In which we start down south near Denman and Hornby Islands, proceed northward to the outskirts of Desolation Sound, and frolick there — racing around Quill’s birth-island and raiding the annual Full Moon Regatta.

The Barefoot Raid course & schedule

Click on legs (AM & PM most days) for more details, including date, destinations, and distances. Click upper right corner icon to view full-size chart.

Raid schedule

On most days of the Raid, the fleet will race (or cruise) through two legs: one in the morning; one in the afternoon. Boats will typically raft together for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and will either raft up at anchor for the night with the motherships or go ashore to camp.

Here’s the daily itinerary for 2023 (~86 nautical miles, NM, total):

Day 0: Wed Jul 26 (optional; you can also show up ready to race on day 1)

Transit to Fanny Bay Wharf (2.6 km south of Buckley Bay ferry), launch via the boat ramp, and prepare to race. All participants are self-supported today (i.e. feed/transport/shelter yourself).

While there is parking available there, some may want to consider dropping boats off in Fanny Bay, driving trailers to Herriot Bay, and carpooling back… a trip that takes about 1.5+ hours one-way depending on ferry timing.

Day 1: Thu Jul 27

Fanny Bay –> Shingle Spit, Hornby Island (9 NM)

Shingle Spit –> Sandy Island (9NM)

Day 2: Fri Jul 28 (single leg day)

Sandy Island –> Savary Island (18NM)

Day 3: Sat Jul 29

Savary Island –> Mittlenatch Island (9NM)

Mittlenatch –> Mansons landing, Cortes Island (8NM)

Day 4: Sun Jul 30

Mansons –> Gorge Harbour (2.5NM)

Gorge –> Shark Spit, Marina Island (2.5NM)

Day 5: Mon Jul 31

Race around Marina Island (9NM)

Day 6: Tue Aug 1 (full moon)

Race around the cans (10NM)

Day 7: Wed Aug 2

Shark Spit –> Open Bay, Quadra Island (7NM)

Open Bay –> Heriot Bay (2NM)

Day 8: Thu Aug 3 (optional)

Transit back to home, boat ramps of convenience, and/or ferry back to your vehicle/trailer. All participants are self-supported today (i.e. no food or transport provided).

Feel the glee:

The daily cycle of Salish Sea glee

• 07:00 boats and crews raft together for breakfast
• 08:00 skippers meeting
• 09:00 start the morning leg
• Boats race under oar, or sail, or pedal or paddle, until the designated spot
• Lunch served on the motherships
• Afternoon leg starts shortly after the slowest boats arrive
• Crews then race to the pre-determined spot for the evening
• Spend the night either:
  • at anchor, alone with their thoughts and blisters
  • rafted with the motherships, sharing stories of the days triumphs and losses
  • camped on the beach, communing with the terrestrial wilderness and/or the intertidal zone

The days will dawn bright and full of promise, and the cycle will be repeated. A score will be awarded for each leg according to the order of finish (1 for first, 2 for second…) The boat with the lowest score at the end of the Raid receives eternal glory, and a nifty prize…