Shelter from the storm - Meyers Chuck

Meyers Chuck - what a great name... and what a great place.

We left our anchorage at 4:30 AM this morning with the intention to beat the wind in Clarence Strait. It didn't work! 25 knots on our aft quarter made for some very challenging conditions. A sea like that is uncomfortable at a minimum, and dangerous if things get really bad.

When a following sea pushes on the aft quarter, the opposite front quarter is pushed sideways down the face of a swell. This causes a loss of buoyancy on that side. The boat will turn to port and the bow will dig in at the bottom of the trough. In the extreme, the boat can actually tip over on its side. Not nice. We had about 2 hours of these conditions. The autopilot can handle a moderate following sea but when conditions get like they were this morning, the autopilot can't keep up. In that case, the steering response has to be anticipated ahead of time, which requires a human.

Thank goodness for Meyers Chuck, a small bay on the east side of Clarence Strait. The guide book told us as much, that cruisers are often thankful for this respite. We certainly were. The place has a rich and long history as a cannery and anchorage for commercial fishermen. The dock, which is beautifully built, is public with no fee to tie up.

This place is visually rich. My camera and Roma's phone were in constant use. Here's a selection of photos that may give you a sense of this cool place. Each pic has a caption. Enjoy!

Peeking out through a gap in the rocks to Clarence Strait rockin' at 25 knots. Nice to be inside.

The eagle is watching this sailboat as it makes it way to Meyer's Chuck. This sailboat came into the harbour a half hour later.

The Post Office is accessible by boat across the harbour.

The International Air Terminal is comfortable but security is lax. Groceries and mail come by in float plane weekly.

This is the International Freight Terminal.

 

 

 

Cute.

Most of the homes along the shoreline are perched on steep rock and have stilts to account for the extreme tidal ranges found here - up to 35' from low to high.

Everything here has a bit of flair and creativity. There are no roads, only well maintained trails between homes.

The community bulletin board, the news, and a mail box in one.

A bench heavy enough to stay put in a strong wind.

Oblio enjoyed the shore break, chasing a stick and seeing other humans.