Vessels making passage northbound through British Columbia must round Cape Caution, a 40 nautical mile over-exposure to the Pacific Ocean.
The dismal and unremarkable headland marking the center of the crossing was named by George Vancouver in May of 1793 after nearly losing his ship, Discovery, on a nearby rock in turbulent waters the previous year. Seafarers, ancient and modern, have known of the many perils awaiting unwary vessels at Cape Caution during adverse conditions.
Winds, waves and tides determine the fate of marine traffic, and few would cross Cape Caution unless two of these three factors are favorably forecast. Boats often stack up at anchorages on either side of the Cape awaiting good conditions.
Prevailing WINDS from northwest or southeast are unimpeded and often amplified by open water. WAVES along this coast are said to originate in Japan. Rollers from the west, augmented by storms, shorten and steepen when they reach the continental shelf. TIDES reaching 4 meters in height ebb and flow through Cape Caution’s nearby inlets, and out-flowing tides colliding with incoming waves dramatically increase height and frequency.
Add the twin nuisances of RAIN and FOG plus squadrons of LOGS in the water, and Cape Caution deserves RESPECT.
Jupiter has rounded Cape Caution nine times and her crew is convinced that a conscientious committee conspires to make each crossing as uncomfortable as possible. We imagine how the Cape Caution Cabal of Wind, Waves, Tide, Rain, Fogs and Logs plan the summer:
WIND: Team, it’s time to organize some trouble for those stupid boats, and I’ve got a storm of ideas.
TIDE: Yeah, man, I’m on a high. Let’s throw Caution to the Wind!
WAVES: Wait awhile, I want to crash the party. You have nothin’ without waves. I can round up some super big rollers, enough to make everyone seasick just by reading the forecast.
TIDE: Sounds swell, and I’ll meet you off the coast to bash some backwash.
WIND: Fine, but we need some strong gusts to really blow their tops off.
WAVES: I love it! Up and down, crash around, pitch and roll and turn about. Let’s throw in a big sea spout!
RAIN and FOGS: What about us, what about us? We know how to dampen their spirits.
LOGS: You do that! We grateful dead-heads will be floating around waiting for those saps. Our bite’s worse than our bark and we know how to trunkate a cruise.
ALL TOGETHER:
Cape Caution, Cape Caution, we’re all in the fray
Come travel by soon, and you’ll make our whole day!
Sea otters are becoming more numerous in northern British Columbia.
Humpback whales feeding at the surface among islands south of the Cape.
Loved the dialogue! The final shot of clouds and water could be in Maine. Looks like you’re off to another great summer of adventure. Cheers from Camden.
Further south we kept remarking how similar to Maine it looked. Now we are in the steep sided fjords and there is nothing like this in Maine, where the high land is older and wiser and has had its corners scraped off. Cheers to Camden!
Love to read and see the pics of your journey!
Thanks Nancy, very happy to have you along for the adventure.
A cautionary tale around the Cape! I am happy to hear you are safe after the last nerve-racking 40 nautical miles. One of the sea otters looks like they are waving goodbye. The fiords must be amazing. xo
Maybe he is waving hello? They are so entertaining to watch.