When we were formulating our long-term list of places to visit during our cruising life, the Pacific northwest was high on our list. And having spent Christmas and New Year on the shores of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, we can confidently say that as a cruising ground it has now gone well up the list. It has everything we like—magnificent scenery, wonderful wildlife, a fascinating culture and friendly people. And that’s just where we were—as you progress farther North into the more remote areas we’re reliably informed it gets better and better.
So, what is there that’s not so good? Well one thing that astonished me was the amount of timber everywhere, both on the beaches and in the water. Not just small stuff either—huge logs and stumps that could easily do substantial (if not terminal) damage to any decent sized yacht. But clearly there’s a sizeable sailing community in the area, so how do they cope with it? And beyond keeping a really careful look-out, and perhaps avoiding night passages, what else can be done?