refuge cove and beyond to echo bay

This is "ape mount" our name for it at Blind Channel

Looking back at Gillard Rapids from Dent.

Refuge Cove Store

We spent a night here and fueled up - $6.30 per US gallon. The store had a lot of good stuff for sale and we enjoyed the stay but left the next day for Dent Island. To get there, we have to traverse the DREADED rapids. The Yaculta Rapids and the Gillard Rapids to the marina. We plan to get to them at slack current. Merlyn is very worried after reading Wagoners reports about them. I call Wagoner's the "scardy cat" version of boating advice.

We came to the rapids and Merlyn and i were pleased to see they were calm!

Well, as you can see, i have no idea how to space the pics out so they make more sense. the one at the left is DentIsland Lodge. This place is totally rebuilt and VERY fancy compared to all the otehr places. It is owned by the Nordstroms and another "well known" Seattle family. It caters to her yatch and those of her acquaintances but it is open to the public. most of the boats there are about 55 feet to 70 feet but then, there are some 27 ft and one 47 too. :>)

The moorage rate is unheard of even in Seattle - $3.50 pere foot overall length so a 47 is really 54. Then you can have dinner for $90 per person. IT was delicious and very well prepared etc. and service was as expected. There is Merlyn standing before the smaller rapids next to Dent Island lodge. it is called Canoe rapids and many smaller charter fishing boats go up it even when it is flowing pretty fast.

We are headed to Blind Channel in the morning going through the Dent Rapids.

Well of course it was slack current time and they were tame, but i will say that for a slack current they were pretty active.

Blind Channel is pretty good they have a complete store, fuel, etc. and a restaurant so we had dinner there. It was ok but that is all. Two Roche Harbor Yacht club boats showed up on their way north too. We had lunch together and a good time being experts. Their schedule is short and i cannot understand why anyone would go all this way for a two week stay. But they have been here many times and love it.

We stayed two nights becuase it was so nice and the weather has been wonderful so far.