Leg Description

Cheekee Progress

Leg 7
Date: June 20 - 21, 2003
Course: Port Hardy to Winter Harbour
Distance: 69.40 nautical miles

Start: 0800 hrs. same as the previous finish excellent spectator viewing from the government dock.

This is the first offshore leg and takes sailors around the top of the island, past Cape Scott to the Open Pacific. This leg is where things can get very interesting and skippers have a choice of crossing the Nahwitti Bar, at the entrance to Goletas Channel, or taking the longer outside route into Queen Charlotte Strait. Nahwitti bar has a reputation for being one of the nastiest bits of water on the coast but it can also be benign. This leg could prove extremely challenging.

Finish: The race committee will be on station at the Kains Island lighthouse (Quatsino Light station) and the finish will be a transit from the lighthouse to Robson Rock 0.62NM. bearing 081 magnetic from the light house. This is the preferred entrance to Forward Inlet from the North. Kains Island is only accessible by boat (or helicopter if you happen to have one).

Finish Time: Boats have until 1800 hrs on June 21 to finish this leg. In past years most boats are finished by 0800 hrs.

Moorage: Is available at the B.C Packers floats just north of the flashing light on Greenwood Point (see map under Winter Harbour-Host Cities) The cost is $15/night. Overflow moorage is available at the Government Dock at Government Rates. It is wise to have Canadian cash on hand.

Facilities: No Shore Power, limited showers and toilets. Fuel, water, small grocery/liquor store, laundry and pay phones are all close at hand. Accommodations are very limited. Most are already full.

Frosty’s RV park has 32 sites with electricity, showers and toilets available for RV Park patrons only. Call ahead to make a reservation at 250-969-4343 or 250-288-3517.

Awards Reception: The awards presentation will likely take place at the old School House. The folks of Winter Harbour and Holberg (the neighbouring community) are in the process of organizing a Hamburger BBQ, with proceeds going to help the local communities, nothing finalized as yet. Boats need to be totally self-sufficient here.

Special Notes: Driving to Winter Harbour from Port Hardy is 76 km. via a gravel logging road, through Holberg. There is ‘A’ restaurant/pub in Holberg called the Scarlet Ibis. The logging roads are active Monday to Friday until 6:00 pm. It is recommended that you wait until after this time to drive in past Holberg. There may be some activity on weekends but in any case be prepared to yield. For more information on driving in and current road conditions please call Western Forest Product’s Holberg office at 250-288-3362. A limited number of road maps will be available from Race Headquarters in Port Hardy. Carry good spare tires.