Cunningham Island: Weather Challenges and Lessons Learned

Leaving the Dock at Ocean Falls – August 15, 2025

After three nights tied up at the dock in Ocean Falls, Blaine and I were more than ready to leave. We like the occasional dock stop, but three nights was enough. The weather wasn’t great—windy and wet—but that wasn’t a deal breaker. A little wind and a lot of rain is pretty normal out here, so we pointed Tangaroa toward Cunningham Island. While we were in Ocean Falls, someone told us about a small cove on the west side of the island that offered decent protection, so that became the plan.

Running Through Gunboat Passage

Getting there meant running through Gunboat Passage, and it turned out to be one of those transits that keeps you on your toes in a good way. There’s a narrow section where you really need to pay attention to the markers, but it was scenic and genuinely fun to run. We passed several fishing boats along the way, which always adds a bit of reassurance when you’re threading through tight water. After clearing the passage, we turned right and headed north toward Cunningham Island.

First Impressions of Cunningham Island

The entrance into Cunningham Bay was absolutely beautiful. One other Nordhavn was already anchored in the bay, but we kept going and settled at the far end. At the time, it felt like a good choice.

That night proved otherwise.

A Long Night on the Anchor

Not long after we got settled, the storm really set in. The wind built to 30–40 knots, and where we had anchored, it funneled straight through the bay. We dragged anchor twice before the night was over and eventually had 350 feet of chain out in 40 feet of water. It was one of those nights where sleep comes in short bursts and one ear is always tuned for anything that sounds different.

The weather stayed unsettled for a couple more days—not as windy, but just as wet and miserable.

Riding Out the Weather and Catching Up on Work

Since moving wasn’t a great option, we stayed put and used the time to catch up on computer work. That meant editing YouTube videos and answering comments. If you’re curious about what we’ve been up to, you can find us on Exploring the World Onboard Tangaroa and Onboard Tangaroa: The Never-Ending Sea Trial. Sometimes bad weather days are exactly what’s needed to get caught up.

A Fishing Break in Punga

On the third day, the weather eased just enough for us to get out fishing. We climbed into Punga and headed off with hopes of catching halibut or lingcod. No luck there, but we did manage to land a rockfish, which turned into a solid dinner. Drifting between the islands with our lines in the water was stunning and well worth the effort, even without a big catch.

Lessons Learned at Cunningham

We didn’t set crab traps while we were anchored because Cunningham was more of a rest stop than a harvesting spot. That said, if you plan to anchor here, take note: the left arm of the bay on the north side, where the Nordhavn was anchored, is far more protected than the far end where we dropped the hook.

That small decision made a big difference once the wind arrived.

One Tiny Prawn and Onward to Butedale

We were told there was good prawn fishing outside Cunningham Island, and we did see plenty of traps in the area. We set ours and pulled them later with the big boat while heading toward Butedale. Inside was one very tiny prawn—so small he clearly deserved another chance.

He went back into the water, and we carried on toward our next stop: Butedale, a privately owned ghost town and another place rich with history waiting to be explored.