Coastal British Columbia offers a remarkable opportunity for mariners looking for remote passages. A boat, departing any city, town or marina almost immediately finds itself navigating a watery outback in the company of mountains, trees, islands, and pelagic creatures feeding upon one another.

Jupiter’s crew finds freedom in the prompt onset of wildness… er, wilderness. First stop: Port Renfrew where the docks await boats and the dock hands find beers.

Departing our shipyard at Sidney, her town and traffic, we point Jupiter southward to collimate the commercial shipping lanes where manifold bulk and container carriers, seen and unseen, frequent commercial radio frequencies we monitor in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Soon westward, we feel the heave of the Pacific Ocean. Asian rollers forecast scribbled log entries during offshore passages. Jupiter tests the efficacy of an updated gyroscopic stabilizer hoisted aboard during the winter refit, and the strength of her crew’s slowly turning stomachs.

Tofino is the Rainy Riviera of Western Vancouver Island, luring surfers, sportsmen and sybarites to its adventure activities and gourmet eateries.

In the summer of 2019 Jupiter circumnavigated Vancouver Island widdershins, and now likewise, but clockwise is the objective. We anticipate seven open-water transitions from one sheltered sound to another.

Coastal open-ocean progress means indulging every available weather source to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Weather is everything out here, and there’s lots of it. And plenty of meteorology: broadcasts and apps forecasting and fussing with data in multiparametric charts, graphs and dynamic geospatial overlays proving whatever is coming your way underway, if you travel that way, or at that time and speed.

What could go wrong?

Jupiter finds an abundance of vacant tranquil anchorages protected from Pacific seas and storms.

Jupiter’s crew finds an immense satisfaction in cruising the wild Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island. The transitions are complete: from open water navigation to snug anchorages, from brief intersections with local residents to extended periods alone, dynamic weather, and the empyreal geography accessible only by boat.

Finest At Sea

Having found a sustainable wild-catch seafood company in Victoria called Finest At Sea we elect to enjoy a piece of their line-caught halibut while well-hooked on anchor in The Broken Islands.

Concoct a mushroom stock by simmering dried shrooms in water. Remove the solids and reduce the broth until rich and aromatic. Dry halibut filets and dust lightly in seasoned flour. Dice an onion, slice fresh shiitake mushrooms, and chop a cup of kimchi.

In a skillet saute onion in plenty of butter until soft. Add the kimchee, along with a splash of kimchi juice. Incorporate soy sauce and sesame oil, then crumble in cold cooked rice and stir until the grains have absorbed all the sauce and begin to crisp.

Roast broccolini, or any greens of your choosing, until just beginning to toast.

Preheat a second skillet then line with parchment paper. When hot, melt salted ghee and lay in the halibut to crisp-sear on both sides before finishing in the roasting oven.

In a third skillet sauté shiitake mushrooms with garlic. Add spoonfuls of mushroom stock and reduce until syrupy.

Plate the fried rice, broccolini and halibut, then top with the shiitakes and their juice. Worth every pan!