Month: June 2025

June 9,2025

The Curve of Time: A Boat, A Book, and the Call of Adventure

We arrived in Port McNeill on Wednesday, June 4, waiting for a favorable weather window to cross Cape Caution—the open-water stretch that must be navigated to reach central and northern British Columbia. According to the forecast, Saturday, June 14 might be our opportunity. For now, the wind is gusting over 20 mph, and waves are reaching 8 feet—conditions far from ideal. In the meantime, we’ve spent our days walking the docks, chatting with fellow boaters, and swapping stories about our vessels and past adventures.

During one of these strolls, a particular boat caught my attention—The Curve of Time. I’ve always had a fascination with old boats, drawn to the history they carry, and this one felt like it had a story worth uncovering. Before I had the chance to speak with the owner, the vessel departed, leaving me curious about its past. A quick online search revealed that its history was even richer than I expected.

Built in Holland in 1959, the steel-hulled vessel began its life as a North Sea fishing trawler before being repurposed as an activist ship under Greenpeace’s ownership. They named it Moby Dick, an homage to Melville’s classic novel, as it sailed on campaigns against whaling, crossing the Atlantic and eventually making its way to Canada’s Pacific Coast.

In 1997, the boat took on a new identity when it was renamed The Curve of Time, paying tribute to M. Wylie Blanchet’s timeless book about exploring this very coastline. With its Dutch-flag-colored funnel and storied past, the vessel embodied a sense of transformation—just like the books that inspired its names.

At the dock we are surrounded by the big boats.

June 4, 2025 – Wednesday

As we approached Port McNeill, we spotted the final stretch of the Van Isle 360 race, the sailboats cutting through the distant waters. This marks our last encounter with them, as they round the northern tip of the island and continue their journey down the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island.

Just as the sailboats disappeared from view, a fleet of ten jet skis from Dangerous Water Adventures in Seattle raced past us. These adventurers are heading to Juneau, where they’ll spend the season guiding jet ski excursions through Alaska’s waters.

Tonight, we all find ourselves at North Island Marina. If last year was any indication, we’ll cross paths with them several more times before their journey north is complete.

June 3,2025 – Tuesday

Thirty minutes of our day were filled with excitement as we approached the entrance to Port Neville. Just as we arrived, more than forty sailboats were making their way out, continuing their journey in the 2025 Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race. This prestigious race, which began on May 31st and will conclude on June 14th, 2025, is a grueling 580-nautical-mile circumnavigation of Vancouver Island. According to their website, the race starts and ends in Nanaimo, with stops in Comox, Campbell River, Telegraph Cove, Port Hardy, Ucluelet, and Victoria. However, due to weather conditions in Johnstone Strait on Tuesday, the fleet made a stopover at Port Neville.

We were quickly immersed in the breathtaking spectacle of the race—awed by the beauty of the boats and the impressive skill of the sailors—while also navigating the challenge of staying clear of their path. With competitors tacking from one side of Johnstone Strait to the other, maneuvering through the water became an exhilarating task. To minimize interference, we chose to hug the mainland side as closely as possible, successfully making it through without incident.

Note: I came across an update on the race’s Facebook page that helps explain why we stayed at Blind Channel Resort for three nights—Johnstone Strait is not a place to challenge when the weather is unfavorable.

Update on competitors – June 3, 2025 (Van Isle 360)

The past three days have seen highly competitive racing, with strong breezes propelling the fleet forward. On Monday, conditions from Deepwater Bay—across from Brown’s Bay Resort—to Kelsey Bay Pier proved especially challenging. Wind against tide created massive standing waves in Race Passage, rivaling the 2015 race’s turbulent waters, when winds sustained at 35 knots for three days straight.

Some competitors opted to sail using only their jibs, while others deployed reefed sail plans. Unfortunately, two boats withdrew from the leg—Maelstrom, skippered by Dan Kaseler from Seattle, exited the race, while Ripple, co-skippered by Christina and Justin Wolfe of Orcas Island, returned to Campbell River to assess damage to its masthead instruments. Shadow II completed the leg and continued to Telegraph Cove for sail repairs. Meanwhile, Sorceress, co-skippered by Andrew and Jim Allan, joined the fleet in Browns Bay after a grueling 20-hour motor from Steveston.

In a planned gesture of camaraderie, the race committee intended to deliver refreshments—including a bottle of Gosling’s Rum, courtesy of a sponsor—to the fleet anchored in Port Neville. However, safety concerns forced them to abandon the effort. A large tug arrived at Kelsey Bay marina with its center window—approximately 15 feet off the deck—completely shattered from a wave crashing over the bow, further emphasizing the severity of the conditions. The refreshments will now be delivered to the competitors in Telegraph Cove.

Arrived May 31-Depart June 3

After a long and demanding fourteen-hour journey from Comox to Blind Channel Resort, we finally arrived, exhausted but exhilarated. Initially, we had planned to stop in Campbell River, but with no guaranteed moorage for the entire weekend, we opted to continue on rather than risk leaving the security of the marina—especially with a forecast of gale-force winds on Sunday.

To safely navigate Seymour Rapids, we had to pause for a few hours until slack tide, but the wait was well worth it. When we finally reached Blind Channel Resort, we were greeted by breathtaking scenery, its rugged beauty making every mile of the journey worthwhile.