Yesterday's agenda included the exploration of two nearly landlocked bodies of water, Kumealon and Baker Inlets off of Grenville Channel. Both are similar to Ford's Terror that Thankful visited a few weeks ago in that the tide rushes in and out of these large bodies of water through narrow passes.
Kumealon Inlet was too shallow and narrow to get Thankful through, so we anchored outside and went in by dinghy. We timed it perfectly, entering just at the end of the flood tide and leaving just as it started to ebb. We still saw a couple of knots of current coming and going.
We next headed a few miles further south to Baker Inlet. Our cruising guide said that "A dogleg turn near the inner entrance makes the passage blind. Before entering, announce your intentions on VHF 16. Sound the ship's horn as you approach the turn." Apparently things can get kind of exciting if you encounter a boat coming the other direction in the middle of the passage.
The channel was very exciting as we fought our way in against the full ebb tide, but with Matt's expert helmsmanship and no other traffic, Thankful made it in through the quarter mile long by 100 foot wide passage unscathed. Once through we found a four mile long by half mile wide fjord. We anchored at the head end for the night and had the place all to ourselves.
Mr. Dyer commented to me yesterday afternoon after we got settled, "Mr. Leary, Have you noticed how the anchor always seems to go down for the day right at 4PM?", or as we usually refer to that hour of the day aboard Thankful, "Miller Time".
I have noticed, and it is not an accident. The finely tuned cruise program aboard M/V Thankful is carefully orchestrated to provide the crew with action during the day, leisure in the late afternoon, entertainment in the evening, and peaceful sleep at night. I could get used to this.
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