Gathering at Prince Rupert




Grenville Channel

 

Got d’ Fever and Uno departed Hartley Bay for Prince Rupert, a day’s journey up the long, straight passage of Grenville Channel.  Conditions in the Channel were calm and the ride uneventful; the biggest challenge was trying to stay awake, similar to driving a car down an endless highway in eastern Washington.  

Seaplane in Grenville Channel

The scenery was interrupted from time to time by a passing tug or other commercial ship and by seaplanes and helicopters flying overhead.  After a few hours we came upon the Aegean with friend Bryann and son Nick who had left Hartley Bay earlier in the morning.  

Aegean, Grenville Channel

I grabbed the camera and snapped some pictures of their classic sailboat as we motored by.  They, too, were headed for Prince Rupert, a major stop for boats heading to Alaska.  As we exited Grenville Channel the seas began to pick up, especially in open Chatham Sound lying west of Prince Rupert.  

Cargo Terminal, Prince Rupert

We had 4ft choppy swell abeam but managed the seas smartly and brought our vessels into Prince Rupert Harbour, passing the impressive cargo ship terminal.  

Coming in to Prince Rupert

When we arrived at the Rowing & Yacht Club Marina, Alex and Pat on their Selene called Wild Blue came out to help us with our lines.  We had seen their vessel earlier at Shearwater and when traveling along Finlayson Channel a few days ago.  

Prince Rupert

They were happy to see us and asked where we had spent the night during the hurricane wind warning for April 27-28^th; we told them Butedale.  We learned that there were 85 mile an hour winds outside the channels in Hecate Strait that night, and 104 mile an hour winds in Prince Rupert where metal plates on the docks lifted up and went sailing like saucers.  

At Prince Rupert Rowing & Yacht Club

After tying up at the Prince Rupert Rowing & Yacht Club Marina, we noticed that a group of three boats seen traveling together had also arrived, and we were happy to see our friend on Aegean come into the harbour later that evening.  Prince Rupert is a major stop for boaters heading to Alaska and it was nice to see that everyone had arrived safely.  Boaters have a special comradery and tend to help one another as needed or simply as courtesy. 

Missing Metal Plates on Marina Docks

The forecast for the next several days looks good for the leg to Ketchikan which no doubt will start an exodus out of Prince Rupert.