It’s raining this morning as we head out for Forward Harbour. 

After checking and rechecking the tide tables, Al decided we should arrive at the south end of Yaculta Rapids about an hour before slack tide, so he can get a feel for when the current has slowed enough for us to get through safely.  We need to get through Yuculta before slack, in order to make it through Gillard Passage and Dent Rapids before the tide turns against us.  

While waiting, for the rapids to calm down a bit, I noticed a floatplane tied up at the dock of the resort.  He’s probably waiting for slack too.

Al’s strategy worked perfectly.   We made it through Yaculta, Gillard and Dent without being thrown around much at all. 

I also spotted these beautiful trees in bloom.

When we got to Cordero Channel, I noticed that all the slips were empty at the Cordero Lodge Marina.  

When I looked through the binoculars, the lodge appeared a bit tired around the edges.  This used to be a very popular spot.

It seemed like no time at all before we were heading into Sandy’s Cove, at Cordero Islands, where we would anchor for 3-1/2 hours, waiting for slack at Green Point Rapids.  Al rustled up fish tacos for dinner while we were waiting.  

At 1725 hrs, we pulled the anchor and headed through Green Point Rapids. The rapids at Green Point were a piece of cake.  However, we arrived at Whirlpool Rapids way before slack.  Al felt confident we could handle it, and he was right.  Other than a bit of fishtailing here and there, it wasn’t half bad.

Just ahead of us was a larger boat we had been following all the way to the Cordero Islands. Instead of waiting for slack at Green Point Rapids, he changed course and headed out Mayne Passage to Johnstone Strait and then back up Chancellor Channel.   We were really surprised to see him again, when we got to the entrance to Forward Harbour. He must have been shocked to see us just 2 minutes behind him.  The 3-1/2 hours we spent having dinner and waiting for slack at Green Point, he must have spent being bashed in Johnstone Strait. They were forecasting 30 knot winds in Johnstone, which would be really ugly.