群島的形狀不像章魚，也沒有在此看到章魚橫行。在抵達章魚群島前的路途就像玩電動一樣得過關斬將。首先，出了峽谷灣後就是著名的鯊魚岬。
碧藍色的海水潛藏著一道由小島伸出的彎勾淺灘，朝水道中央如牛角般勾出，而水道另一端則有水中礁石。航行者得瞄準三個成三角形的浮標，依序闖關前進。然後下一關卡則是奔騰峽。所有海水在此通過一狹窄通道，形成急流。這是我們第二個通過的急流。我們好整以暇的等待平流時間通過，在平流的前半小時Rob看著水流漸緩決定提早闖關。過了奔騰峽就是章魚群島。推薦進入的路徑有數條，驚心動魄指數不一，我們決定選擇危險指數最低的方式進入。章魚群島旁的Waiatt灣提供我們平坦廣大的下錨處，而章魚群島則提供我們乘著小舟到處發現淺礁與會擱淺船舶的石頭。
人的觀點真的會隨生活而改變。以往讓我大嘆美麗的礁岩，現在竟讓我感到危險（從「你看！好美喔！」變成「你看！真危險！）在這裡，我們遇到了36年來每天花半年時間航行，孩子也跟他們每半年在船上長大的Laurence和Linda、我看到生平第一次的「紅潮」（海水污染而使某種浮游藻類大量滋生，使海水看起來呈暗紅色，藻類產生的毒素讓蚌類含有有害人體健康的毒素））、以及乘小舟上岸探險連結至島嶼另一方的步道。
我們逐漸感受到：越往北走，開始認識越來越多真正航行者了。
[translation]
The Octopus Islands are not shaped like an octopus, and we didn't see any octopuses here either.
The passage to Octopus Islands was like passing through the levels of a video game. The first challenge after Gorge Harbor's narrow exit was Shark Spit. The emerald green water hides a long sandy spit that juts off the end of an island into the fairway like a steer horn. The other side of the passage is encumbered by submerged rocks. Three buoys in a triangular formation mark the safe passage.
After Shark Spit came Surge Narrows. At this point all the tidal waters gather to rush through a narrow opening becoming a whitewater rapid. This was the second set of rapids we transited. We carefully for slack time to arrive. About half an hour before predicted slack, Rob saw the flow diminishing and decided to pass through early. After Surge narrows we were at Octopus Islands. There are several entrances, each at a different level of difficulty. We didn't go for the extra points; we took the easiest one.
Waiatt Bay offered us us a wide flat bottom to hold our anchor, and the Octopus Island group offered us a chance to explore by dinghy and discover firsthand the multitude of submerged rocks and shallows lying in wait for our boat's hull.
Our points of view change as we move through the phases of life. Rocks that I used to simply see as beautiful now make me cringe with a touch of fear. I've gone from “Look! How beautiful!” to “Look! How Dangerous!”
We met Lawrence and Linda, a couple who had been cruising for half a year for the past 36 years, much of that time with their child, now off to college, on board. I saw “red tide” for the first time. Summer time water conditions lead to blooms of red algae, making the water look red, and creating a neurotoxin that collects in filter-feeding shellfish making them poisonous to human consumption. I also rowed the dinghy to shore and took a hike across a strip of land to view a bay on the other side of the island.
We discovered that as we continue northward, we meet more people who are committed travelers and less casual boaters.
[translation]
The Octopus Islands are not shaped like an octopus, and we didn't see any octopuses here either.
The passage to Octopus Islands was like passing through the levels of a video game. The first challenge after Gorge Harbor's narrow exit was Shark Spit. The emerald green water hides a long sandy spit that juts off the end of an island into the fairway like a steer horn. The other side of the passage is encumbered by submerged rocks. Three buoys in a triangular formation mark the safe passage.
After Shark Spit came Surge Narrows. At this point all the tidal waters gather to rush through a narrow opening becoming a whitewater rapid. This was the second set of rapids we transited. We carefully for slack time to arrive. About half an hour before predicted slack, Rob saw the flow diminishing and decided to pass through early. After Surge narrows we were at Octopus Islands. There are several entrances, each at a different level of difficulty. We didn't go for the extra points; we took the easiest one.
Waiatt Bay offered us us a wide flat bottom to hold our anchor, and the Octopus Island group offered us a chance to explore by dinghy and discover firsthand the multitude of submerged rocks and shallows lying in wait for our boat's hull.
Our points of view change as we move through the phases of life. Rocks that I used to simply see as beautiful now make me cringe with a touch of fear. I've gone from “Look! How beautiful!” to “Look! How Dangerous!”
We met Lawrence and Linda, a couple who had been cruising for half a year for the past 36 years, much of that time with their child, now off to college, on board. I saw “red tide” for the first time. Summer time water conditions lead to blooms of red algae, making the water look red, and creating a neurotoxin that collects in filter-feeding shellfish making them poisonous to human consumption. I also rowed the dinghy to shore and took a hike across a strip of land to view a bay on the other side of the island.
We discovered that as we continue northward, we meet more people who are committed travelers and less casual boaters.
