We picked Dayne up at the Bella Bella airport Friday afternoon. Besides an air strip with free wifi, Bella Bella boasts a fishermans wharf, government docks, a dump, a sewage plant and surely hundreds of eagles. We got to see all these things on our brief trip. That was all there was, besides run-down neighborhoods.
The next morning the three of us took the wildcat in to Shearwater for a morning run down to their air strip and back. We passed a few other runners; locals training for the upcoming 10k. Apparently, the biggest event of the month. The whole town was psyched.
After breakfast we pulled anchor, tipped off our tanks and headed out. We had breakfast on our way out of the bay - and not too shabby!
It was a long day of cruising to get to Kynoch Inlet, part of the Fiordland Rec Area, and then in to Culpepper Lagoon. We did happen upon a humpback on our way and it was sunny and warm, we rode on the fly ridge the whole way. The scenery was just magnificent, tall snow-topped mountains, stark rock walls rising strait up, eagles, and waterfalls.
When we arrived at our destination we were greeted by the local welcoming committee. A pair of dolphins, swam up and surfed our bow wake. Dayne and Alden stood at the bow and watched the dolphins swimming speedily below them, almost near enough to touch. They would turn on their sides to give you a curious, friendly look. It was so freaking cool! They played with our boat for a few minutes as we cruised just over idle.
Finding a place to anchor was a challenge. The bottom would drop from 30 to 100 rapidly and close to shore. Finally we found a spot to drop the Rocna in about 50 feet. Then we pulled a stern anchor out with the dinghy to keep us from swinging anywhere. It was well protected and wonderfully calm and we hardly rocked all night.
We made dinner of a fast frozen pizza and salad then took the dinghy for a little row through the marsh before the sun went down. While Alden and I were out Dayne put together dessert. He's in the running for best crew of the month!
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