Tuesday 8th August 2017 - Stll no sight of Vancouver Island through the fog
Late in the afternoon, on the approach to Pt Angeles, we gained from a flood tide - giving up to 7.5kt SOG - an excellent speed for a change!
Radar had been essential to avoid the small sport fishing boats and, even then, twice I found one of them appearing nearby but I hadn't spotted them beforehand - worrying! If I concentrated on the radar screen, I couldn't also concentrate on steering well enough - so we'd veer off course. Fog is very disorientating!
I had tied a line to the wheel in an effort to tie it down when we seemed to be keeping a good course - that worked quite well and allowed me to try to do something else (like check the nearby shipping lanes ... or the radar screen for tiny blobs indicting those small boats) - but eventually we'd always veer off. I still had to stay close by and couldn't afford to leave the helm for any length of time. Our course became a major wiggle!
The Pacific swell gets a long way into the Strait - near to Pt Angeles, it was still a good 2m/6ft but fairly well spaced apart. The car ferry between Pt Angeles and Victoria to the north is often badly affected and has a reputation for rolling about like mad when the swell gets up.
We managed to reach the marina fuel dock just before the attendant closed for the day - but my joy turned to disbelief when I heard the price - I should have filled up completely in Neah Bay - they'd increased the price here massively since last year!!