Cruising the coast of British Columbia 2024 aboard “Natasha”. This is Part 1 of 7 presenting the singlehanded sail from Sidney, BC to Barkley Sound by way of Victoria Inner Harbour and Sooke Harbour. The goal was to reach the village of Ucluelet in Barkley Sound to meet up with my first sailing buddy of the summer, Ben Andersen. A distance of about 115 nautical miles, the journey starts in Haro Strait and passes Race Rocks to Juan de Fuca Strait, a body of water separating Washington State from Vancouver Island. The hope, in any small displacement boat, is to take advantage of the ebb tide flowing out Juan de Fuca and hope that the prevailing summer westerly winds don’t develop in the afternoons. Wind against current always creates a maelstrom on the water, uncomfortable and potentially dangerous.
Part 1 Single handed sail Sidney to Barkley Sound
Part 2 – Sailing Barkley Sound with Ben Andersen
Part 3 – Sailing Barkley Sound to Sidney and getting lost in the fog
Part 4 – Sailing from Sidney to Desolation Sound with Paul LeBlanc
Part 5 – Sailing the Discovery Islands with Paul LeBlanc
Part 6 – Sailing Desolation Sound with Natasha
Part 7 – Sailing home single handed from Desolation Sound