Sailing Vancouver to Victoria mid April on E34

[Rebecca Ericson]

Hi all,

My partner and I are fairly new sailors with a few moderate trips under our belt. We are hoping to sail to Victoria for Easter weekend, likely via the Gabriola passage. We plan to take two days, stopping overnight at Salt Spring or similar.

We’ve never crossed the Georgia Strait before and we’re not very familiar with the currents around there - although plan to do a lot of reading. We won’t attempt to cross until the weather is right either.

Does anyone have any tips on that trip or advice for a crossing of that scale?

Thanks in advance!

Rebecca

 

[Frank Langer]

Hi all,

My partner and I are fairly new sailors with a few moderate trips under our belt. We are hoping to sail to Victoria for Easter weekend, likely via the Gabriola passage. We plan to take two days, stopping overnight at Salt Spring or similar.

We’ve never crossed the Georgia Strait before and we’re not very familiar with the currents around there - although plan to do a lot of reading. We won’t attempt to cross until the weather is right either.

Does anyone have any tips on that trip or advice for a crossing of that scale?

Thanks in advance!

Rebecca

Hi,
We live in Nanaimo, BC just across the Strait of Georgia from Vancouver, and have crossed the Strait often. It is not difficult if you take reasonable precautions. As you are a bit inexperienced, I would not cross if wind is above 15 knots (though we have done it often above that). Check the wave height at Halibut Bank buoy (the Marine forecast has a section for current conditions) and don't go if waves are above 2 feet as it can be quite lumpy and slow you down.
Time your passage at Gabriola pass so you transit within a half hour of slack (current can run as high as 9 knots, but it's fine close to slack. If you need to pause near Gabriola, there are two marinas at Silva Bay, Pages is preferred if they have room as the other is under renovation after a years ago fire. There is also good anchorage at Kendrick Island just outside the passage.
There are nice marinas and anchorages in the Gulf Islands as you sail to Victoria. Let me know if you need more information.
Frank

 

[Rebecca Ericson]

Thank you so much Frank. This is extremely useful info!
And best of all, it sounds more or less within our capability. We will have flexibility to wait for the right conditions.
It's so nice to have local knowledge on this forum. Maybe we'll see you out there (our boat is called Windsong). Thanks again!

 

[bgary]

Anyone who sails in our locale should have a copy of the tide atlas, and the accompanying tables.

Easy to use, you look up which page of the atlas reflects the currents in an area for that date and time. For example, you might look up in the tables that at 10am on April 27th (I'm making that up, I don't have my tables handy) you should look at chart #8. It looks like this:



That might be a good time to go south from Saltspring toward Victoria... but it would be a terrible time to head north in Haro Strait. So you flip through the tables and find that 6 hours later, it says to look at chart #46. It looks like this:



Much better conditions for heading north! Etc.

If you have a browser on your phone, you can also use deepzoom.com It shows the same information with a clever feature that lets you see how the currents change over the course of a day by moving a slider. The only downside to that is that you need cell signal to get to the site.

Beyond that... watch the weather for a favorable window but - unless it's blowing gales or thunderstorms - the currents tend to be the biggest influence on whether your trip is easy or painful (it's no fun going into a 5-knot current in a boat that goes 6 knots. Ask me how I know...)

B

 

[Loren Beach]

Reply #4, above, is where "the duck comes down!"
I have the book, but sometimes finding the current link for a monthly printout for the "key" is challenging. Well, for me, anyway.
This method also has the advantage of being analog with no batteries needed, as well.

 

[Mr. Scarlett]

If it's blowing NW on the day of your trip consider Porlier Pass. It's a bit further south, making the trip a couple miles longer, but you'll have a much smoother ride across. The times for slack will be minutes apart so no need to change any arrival times, although if you're a bit late Porlier is a lot more forgiving.

 

[Frank Langer]

If you decide Porlier pass, check your charts carefully for the reef and use the buoys to guide you. Not a bad option, but be careful.
Frank