August 28th To September 6th travel was from Shearwater to Pruth Bay, Port Hardy, Alert Bay, Lagoon Cove, Blind Channel and finally Dent Island Resort.
August 28th Shearwater to Pruth Bay
Pruth Bay at the Hakai Institute was our first stop after Shear Water. This place turned out to be one of our favorites since there are nice hiking trails and wonderful deserted beaches for us and the dogs.
Shortly after we left Shearwater sun came out. Nice to see some blue sky and views. Nice cruise with good current. Saw a whale breach a few times from miles away! Since nice went to Pruth bay and came in from the north through Hakaii passage then turning between Ratter and Hecate island. Saw a bunch of fishermen at east end of Hakaii passage and then saw two fishing lodges tucked in on Hecate island.
Anchored in bay closer this time so had access to the free internet on all devices. Crowded LOL we have found the cruisers. By the time we went to bed at least a dozen boats in the bay. Dogs and us had nice sunny beach walk on west and north beach. YAY!
Patty Pruth Bay Hakai Institute Trail 
Pruth Bay Beach 
Holly and Terra Pruth Bay Beach
August 29th Pruth bay to Port Hardy, crossing Queen Charlotte sound
Early start. Alarm 5:15am. Took dogs in, got dinghy up and anchor up and underway by 6:15 AM ( a record) Foggy for first part of trip after go out of Kwakshua channel (the east entrance to pruth bay). Some pacific white sided dolphins rode the bow in the channel. Thick fog as we continued south down Fithugh annel but started to clear around 8:30am with some sun shining through. Fog most of the trip though, mild 3 foot swells. Did not see landmarks to east has traveled. After passing cape caution caught a bit of current for awhile then seemed like we were against it as we passed main opening of queen charlotte strait. Arrived in Port Hardy. Found out we could not tie on sea gate docs (50 foot max). ended up in Fisherman’s wharf. Tight and at low tide even tighter so we may have to wait until tide up a bit until we leave. Fisherman’s wharf cheap, no power as only 20 AMP and tight. But cheap. In AM walked eastward and found the beginning of trail system that goes to estuary of river and fish hatchery.
August 30th and 31st Port Hardy To Alert Bay
Left Port Hardy mid morning after tide had come up a bit. Headed out in some fog with tide for a bit so good speed. Past Port Hardy and landed around 2pm at Alert Bay harbor.
Had a walk on the trail system and then went out for dinner at the hotel restaurant. It had mixed reviews, some people raved about the Indian food (Indian family runs it) but it was a bust. We guessed he entire dinner was microwaved from Costco…oh well. Planned for two nights
Next day slept in, woke up and was raining a bit. Walked southward down island around by airport then back on trail system to east trail and main trail back to town. Alex napped and then we went to the Umista cultural center. Walked past five awakwas (not sure what they are) the described the five clans of the Namgis (Kwak’wala) first nations Indians. Cool totems about town and on the awakwas.
Alert Bay Awakwas 
Alert Bay Awakwas
The cultural center talked a lot about a guy who wrote a book about this tribe in the 1790s and then a bunch of artifacts and masks that were confiscated from illegal potlatch in early 1900s. They have searched all around world in museums and private collections to retrieve blankets, cedar neck rings, masks, rattles etc. What we have not seen at other places were transformation masks. Really cool that many of the masks had articulations and joints with strings that would move or open the mask exposing another face. Pretty cool
September 1st Alert bay to Lagoon Cove Marina
Plan to catch tide and leave around 11:30 am. Short cruise to Lagoon Bay. First bit of cruise across Johnstone Strait was very foggy…had to use radar. About the time we entered knight inlet the fog cleared and we had sun with some clouds and nice views of mountains and rocks.
Arrived around 3pm and tied up at lagoon cove marina. Took dogs on short walk and prepped appetizer for happy hour on the dock. The “signature’ thing for this place is 5pm happy hour where they provide the prawns and boaters that come bring a dish. We ate a lot and did not need dinner. Chatted a bit with other boaters and then chilled.
Lagoon Cove has nice big grassy areas to play chuckit with ths doga, NICE….
September 2nd Lagoon cove day 2
Slept in. Harbor Porpoises fed all morning at low tide. By end of AM I deployed SUP but they had left. Both Alex and I did some SUPing, we tried to wax the boat a bit and walked all the trails on the property.
Played some chuck it with holly, had another happy hour and then to bed. Met Hugh and Fiona on Choices. Nice couple from Whistler (keep boat in coal harbor). He was Civil engineer, She a mechanical engineer. Back in 80s she spent a lot of time in Dubai designing and building amusement part rides.
September 3rd Lagoon Cove to Blind Channel
Left lagoon cove and worked out way out to Johnstone strait.
Did Race Rapid. Saw two Orcas shortly after entering strait then further down saw a nice pod. They were close and we slowed down to spend more time with them. Some tail slaps. They zigzagged across strait when we turned up channel to go to Desolation sound.
Orca Tail Slap 
Orca Blow
We had option so shoal bay or blind channel resort. Alex decided on blind channel resort with no complaints from me ?
Right after we tied apparently the orcas had followed up the channel and went past…all were looking on the dock but we were walking dogs and missed it. We saw Bear North with John and now younger brother Loyd sailing behind us and they pulled up too. We all had dinner together… it twas good I had halibut, Alex had Schnitzel (pounded, breaded and fried pork cutlet).
We spent two nights
September 4th Blind Channel
Chill day, walked dogs on all the available trails, swam dogs, trim dog nails, had dinner in and nice mellow day.
September 5th Blind channel, Dent rapids and Dent Island resort
Left around 8:30am to get to rapids at slack. Passed shoal bay which looked nice (green area, dock). Might be a nice stop another year.
Nice views as weather was nice with few clouds and lots of sun.
Arrived at Dent Lodge and tied up. Explored lodge a bit then went for hike on their trails. Dent Lodge is a high end resort for Salmon fishing and very nicely done but pretty expensive for moorage.
Tugboat trail and a newly added Loop Trail up into the forest. Ms Terra stuck her head in a wasp nest and we got a mini swarm after us…alex and I both got 7-8 bites on our legs. Not sure if terra got any. That was kind of a bummer as painful.
We reserved at the Rapids Grill for dinner…seven course meal cooked in front of you for a group of 12 on a bar around the cook. It was yummy and we had a good time.
We saw that the power cat was from point Richmond and I said hello to the owner and realized it was Steve and Susan Chamberlin ! Also Selene behind us had two guys from Walnut creek, one a retired veterinarian. We met them at the appetizer hour and then sat with them at the grill. It was there 25th anniversary and interestingly they have two grown children adopted 20 and 22 years ago.
FULL FULL FULL and off to bed after dinner. Very itchy me all night due to bites starting with the welts from the wasps on hike….
September 6th Day 2 Dent lodge
Chill day, walked dogs just a bit, worked out, had dinner at inside restaurant very good. Plan to leave around 10:30 next day to get rapids with some but not too much current.