A sail to explore Stuart Island

July 15, 2020 – After rounding Point Caution we sailed a beam reach straight into the narrow pass of Nob Island. Tacking in the calm waters we waited for a breeze to take us back out to Yellow Island. Hugging the North side of Yellow to see the harbor seals at the point brought us back into the flood current to sail across the channel to Limestone Point. We crossed Spieden Channel to Green Point and followed the back eddies up into New Channel.

Drifting the current through the gorgous turquoise waters seeing and hearing many bald eagles. Families of Canada geese were traveling in a line as we passed between there two Cactus Islands where the kelp forests were in full maturity with harbor seals hiding between the outstretched fronds. Tip Top mountain of Stuart Island was visible down the channel. Taking Ripple Island Pass with its ancient grove of Aspen brought us to the North side of Johns and then Stuart Island.

We took our passengers ashore in Prevost Harbor where they planned to walk to Lovers Leap and Turn Point Lighthouse and then to return to Reid Harbor. We sailed around Turn Point to meet them noticing a bald eagle chick on the top of its nest. After collecting our passengers from the beach we drift sailed out passed Gossip Island and back to the mid channel islands of New Channel.

Picking up a breeze we sailed to Flattop and drifted in the lee listening to the whistles of the pigeon guillemots who nest there. Sailing passed Yellow Island back to Point Caution for a sucesfull return from an adventure to Stuart Island.