Yachting 2026.6 – The Travels of Mary Anne and Steve

The current in Gillard Passage just off Stuart Island can run to 12 knots. The strong flow flushes hake, who live at lower depths, quickly to the surface. The sudden change of pressure causes their air bladders to rupture, leaving them helplessly floating on the surface. But not for long. A swarm of up to one hundred bald eagles scoop them up in a kind of daily buffet.

We took the Zephyr out this afternoon to watch the show. To get a good view, we had to place ourselves just on the edge of the roaring flow. Sorry, no photos because we were looking into the setting sun.

Instead, let’s take a look at the Stuart Island Community Dock.

Stuart Island is sparsely populated, with a mix of settlers, transients, and billionaires.

The sport fishing resort across the bay on Sonora Island has accommodation up to $14k per night. Meals included.

The Stuart Island shoreline on either side of the dock consists of private compounds owned by very wealthy Canadians.

Let’s go for a hike, shall we?

We’ve done the short hike to Eagle Lake several times. On the first, we took the community row boat to the mid-lake swimming float for a dip and some sun. Dozens of eagles watched from the surrounding trees. “They’re waiting for one of us to drown”, I told Mary Anne.