On a working boat…
(Article courtesy of: Michael Randerson)
Early in October my wife and I boarded the 140 ft. Uchuck III for one of the last two tours of the season. The vessel takes a cargo of 70 tons and up to 50 passengers below deck on the level of the galley, with a similar number on the covered upper deck. However, on this trip there were only five couples. It is a working boat operating year round delivering supplies and removing garbage plus recyclable containers at the many docks for fish farms, logging camps and villages visited en route to Walter’s Cove in Kyuquot Sound. In the summer it also delivers and picks up vacationing kayakers and hikers.
We loved the impressive scenery, the attention of the five crew and were lucky with basically fine weather. Starting from Gold River about 90 km from Campbell River we approached Esperanza through the many inland waterways, fjords and inlets in characteristic fog. But this soon burned off revealing some of the best mountain vistas in B.C. The omission of a standard port of call at Friendly Cove (where Captain Cook had good relations for a month with the local inhabitants) was a disappointment, but it has been closed to visitors since COVID-19 made its appearance. The deconsecrated church of San Miguel is now a Cultural Centre for the Mowachaht with no pulpit or altar and no Virgin and Child, replaced by four colourful house posts – a much better use of the structure than the alternative of decay.
The ship’s galley provided many beverages and snacks. The included evening dinner and breakfast was normally provided by the host at the overnight accommodation; however, these were not normal times and our overnight at the Kyuquot Inn – accessed by skiff from the Municipal Public Dock – had closed its restaurant. So those hearty meals were cooked by Elaine, the ship’s galley attendant.
The following day was much more overcast with light rain and a sea swell for the short period we had to be out in the Pacific. Since we were heading along the coast the little craft rolled quite violently with an occasional pitching motion. But once we could regain the shelter of one of the inlets we could watch the off-loading of supplies at the many open-pen salmon farms. Either the mate or the engineer managed the twin derricks as though playing a computer game. Of particular note were the many 1 ton sacks of fish meal and returned empty sacks. At a logging camp multiple lengths of timber and board were to be used throughout the winter for constructing a new building.
Following the trip we stayed at Strathcona Park Lodge which offered a special package including meals for Uchuck passengers. The photograph shows the view from our upgraded suite; we took full advantage of kayaking and other activities. It was a novel rustic experience away from it all with no TV, phone or WiFi services.
– Michael Randerson
