Decided to move the short 24 nm from Port McNeil to shorten our passage around Cape Caution to Fury Cove anchorage. Cape Caution has a nasty reputation so we are making sure we respect it.
Saturday AM: woke up and looked at weather. I had called Port Hardy moorage options the night before with a maybe answer. So called again and harbor authority said should be plenty of room just find a spot and quarterdeck inn and marina said they had room. So we left Port McNeill around 11am. Had a nice sunny and only mildly choppy cruise to Port Hardy, got there around 2 or so. Fisherman’s wharf had no room so we went into spot at Quarterdeck Marina.
QuarterDeck Marina Port Hardy
Walked into town to see the sights (not many) and then had dinner on the boat and to bed. Weather looks good for crossing open water in Queen Charlotte strait tomorrow.
At the main town area there was a wood sculpture of a carrot and the story is the BC government promised potential settlers /people a good highway if they moved to this most northern town on Vancouver Island…the highway being the carrot. The town is pretty small though…in summer population probably increases as big hunting and fishing area. Also of course logging is important.
The Port Hardy public dock outside the inner harbor looks like a good spot in settled weather but did not get any details on staying there. The inside side might not be bad.
Ran into an older couple walking their dog: they lived here in summer and in AZ USA in winter.