Pierless Blog - 2026-05-21 - Sailing to Haida Gwaii

Overview of our 2026 plans:

This is the continuation of my blog of adventures aboard the sailboat Pierless.  I purchased the boat in Mexico and sailed her home in 2024.  Last summer my friend Dave and I spent three weeks sailing up into the Desolation Sound area.  This spring we are heading farther north to Haida Gwaii.

Haida Gwaii is a remote archipelago off the coast of northern British Columbia.  It is also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands.  It has a rich native history, pristine forests and abundant wildlife.  There are two main islands, Graham in the north and Moresby in the south.  There are about 140 additional islands scattered throughout the archipelago. The southeast coast is a national park (Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site).  Haida Gwaii sites about 60 to 100 miles off the coast of British Columbia.  


Our original plan was to circumnavigate the archipelago during the month of May and early June, returning home by the end of June.  The return may include coming down the west coast of Vancouver Island.  A variety of delays resulted in a late departure, so our plans will need to be modified.  We will see how our progress north goes and adjust plans accordingly...   More info on Haida Gwaii:

https://www.indigenousbc.com/stories/haida-gwaii/

May 21st:  Departure time 7:30 a.m.
I keep Pierless in a boat yard in Anacortes.  Our launch was timed to occur during high tide to ensure enough depth for the boat.  The lift arrived on time and we were in the water by 8:00 and under way.  First stop was to fill up our two spare jugs of diesel.

We headed west through Guemes Channel with a favorable current, crossing Rosario Strait into the San Juan Islands.


We discovered our fridge was not working, so made a quick stop in Friday Harbor to get assistance.  Once working, we continued north to Bedwell Harbor on South Pender Island.  This is a common place to clear in with Canadian Customs.  We arrived too late for customs, so anchored for the night, planning to leave early and check in at Nanaimo instead.

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