The Journey North | Reel Salty Bliss

Reel Salty Bliss, Delivered

May 2, 2025, was one of those rare days when everything lines up. For Mike and Sarah Dziuk, it was Factory Delivery Day, taking possession of their brand-new Solara S-310 Sport Bridge (named, Reel Salty Bliss). It was also Sarah’s first day of retirement and their granddaughter’s birthday. A triple milestone, like the universe was giving them a nudge, this was their time for adventure.

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Mike and Sarah are seasoned boaters, but even with their wealth of experience, there are always things to learn when taking delivery. They spent the day with Andrew Custis from the Solara Factory, going over all the details and systems until they had a solid understanding of their new boat. Three days later, they cast off from Anacortes. No shakedown cruise, no drawn-out waiting. Just a quick round of tweaks, a weekend of provisioning, and then north, past familiar waters into the wild country of Desolation Sound and the Broughton Archipelago. It was baptism by saltwater, and the crew didn't flinch.

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Preparing for the Journey

Heading into the Broughtons isn’t like heading to a resort marina. It’s remote, raw, and in May, a little on the chilly side. The Dziuks came prepared. Ports and Passes waterproof maps were spread across the table, calculations made for fuel and water, and extra collapsible water bags filled just in case the taps along the way were less than trustworthy.

Their provisioning was pragmatic but clever: pre-frozen proteins in a portable fridge/freezer, a small air fryer to keep power demands light, and, tucked away like a secret weapon, an electric blanket for nights on the hook.

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Northbound on a Fast Boat

The route was as follows: customs at Bedwell Harbour, a crossing to Gibsons, two weeks in Desolation Sound, a stop in Campbell River, and then the push through Seymour Narrows and Johnstone Strait.

At 30 knots, pushed along by twin Yamaha 300s, the Solara ate up the miles. The Dziuks had speed when they needed it, control when it mattered, and the excitement of heading to fresh cruising grounds.

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Anchorages Worth Writing Home About

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Along the way, they found stops that stick in the memory:

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• Blind Channel Resort on West Thurlow Island: a place to refuel, do laundry, grab a meal, and meet the kind characters who always seem to turn up in outposts like this.
• Crease Island: where the water was calm enough for paddle boards and the type of quiet you don’t forget.
• Booker Lagoon: private and tucked away, its narrow entrance running with currents fast enough to test your skills. The Solara had the muscle to push through, and the reward was a world that felt like theirs alone.
• Potts Lagoon: where they sat at anchor and watched three coastal brown bears swim across the inlet, their massive heads cutting the surface strikingly close to the boat. It was raw, unscripted nature.

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Life on Board

Living aboard the Solara for five weeks turned out to be a lesson in just how many ways a boat can shape the day. Morning coffee in the cockpit with a book. Sun-soaked afternoons sprawled on the bow. Evenings on the bridge watching the sun burn itself out over the horizon.

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When it comes to anchoring, what can be a bit of a chore on other boats, became a simple task thanks to the walk-through bow access and camera view at the helm. Netting fish was made easy from the wide swim platform, and after long days, the v-berth, augmented with a memory foam topper, was more than just comfortable. It was home.

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Fish, Bears, and Lingcod with Teeth

The Dziuks fished hard, guided by Canadian friends with local knowledge that no chart can replicate. Spot prawns, Dungeness crab, chinook salmon, lingcod, the kind of meals that taste better when you’ve pulled them from the sea yourself. The Yamaha system’s anchor-hold and drift control features made bottom fishing feel like a cheat code.

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Expect to spot wildlife constantly in the expansive and remote Broughtons. The sight that stuck with them: three bears swimming across Potts Lagoon, powerful and deliberate, as the Dziuks watched from the safety of their Solara. “The paddle boards stayed on the rack after that,” they laughed.

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Looking Ahead

The Broughtons, they realized, are the kind of place you can never finish exploring. They scratched the surface and were hooked. This fall, they’ll run to Victoria for Labor Day, then join the Roche Harbor Rendezvous before volunteering in Everett’s Salmon for Soldiers, taking veterans and active-duty service members out fishing. With pink salmon running this year, there will be plenty of excuses to get the lines back in the water.

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Taking delivery just three days before a five-week trip isn’t the textbook approach. But life rarely goes by the book and for them, taking a chance paid off. “We were so grateful the factory and customer service teams helped make the timelines work."

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Their Solara S-310 SB didn’t just carry them north. It carried them into retirement, into new waters, and into stories they’ll be telling for years. That’s what a boat should do, not just move you from one harbor to another, but provide the experiences and the memories that will last a lifetime.

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