Enjoying it up in North Channel

July 23rd and 24th
We left Little Current and headed out to Hotham Island with Inua. For being first timers up here it is sure nice to have someone that has been in these places. I know we have had many tell us where to go up here and what to see. But having someone first hand has sure been nice. Our anchorage could not have been an better. What a view we had and met some very nice cruisers. Everyone is so friendly as if your out and about on the boat they either wave or stop over for a chat to find out what your doing and where your headed and so on. I guess you can say it is a good thing in a way, but I have not had to clean any fish. But I have been trying to get a few as I will keep up the work, I guess it is a good thing they have tuna in a can.

July25th
We headed out @ 9 am as if we do not have to travel far (20 miles) we try not and leave to early. As the we hate the morning rush hour. You know it is like going to work, everyone is rushing to get there. Oh yea, backing up a bit here. While we were in Little Current I was setting in the cockpit watching a guy a few boat over doing a project, yes a project. I watched as he was doing something with a electric drill in a stern locker. It was not long and here he came and asked me if I had a extra long drill. Dam something I did not have but have many at home and I will add that to my list when we stop in Detroit to go back home for a week. After I told him I did not have one on board his comment was well I just maybe thought you would with how the boat is set up. Ok so when Jeannie came back from doing laundry I proceeded to tell her that maybe we need to rename our boat to ToolCrib. She did get a laugh out of that one. On the way we had to pass through an area what is called Little Detroit which is a small passage in the rocks that maybe 2 boats could pass side by side. But the procedure is to give a security call to alert other boats coming the other way that your approaching and entering the passage. It is interesting up here to look at the rock formation and the whole area. After passing through Little Detroit and going west I noticed how the water color and the rocks changed in appearance. We finally arrived in Bear Drop after passing the famous whales back that the area is named for. One of the books we have shows this pictures from years ago and it has only a few trees on it, well now there are quite a few. Each anchorage has its own beauty to it as you think when you come into it you’re the only one here. When we started to snake back into it wholly smokes. 7 other boat here as more came after we arrived. Then the wind came also. But it is a warm welcome or it would be hot up here. Buster also loved it as he was checking the whole harbor out looking for busterets. But all he could find this time was seagulls. Sorry but no luck this time.

July 28th
Today started listening to NOAA. As we had a front go through in the night and we were thinking of moving to Gore Bay. Rather mind ya I said thinking. After listening to the vhf radio. We confined with our friends over on Inua and we agreed to stay put one more day in Moiles harbor. As the day went on Jeannie said does this remind you of Beaver Island where we sat out 5 days in winds 25kts and above. The skies started clearing and the wind started picking up. So we sat and just read and did various things then about 4 ish I told Jeannie you know I think we are dragging anchor again. Sure enough we were. So we go into our standard fire drill routine. Ya start scrambling. We were fine as it is a small harbor laden with dead heads with 5 other boats. So after reanchoring we got back into our relax mode and started watching the other boats also. Usually when the winds pipe up and your on board w do not leave. Hey but were not all alike. I sat in our cockpit watching a crew-less boat dragging towards a 2nd boat as the women on board the boat soon to be hit was waving her arms for help. So Bill had seen it from his boat just about the time I did as well. So we both come from different boats and jump on board the dragging boat and got it started and moved back out into the harbor away from anyone. About 20 min later out of the woods come the owners as Bill and I were just holding their boat into the wind as I had brought in some anchor chain.
Well once the 2 other guys were on board it is their boat. As we listened to them one was asking the other what do I do. I looked at Bill and he looked at me and I asked the one owner, Would you like us to stay onboard. So we did. What had happened was he got his anchor wrapped around 2 huge logs in the bottom and that came up in the process of reanchoring his boat. All in all we got them off and everything went back to normal for the day.
July 29th
We left Moiles harbor and headed out to Gore Bay. It took us a few different tries as we had to change course as of the depth was in question. We were on the back side of a larger island and had to get around it to go back south. Looking at the charts it looks like a long distance but it is not actually that far. So we back tracked some which is not a problem as that is part of figuring things out up here.