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

90

ROLTTES PAST CAPE CAL"TIO:-;

The crossing of Queen Charlotte Sound past Cape Caution is one of the key

pa55ages of the trip. From Port Hardy or Gods Pocket the most favored route

takes a departure at Scarlett Point Lighthouse on Balaklava Island to go north-

westerly up Gordon Channel passing to the west of Pine Island. The (ourse is

then changed more to the north to pass to the ~est of Egg Island. Cape Caution

i5 passed about 2/3 of the way along this lego ~ith Egg lsland abeam the

course is then true north to South Passage into Fitz Hugh Sound followed bv

anchorage in Safety Cave on Calvert Island or elsewhere.

In clear weather this passage has interest but offers no prublems other

than those that nature provides in the wind and ~ea. The entire coast i5 well

marked with lights and lighthouses that provide assurdnce and useful bearings.

Even in summer fog the RDF beacons and fog signa]s at the kev lighthouses can

be of assistance, and it is reassuring when navigating in fog to know that to

the west there is open water. Keeping clear of other vessels is, of course,

another matter. Both Pine and Egg Island Light~ouses are distinctive. The

light at Cape Caution is unmanned.

If it proves necessary to find a ref~ge frcm ~ind and sea before reaching

Fitz Hugh Sound, there are t~o anchorages in Smith Sound that can he used --

Jones Cove and Milbrook Cove. Smith Sound can be entered through either Radar

Passage north of Egg Island, or from the south through Alexandra Passage

between Egg Island and Macnicol Point (about 5 miles north of Cape Caution).

There are severa 1 dangers in both entrances and a large scale chart such as

Can. Chart *3776 is helpful in determining safe courses. The main dangers are

drying rocks that are usually visible or are indicated by breakers.

Jones Cove lies on the northeast side of ~acnicol Point. ~hen entering

steer clear of the reef that extends 600 feet south~est of Turner lslands, and

also round the east point of Jones Cave entrance by at lesst 300 feet. The

cove is 5mall but offers some shelter.

Milbrook Cove is on the north shore of Smith Sound close eastward of Shield

Island. Smith Sound can be entered from the ncrth through Irving Passage south

of False Egg Island. A buov marks ~ilbrook Rocks mid~ay in the entrance. Pass

them on the ~e5t and once in the Cave stay in mid-channel and pa5S bet~een the

tWQ islands in the north end of the cove to anchor behind them in ~ to 5

fathoms, sand. This i5 a snug and pleasant anchorage.