughton Islands. Up the Prince Rupert, crossing over to Southern Alaska and explore the magic scenery there.

In the coming years we will spend every summer season 2 to 4 month on the boat and  write and document  (videos and blogs) how tow old  guy’s  60 plus  handle and enjoy the different adventures that lay before us.

Saturn 33 Pilot house   “S.V. ICEBOUND”

You can experience  a unique travel adventure on board of “S.V. ICEBOUND ” .   

Experience the  life on a sailing boat, explore mystic places along the coast of British Columbia,  visit enchanting coves and inlets, small bays and gunk holes where you anchor the boat for one night or longer.

Come on a hike with us, and see new scenery  every day.

Feel the wind in the hair, sometimes there is to much of them around and you and the boat are hiding in a small secure cove or  anchor along a small bay on the hook with stern tied to the trees or a big rock.  But always the nature is around you and the peaceful time takes hold of you and you feel more calm and happy.

Please be kind with me and my writing style, especially the grammar and i hope in the near future I will improve in my writing skills.  English is my 2nd or 3rd language I learned in my life.