Prince Rupert

The trip to Prince Rupert was nice. The Gale warning had ended. It wasn't raining too much.  As we were getting close there was a line of pleasure boat leaving Rupert and heading south and a line of fishing boats heading out to fish.  It is a busy port. 

We were able to get moorage at Prince Rupert Rowing and Yacht Club.  Apparently moorage is scarce in PR and we probably got the space because the weather had been holding some boats at the dock for a few days and now that it was nicer boats were able to leave. 

The spaces at the PRRYC are tight!  And the docks have wobbly little fingers between the boats.  We had to make quite the maneuver to get into our assigned slip and it was quite breezy as we were trying to dock. But - we didn't hit anything!  After we docked they said because of the 15 1/2 foot beam they were going to have to move the boat to another slip the next day!!  

We had left a message with former workmate and friend of Jim that we were coming to Rupert.  Steve came down to the dock to see us shortly after we arrived, so we were pleased he had received the message and we were looking forward to visiting with Steve and his wife Marie. We had stayed with Steve and Marie a few years back when we took the ferry from Rupert to Haida Gwaii. 

The first evening we went to a newly established brew pub with Steve for a couple of beer. Very tasty beer. It was a very small pub. Making beer in very small batches ( says Jim )  The brewery is only open as a tasting room for a few hours each week and luckily it was open. 

A selfie of us at Wheel House Brewery in Prince Rupert 

  After the beer Jim and I had a very good dinner at Breakers Pub which is right in front of the marina. 

The next morning we moved the boat - the slips are very tight!  We were now on an outside slip right in front of the fuel dock and nothing in the way of a breakwater.  So we rocked and rolled quite a bit from the wake of boats going to and from the fuel dock.  And the finger we tied up to was very rocky. 

After we moved the boat Jim got to spend the day with Steve fishing for halibut his boat.  No photos!  But they caught two small halibut. 

And I did some laundry and enjoyed lunch and a visit with Marie.   We planned to do all our laundry on the boat to use up the Shearwater water and full up with good Rupert water. 

The area around the marina is called Cow Bay. There are quite a few artsy and interesting shops in the area. There was a time when the plan was to have cruise ships stop at a dock there, Atlin Terminal, but nothing too much came of the cruise ship business.

 That area of Rupert is quite nice though. There is a Mariners Marine Park, and a lovely big old court house set back on a big property of grass and trees.  The last time we were in Rupert I never walked around that area of the city so this time I got to see more of the Cow Bay and downtown area. 

We had a wonderful dinner at Steve and Marie's.  Marie packaged up the halibut with a sauce and mushrooms and peppers and Steve cooked the tin foil packs on the BBQ. Great food and great company. 

On Monday we did all those things we came to do - groceries, trip to Walmart, liquor store, laundry and water. We walked up to the stores just a few blocks away and then took a cab back for $4.50 plus tip. 

It rained hard off and on all day.  Later in the day decided to find the local quilt shop - in the rain ( heavy at times ) !!!  The quilt shop that I found online had long since closed - I should have phoned first. So walking from the boat up 4 blocks past the Safeway in the rain was a waste of time. But I found a store that sold household items and I popped on out of the rain and got a bath mat for the front head - which was on my list. And on talking to the cashier in there found out there was a new quilt shop down the street - back in the direction of the boat. So I found the quilt shop. Looked like a really good one - Fishskins Quilt Shop - Closed Sunday and Monday!  Ah well. Back to the boat.  I spent the rest of the day doing laundry. 

Jim had decided we would get fuel if the fuel dock was not too busy as we were leaving Tuesday morning. Monday evening the large coast guard vessel "Captain Goddard" tied up to the fuel dock for a fill, and it never left.