Charles and Margo Wood - Charlie\'s Charts North to Alaska

70

KELSEY BAY

The centraI portion of Johnstone Strait (beginning after Race and Current

Passages to Port Harvey between East and West Craeroft Islands) is busy alI

summer. It is often uneomfortable to pass through this seetion when proceeding

up the coast. Yet alI vessels must pass this way, since the different routes

through the passes meet in Johnstone Strait near Kelsey Bay.

The current seems to run westward for long periods, and the tide and

current tables will often show a eontinuous ebb current even while the water

level is rising with the flood tide. This is a eurious feature of the basins

and si11s of the various passages, one that eonfuses many transient skippers,

but the tide and eurrent tab1es are to be believed. Since the prevailing

wester1y winds seem to develop their strongest foree through this seetion it

can bui1d seas against the ebb f10w that make this passage 1umpy and uncom-

fortable. Travel as early as possible in the day helps to put this seetion

behind one, or hope for a ehange in the weather to rain that everywhere else

one hopes not to see. As the day progresses boats sometimes temporarily give

up the battle and look for little niehes or proper anehorages to get a rest

from the seas.

Kelsey Bay is 00 the Vaoeouver Island (south) side of the Strait, at the

mouth of the Salmon River. The wide and shallow delta of the river has six

sunken freighters forming a breakwater far a booming ground. This feature, the

buildings behind at Sayward, and the numerous tanks identify Kelsey Bay. If

strong wester1y winds are b10wing against a high ebb tide in the Strait heavy

tidal rips will be encountered off Kelsey Bay. Alternate anchorages are

sometimes justified when these rips are partieularly turbulent.

The sma11 craft f10ats are behind the rock breakwater west of the prominent

ferry slip, where one is protected from the wind and sea. The fuel dock is

behind the high pier beyond the breakwater. It is quite small and is exposed

ie wash §htpu~ th~ji!in~_and thus is not satisfactory as an overnight stop.

ee...~.

Sunderland Channel enters Johnstone Strait west of Kelsey Bay. On its

north side the large opening of Blenkinsop Bay looks attractive. It can be

used as an anehorage in calm weather, but westerlies tend 50 blow into the Bay.

Tuna Point anchorage, behind the little point and Mary Island gives better

protection but it has limited space. The old 10gs that once helped to protect

the bay are gane. The middle and eas5 part of the anchorage have kelp --care

is needed in setting one's anchor. McLeod Bay is very smal1 and can only offer

protection to a single boato