Waning evening light as we course down the narrows of Chatham Channel. We would drop the hook by the Mist Islets poised for our morning run down Johnstone Strait. Timing is everything when running the currents, tides and winds of the Strait, so pre-positioning for a strategic entry into the big waters of Johnstone was critical. Nevertheless we would still experience a surprise by mid morning that would require execution of our backup plan.

It turns out that the rains and snow melt this time of year can influence the currents in Johnstone and other major channels. Essentially turning normal ebbs into big ebbs and in fact creating a continuous ebbing condition. We would find ourselves nearly at a standstill approaching the notorious rips of Race Passage along the western shore of Vancouver in Johnstone Strait...at a time when all should have been slack. Fighting a rapidly losing battle, rain descending from the dark gray clouds hanging on the towering mountains above, we turned round in the current and made for the cut up Sunderland Channel. We went from 1.9 knots to 9.1 knots within 10 seconds and scooted with our stern between our legs. The day would finish well with a fine run through Greene Pointe Rapids and a safe harbor at Blind Channel.