We had a two-eagle sighting and cruise to our destination, Gorge Harbour on Cortez Island. We were one day early for our reservation, so we anchored in the harbor for the night.  The 2016 Ranger Tugs Desolation Sound Cruise had started a few days prior, in Comox (on Vancouver Island), and was culminating with the arrival of about 40 boats at the Gorge Harbour Marina for the final two days of the cruise. We’ve been looking forward to a return to Gorge Harbour Marina to use their pool after roughing it during our two weeks in Desolation Sound. A swimming pool is a rarity in the hinterlands of Desolation Sound. But even more than that, we were excited to spend a few days socializing with other Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boat owners.

After spending a relaxing night on the hook within sight of the marina, we were tied up early, by 11:30 a.m. Once settled in we went directly to the swimming pool which overlooks the marina and harbor. This gave us a birds-eye view of the harbor and the soon-to-be-arriving armada of Ranger Tugs and Cutwater boats. It was a great day for swimming, the weather was a typical July summer’s day. Soon after, we walked the docks to greet and help friends with docking as they arrived. This is always such a special time, greeting old friends and meeting other owners, some whom we’d talked to before from our blogs and Tugnut posts, but never had met before. New friendships are always formed at a Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats cruising event or rendezvous.

Happy hour was held on shore the first night. We met up with friends Ron and Libby, new owners of an R25, Tug O’ My Heart, Mike and Jess on Illusions, Pam and Oliver, on Beyond, and Rick and Nancy were docked just behind us on Andiamo.

Monday was spent hiking a short, wooded, trail along the harbor’s shoreline. Later we walked the docks to talk with owners and look at some of the newer Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boat models. Mike from Illusions helped me diagnose a problem with my bow thruster. Some owners spent their off-time, during the day, fishing. These people caught some beauties (below).

The evening of the last night featured a big BBQ sponsored by Volvo Penta, they now supply diesel inboard engines for Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats. Marcia Kull, the VP of Volvo Penta, was in attendance and thanked Ranger Tugs and the owner group for their support and working relations. Marca engaged with the owner’s group by visiting with many over the course of two days, making it apparent that she and Volvo make their relationship with the factory and the owner’s group a top priority.

After the BBQ a few couples went back to Kismet and played “Cards Against Humanity,” a fun adult-themed game that almost always turns into a laugh fest.

With the Ranger Tugs Gorge Harbour event over, our time in Desolation Sound had come to an end. The next day we made a quick stop back to Heriot Bay for renewing our provisions before we started to make our way further north, through the Discovery Islands to the Broughtons, an all-new cruising territory for us.

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Roscoe Bay Provincial Marine Park is known for the thousands of moon jellies that congregate there annually.

We woke up this morning to a clear blue sky and knew it would be a great day. We only had a handful of miles to travel for our 11 A.M. arrival for a 2-day stay at anchor in Roscoe Bay. Our day started off with freshly baked sticky buns and coffee. It was a slow cruise on calm water as we made our way around the south side of West Redonda Island to get to our destination. Roscoe Bay is known for the thousands of moon jellies that congregate there annually.

Roscoe Bay has a narrow, dry shoaling entrance that leads to a full, 360-degree, protected bay. Most boaters have to negotiate this channel on a rising tide. As we passed over the shoal, we saw a crystal clear sandy bottom that appeared to be within a hand’s reach. However, we knew we had a good three feet of clearance below our keel. Our Ranger Tug has a two-foot draft. Because of our early arrival, we had plenty of anchoring choices and finally settled in at a spot towards the end of the bay. As the day progressed more boats showed up for a total of 20 by the end of our first day.

Wanting to get off the boat to stretch our legs, we prepared the dinghy and ourselves for the short hike to Black Lake. A swim in the warm water of this mountain lake was our main objective. When having only a 40-gallon water tank on board, we always look for opportunities for a refreshing swim when anchoring for long periods.

We took the dinghy to a landing of sorts, timing our adventure so we would not get stranded by a falling tide. This took some time due to the sharp oyster shells lining the bay. We had to pick a clean rock or beach to land our small dinghy and try to guesstimate where the tide would put it by the end of our hike. We have a soft-bottomed dinghy and those oyster shells can become enemies of a Hypalon inflatable like ours. This is especially true when the tide drops seven feet or so. While anchored in the bay, a couple we met at Refuge Cove actually did cut a slice into their inflatable, thus the reason for the extra caution.

Once on shore, we had a nice walk up an old logging trail to Black Lake. It felt refreshing to have a swim in the reasonably warm clean water on a hot, July afternoon.

The rock beneath the water line is covered in slimy green moss. Someone has tied a rope leading from a tree down to the water’s edge to hold onto when entering and exiting the water.

The next day, we met Keith, another Ranger Tug owner. I joined Kieth and a group of other boaters he put together for a hike up towards the top of Llanover Mountain. (Lisa opted out for some alone time on the boat.) But, once we hiked about halfway up the trail we found out it was closed due to a logging operation in progress. Although disappointed that we did not make it to the top of the mountain, the shorter hike was still worth the effort. Got to meet some nice people and take a few photos of Kismet resting in Roscoe Bay from part way up the mountain.

We did not see this hose, with continuously running water, hanging over the rocks until we were leaving the bay. So we think someone has rigged a system from a water source up the mountain’s edge for the convenience of boaters. Could this be fresh water?

Later in the day, there were two deer on shore that we watched on and off for over five hours. They were there all afternoon. The evening of July 21, up to this point in our PNW 2016 cruise, was the best overall weather day we’ve had so far. Later, we sat very relaxedly on the bow of Kismet during happy hour until well after sunset. We watched boats come and go, anchoring, people dinghying from one boat to another for social get-togethers. As the night wore on it became very still and quiet, warm lights turned on inside boats as the scenery outside took on a cool purplish blue cast

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Pendrell Sound Provided a Break from All Distractions!

From Tenedos Bay, we cruised over to Waddington Channel and finally into Pendrell Sound, on East Redonda. We went all the way to the end of the sound, through a fjord-like channel to anchor. That way we’d be facing toward the snow-capped mountain range to the south. From this spot, we would also have a view of all boat and seaplane traffic on the sound. It was a gorgeously hot summer’s day.

During our three days at anchor in Pendrell Sound, it all sunk in. This is what we came for. Stunning mountain ranges, scattered islands, winding waterways, scenic vistas, surprising wildlife sightings, and peaceful seclusion. We found relative isolation from the busyness of the fast pace world we left behind. No connectivity of any kind. Our phones did not work here, no TV reception and no internet. We lazed the days away without access to a news source, entertainment, or man-made social functions or interactions. Only the quiet presence of other boaters who we shared an anchorage with. Everyone was respectfully quiet and laid back while overnighting in comfort and serene peace on our boats. They, no doubt, were seeking the same experience as we were. We enjoy this time together, with no distractions, demands, or obligations pending.

We loved not knowing what was going on in the world.

We may be surprised by the news once it does come to us, being an election year in the states and all — maybe not. Either way, we were content in our secluded natural environment. We spend this time listening to our music library, eating well, swimming, playing games, and being attentive to each other. Basically having the time of our lives.

Did we say how relaxed we are? Our only craving is family, friends, and the home we left behind to take this cruise to British Columbia. We say this often – the hardest part of being an adventure seeker is missing those we left behind. Every minute onboard when relaxing, we wish they could be sharing this adventure with us.

In the middle of a relaxing happy hour on the bow of Kismet, we started up a conversation with the crew on a 50’ Sonship, Tatoosh, anchored next to us. During the conversation, their yacht gradually started to drift toward us. It happened slowly at first and then quite rapidly. Before we knew it we were on our feet, in fend-off mode. Lisa stayed on the boat’s bow with the hook in hand. Jim jumped into our dinghy to help retrieve their stern line from shore along with two other guys from the classic wooden vessel Lazee Gal anchored nearby. The stern line was finally retired to shore providing a different angle, to keep their rear off our anchor’s reach. Finally, the captain of Tatoosh pulled up his anchor to reset it. Fingers crossed that it would hold overnight! We woke up the next morning to find all boats were still securely set at anchor, with no overnight mishaps.

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Tenedos Bay is Located on the Mainland Side
of Desolation Sound – East of Mink Island

After two windy days at the dock in Heriot Bay, it was nice to have a calm water day for our 27-mile run to Tenedos Bay. The location of the bay is on the mainland side of Desolation Sound, to the east of Mink Island. Having anchored in Tenedos Bay previously, we thought we’d like to try a different spot. First, we slowly cruised the perimeter of the anchorage on the opposing side of the bay. Staying to the right after entering the bay instead of to the left where we previously anchored. There were two protected coves that looked appealing, but they already had boats anchored there. Leaving not much room for another.

Desolation Sound is starting to get busy now (July). When we arrived in June there weren’t many boaters here and finding a good position was fairly easy. We ended up in the same spot as before after exhausting options for something new. It was a good site nonetheless.

As we finally rounded the corner into the dog-leg cove familiar to us, our eyes lit up to see the sailboat Spirit. She was already nestled into an area close to where we planned to anchor. We first met Pauline and Ed in June at Chatterbox Falls and again at Grace Cove. It was our turn to host a happy hour on our boat. We wanted to hear more about their cruising adventures. The crew of Spirit hails from Victoria, BC. They have been boating in the PNW all their lives. Pauline and Ed have some fascinating tales of off-shore cruising south to Mexico.

Never miss an opportunity to chat with other boaters!

We have learned so much about boating by simply listening to other boaters. This is a valuable opportunity to gain knowledge about different cruising styles, destinations, and lifestyle choices. We are always looking for inspiration. Ed and Pauline are those kinds of sailors. Every time we bump into this couple, we feel their relaxed easy-going personalities. They exude a sold confidence and friendly spirit with their cruising style. We always enjoyed their company and felt enriched after every encounter. Pauline shared with us all their favorite anchorages in Desolation Sound. We heard about Heriot Bay from the crew of Spirit. They said it was the best spot to provision during a stay in Desolation Sound. They are right!

The next day we dinghied over to the beach where the trailhead to Unwin Lake is found. Some of the more popular anchorages in Desolation Sound will feature a freshwater mountain lake. Many are within walking distance of the anchorage area. The hike from Tenedos Bay to Unwin Lake is short and beautiful. Picture this… a quiet, still hike through a mossy thick forest, over fallen logs. Soon into the hike, you’ll encounter a rushing, spring water stream, dancing and singing over mossy logs and rocks. Finally, it will wind around and find its way through the woods and out to the bay.

Imagine this… no houses, no boats, only a steady breeze, and muffled laughter and conversation sounds of other hikers.

The trail leads to a big freshwater mountain lake. Imagine this… no houses, no boats, only a steady breeze and the sounds of other hikers nearby. We sat on a log jam (it looked like someone had tried to fashion a float out of it) on the water for well over an hour taking in the majestic mountain backdrop. Eventually, we took a dip in the clear, fresh water. One can’t help but think about how this setting likely looks the same today as it did 200 years ago. Sitting on the rocks, snacking on apples, while soaking up the warm sunny day made for a great afternoon of precious peace and quiet. We were both happy to be able to share this experience with each other.

No words were needed, we just listened as the wilderness spoke to us.

Later, back at the boat – the late-day arrival of a 52-ft. boat made for some entertainment during happy hour, on the back deck of Kismet. The crew worked exhaustingly for well over an hour trying to anchor and stern tie to shore. While trying to mitigate a comedy of errors, the crew tried and tried again to anchor. Fortunately, all ended well, with the crew happily celebrating in the galley just before night settled in.

We find our entertainment where we can while cruising in the wilds. We also completely sympathize with some of the inherent frustration associated with anchoring. We’ve all been there at one time or another.

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The Proximity of Heriot Bay to Desolation Sound,
Gave Us Another Option for Provisioning

The need to provision mid-way through our month-long stay required a major shopping trip. Unlike our two-week trip to Desolation Sound three years ago. Since we are consuming breakfast, lunch, and dinner – all on the boat every day, we eventually ran out of the supplies that keep our bodies happily fueled.

Provisioning while cruising in Desolation Sound for a longer stay is a little bit of a challenge. The options nearby are limited to Refuge Cove. Although centrally located within Desolation Sound, the products available at Refuge Cove are limited and quite expensive. It’s a fun stop! If you are only staying a week or two in Desolation, you won’t starve. You can catch up on most chores, use wifi, enjoy a freshly baked cinnamon roll, fuel up and restock the propane and water tanks. Just like we would at any marina. But thrifty boaters that we are, after two weeks we were anxious to find an alternative source. We were happy to hear about Heriot Bay.

Heriot Bay is on Quadra Island between Vancouver Island and Discovery Islands

Initially, we thought we’d have to go all the way back to Campbell River to re-stock. Pauline and Ed, sailors on Spirit, tipped us off to this small town with a regular-sized grocery store. It’s a shorter trip than going all the way around the bottom of Quadra Island to Campbell River. To cinch the deal, we had never been to Heriot Bay before – we were curious about what we might find.

We nixed anchoring at Rebecca’s Spit, on a very windy day to stay at the Government Dock, located near Heriot Bay Inn’s docks. Although not free, it was very inexpensive. It’s sort of a first come first docked sort of rule with options for water, power, and free wifi that worked quite well. It took us a couple of trips around the dock to find an open space, and we finally did. On that windy day, it was a little tricky to get into, but with the help of a friendly boater, we made it in without hitting anything. Kudos to Captain Jim!

Lots of fishing boats docked in Heriot Bay. There is quite a community of people coming and going all day and night. The marina office (below) is located at the top of the ramp at the Government Docks. Not much in the way of amenities – no restrooms or showers, but our main goal was to stock up at the grocery store.

To get to the grocery store, we had to walk along this inlet (shown at low tide). The Government Docks are to the left and we had to walk all the way around to the docks on the far right

Heriot Bay Inn is sort of a focal point in this harbor. It has a restaurant, bar, laundromat, marina, and even an RV park on the grounds.

We stayed an extra night in the bay because we heard a band would be playing in the bar at Heriot Bay Inn. We need that kind of activity once in a while when boating for long periods. It kind of recharges the batteries.

The last of the provisioning chores was to fuel up at Heriot Bay before we headed back to Desolation Sound for two more weeks. I loved the system they used for the different fuel nozzles, pretty rudimentary, but unique.

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We Hit the Jackpot of Grizzly Sightings at Brem Bay!

During our last day at Toba Wildernest, a sailboat pulled up to the dock late in the afternoon. Soon after, we overheard the crew exuberantly sharing their grizzly bear sighting further up Toba Inlet. Brem Bay to be exact. We decided it was worth the scenic nine-mile trip to see if we’d have any luck spotting a wild grizzly bear, or two, ourselves.

Brem Bay lies on the NW side of Toba Inlet. The bay sits at the base of a huge valley at the mouth of the Brem River. The river forks out into the grassy estuary wetland area and into the inlet.

The cruise up was calm, but overcast with the sun and blue sky sometimes peaking through the fog and clouds periodically. It was our first time that far up into Toba Inlet. Here the inlet takes a sharp turn to the northeast of mainland Canada. When we arrived at Brem Bay, we had to approach the shore cautiously. It was hard not to be disappointed that the water depth didn’t allow us to get closer to shore for a better view. We tried to get as close as we could, trying to avoid the shoaling

We watched and waited. With binoculars, we scoured the scenic grassy valley in front of us, until I finally spotted some movement by the river. Not one grizzly, but three – a mother and two good-sized cubs. Lisa and I watched the three bears swim, fish, and romp around in the low-lying grassy field. An hour went by rather quickly. We felt safe viewing this spectacular event from the cockpit of Kismet as we idled back and forth along the shoreline.

Mother Grizzly Kept a Close Eye on Us!

The cubs had fun playing while mom kept an eye out for them. Sometimes she’d look our way with concern (photo above), and sometimes she foraged for food. Maybe she was wondering if we were a potential threat to her young cubs. It was hard to leave, as we realized we might never see another sight like this again. We had a lot of miles to cover that afternoon. It was time to back-track our way out of the inlet and make our way to our designated anchorage before nightfall. Reluctantly, we left Brem Bay by retracing our route – heading to VonDolop Inlet to anchor for the night. It was a long day. Yet, from a wildlife standpoint, it was extremely rewarding – capped off by seeing three eagles during the course of the day.

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We Chose Von Donop Inlet as an Anchorage Twice
During Our Stay in the Desolation Sound Area –

Von Donop Inlet is situated on the northwest side of Cortes Island, it can be entered from the northern Sutil Channel. The inlet is part of the Discovery Islands, not Desolation Sound Marine Park. We had to leave Desolation Sound on two occasions to provision. So, we used Von Donop as an anchorage both times. First was a trip to Campbell River and another time on our way to Heriot Bay. The inlet is long and narrow and, although we cruised past many boats already anchored the length of the inlet, we chose to go all the way into the bay at the south end. We felt it afforded the most protection from high winds and we felt a storm brewing.

Rainy Day Blues in Von Donop Inlet

We love to read and have lots of books downloaded to our iPads. But for rainy days on the boat, ones where you don’t even want to read anymore, walk outside, or even dinghy somewhere in a downpour, we needed to have something a little more entertaining lined up. So, starting in Ladysmith (Gulf Islands), we began rummaging through marina book swap libraries for used DVDs. Ones that other boaters had left behind. Later, as our movie “monkey” grew, we moved on to checking local used bookstores and thrift shops in some of the towns we’ve docked at. It became one of our provisioning chores when we got to a marina. Like most boaters, our list includes washing laundry and walking to the Post Office, grocery, hardware, liquor, and drug stores. Now we’ve added used books and thrift stores to the list.

Let me tell you, there are a lot of used DVDs out there. Sometimes we were able to swap ones we’d viewed for newer ones and we’d buy a few extra to thank the owner for considering the swap. During our stay in Campbell River, we took some of the growing numbers of DVDs we’d accumulated during our cruise up to Desolation Sound and doubled our stash. It’s a good thing we did because when we got to the anchorage at Von Donop Inlet, we had two miserable, rainy days cooped up on the boat. The movies helped immensely to break the grey, gloomy days.

We’ve continued this process all the way up to the Broughtons. Thank God we did! We anchored out most of the time while there and due to one thing or another, could not get off the boat much except to dinghy around the anchorage.

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Toba Wildernest – One of Our Favorite Spots in the
Desolation Sound Cruising Area –

Toba Wildernest is a picturesque mountainside marina and resort located at the mouth of Toba Inlet. The inlet is a deep fjord on the mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Desolation Sound. The marina is well-protected by Double Island. The first thing that strikes me as unique about this inlet is the most unusual, milky, greenish-blue color of the water leading to and around Toba Wildernest. It continues as far as one can see.

The beauty of Toba Inlet opens up my heart and soul!

I believe the many boaters who come from all over the world to visit the Hunters in their little slice of paradise, can’t help but be transformed internally and perhaps spiritually by one of nature’s masterful creations. A scenic panorama of truly massive proportions has the ability to make a human being feel humble and almost insignificant in the scheme of things – from this perspective at least. I felt the magic when we visited three years ago and I am happy to report it hasn’t changed.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again… 
There is Something Special About Toba Wildernest!

I think the thing that fascinates me the most about this resort is the lovely family who owns and runs it. Kyle and Andrea Hunter, their daughter, Rowan, and their new addition, of just a few months, Clipper, a part wolf, malamute mix are the key elements. The Hunters are creating a paradise here for visiting boaters. They have no neighbors, they work and live on the edge of a mountain that is only accessible by boat, floatplane, or helicopter. The Hunters live by the elements and work tirelessly to make a comfortable marina for boaters to visit. Their livelihood depends on the waterfall located just above the marina. It generates all the water for Toba Wildernest as well as power onshore. Last year was rough on most marinas and consequently boaters in the area as there was a shortage of water.

This year brought many improvements to the marina.

All new docks and a beautiful Welcome House structure at the top of the ramp. They still do not have power available at the docks but don’t let that deter your visit, you won’t miss it. As they continue with improvements to the marina, power on the dock is planned at some future date. Water is available from one long hose that lays on the dock.

Rowan has grown a lot in three years, she helped us tie up at the marina when we arrived. She is quite an engaging young lady, who is benefitting immensely from a very selective and unique lifestyle choice. Rowan loves to read, so take some books to her if you plan to visit Toba Wildernest. She also collects cans for a school project, so take some with you to help her out.

Clipper will be a valued addition to the Hunter household. We figure he will be a great guard dog and companion for Rowan, especially against any wildlife that finds its way down to their homestead. Some of the wildlife nearby includes bears, deer, eagles, seals, sea lions, dolphins and even pods of killer whales pass by.

Pristine nature, such as is found in Toba Wildernest, is way more entertaining than any theme park, movie, or TV show. You can walk the many trails that start by the marina and lead to the waterfall, uplands, and heavily wooded forest of old cedar and Douglas fir trees. By the time boaters get to Toba Wildernest, they are ready to stretch their legs after cruising long distances and/or anchoring out, sometimes without access to shore to get exercise.

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Campbell River is a Good Place to Provision When Cruising Desolation Sound –

Today we headed to Campbell River, located on Vancouver Island. We like to balance our boating time between anchorages and marinas. We do this because we like the social aspect marinas offer with a taste of small-town life and a chance to interact with local boaters. We also need to provide for the next stretch out on the water. Our routine is roughly 65% at anchor and 35% at marinas. Campbell River is one of the larger cities on Vancouver Island and within a reasonable distance from Desolation Sound. If you need a lot of groceries and other necessities, it’s the best place for a grocery run with a Super Store just a short walk up from the marina.

When we checked in at Discovery Harbour we weren’t told their showers or laundry were not working until we tied up and settled in, both of those activities played a major part in our decision to make a marina stop. Lisa eventually worked out a deal where they gave us a free night’s dockage for having to wait to use their dockside facilities unit at the end of the second day.

Chores, maintenance, and repairs never end – especially on a boat.

In the meantime, our head quit working, not a fun task to address. All we can say is we were glad we were at the dock when it happened. Inside the interior of the bowl is a 12V pump assembly where a gear broke. No parts are available in Campbell River, but I was able to locate one in Florida and a few days later we were back up and running.

One of our pastimes when visiting a marina is to walk the docks with a desire to meet and chat with local boaters. This is how we learn where about the area, the wildlife, anchorages, and sometimes a little bit of local history. We also like to look at all the different kinds of boats at the dock, there is a huge variety in the PNW, from vintage cruisers, fishing trawlers, and tugboats to modern-day beauties. There was a lot of every type in the three marinas we visited during our stay in Campbell River.

 The marina is surrounded by a big rock wall, these photos were taken at low tide. The whole marina floats up and down according to tidal flows.

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Laura Cove, Like Most of the Prideaux Haven Area, is Strewn with Large Boulders and High, Rocky Tree Lined Shores.

We departed Refuge Cove for a short eight-mile run-up Homfray Channel to the Prideaux Haven area of Desolation Sound Marine Park. Laura Cove, next to Melanie Cove, was in our sights as our preferred anchorage. We anchored here during our trip three years ago, and it was one of our favorite spots. On our way in we cruised through the adjoining Melanie Cove to see how many boats were already anchored. We arrived a couple of days before Canada Day (July 1st) a long Holiday weekend for Canadians, hoping to get settled before the rush which never really came.

For a National Holiday, we didn’t feel there were many boats in Laura Cove, seven at anchor on our first night and only 13 on our last. This was good for us as we gained more personal space for a relaxing long weekend. Because it was the first major holiday of the summer in Canada, we were surprised by the fact that more boats were not scrambling to find available space to anchor. We’re beginning to think we are still ahead of the crowded boating season in Desolation Sound.

It Was a Five Eagle Day!

While en route that day we saw five eagles. As our trip is progressing, we made note of how many eagles we see each day, I think this is the most we’ve seen in any one day… so far.

Laura Cove, like most of the Prideaux Haven area, is strewn with large boulders and high, rocky tree-lined shores. In addition to the natural beauty surrounding the cove, there are eye-popping views all around with snow-capped mountain peaks viewable from the rocky islands with even more visible out in Homfray Channel. This is the perfect place for us to call home for a few days – four to be exact.

One of the challenges of anchoring out in a place like Desolation Sound is conserving water. If we are very careful we can last a week. Taking showers is a real water-hogging activity, so we try to swim if the water is warm enough and just rinse off with a bit of fresh water. Or if the water is too cold to swim, we’ll fill our bucket (above-right) with lake water (or salt water, whatever we are cruising in at the time) and add some hot water to it, pouring it over our heads and bodies and again quickly rinsing off with fresh water.  While at Refuge Cove a few days ago, we dug out our pail and filled it up with fresh water before we left for Laura Cove. We figure we can squeeze two baths out of that water and can stay on the hook one or two more nights.

We took long dinghy rides to the nearby rocky islands to stretch our legs and explore. We ventured to the head of the cove to try to find the remains of Old Phil’s cabin site. We read about Old Phil, the Frenchman, in the renowned book, A Curve of Time by M. Wylie Blanchet.

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Refuge Cove is Chock-Full of Character

Situated on the southwest corner of West Redonda Island, Refuge Cove is centrally located in Desolation Sound. The small general store is good for minor provisions, fuel, water, and propane. Besides being a unique little waterside community, it’s a hub of activity and social gathering spot for the myriad of boaters spending their vacations cruising Desolation Sound. During this visit to Refuge Cove, we wanted to dock overnight to really experience life in Refuge Cove for more than the two hours we spent in 2013.

We typically don’t come back into a marina for a while after we’ve just been to one. Only two days ago we were at Powell River for a two-night stay, but I forgot to pay the bills. So, after we left Grace Harbour, we headed to Refuge Cove where we heard WiFi was available. During our stay, we fueled up, refilled a propane tank, paid bills, updated the blog, and bought some cinnamon sticky buns all while absorbing the backwoods marina flair of Refuge Cove.

The Busy Season at Refuge Cove Does Not Start Until Mid-July

While visiting Refuge Cove early in the boating season, we were surprised to learn that the height of the cove’s busy season lasts only about six weeks. They were still stocking the store and getting ready for the onslaught of boaters. We were only one of a small handful of boats at the dock during our stay. The gallery was not open yet and the hot sticky rolls were not yet made fresh every morning – we picked up some day-old ones the morning we left – but even off-season, there’s plenty to appreciate and experience at Refuge Cove.

Refuge Cove has a fairly basic boater’s lounge at the mid-point of the main dock.

Is anyone up for a game of Washer Dome?

This has got to be one of the bigger cleats (above) we’ve ever seen.

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Grace Harbour is a Good Starting Point for Our
Desolation Sound Cruising Adventure!

Keeping true to form, we decided to begin our Desolation Sound cruise by anchoring in Grace Harbour, just as we had done in 2013. Grace Harbour is a small anchorage and Marine Park on the mainland of British Columbia accessed by Malaspina Inlet. The anchorage is extremely well-protected from wind and waves. The harbour has a little beach with restroom facilities and a hiking trail.

A Slow Start to the Boating Season!

The anchorage was not very crowded this time, a fact we would soon wonder about as we proceeded north through the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast, Jervis Inlet, and finally Desolation Sound. We were here, starting our cruise, in late July three years ago. Maybe the season is off to a slow start because we had a hard time finding a good spot last time. The timing makes all the difference when cruising British Columbia. We started our 2016 cruising season in Canada at Poet’s Cove in South Pender Island in June. We are just now arriving in Desolation Sound beginning of July, almost a month earlier than our last trip. Plenty of room in anchorages and marinas, many times we have anchorages all to ourselves. The weather has not been extremely summer-like, but very pleasant most of the time. We will be cruising British Columbia all summer. We think we will hit the height of the season fairly soon.

At the head of the harbour, there is a small beach, restrooms, and a hiking trail to a little waterfall and remnants of old logging equipment. We didn’t hike up too far, it was a fairly thick trail, not used much, but we heard you can hike up to a lake from the trail.

Look who we found in Grace Harbour, Pauline and Ed. We first met them at Chatterbox Falls just a few days ago. Cocktails on Spirit our second night in the harbour – fun, fun, and more fun!

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Our Summer Cruising Season Will Take Us to the Broughton Islands – 

Have you ever been somewhere before that you’ve loved so much you cannot wait to return? Have you ever wondered why it took you so long to discover it? In our early summer cruising adventures, we never dreamed territory such as the Pacific Northwest, San Juan, and Gulf Islands, Princess Louisa Inlet, Chatterbox Falls, and Desolation Sound existed. We’ve returned this year to cruise some of our favorite summer cruising stops from 2013, then we’ll continue further north to explore the Broughton Islands, a territory rich with wildlife and natural wonders.

Our trip will start in Anacortes, Washington where we’ll provision and prepare for our three-month-long adventure north to British Columbia. We’ll spend two weeks in Canada’s Gulf Islands exploring places we have not been to before. The first stop will be Sucia Island in the San Juan Islands as we stage to cross over to Canada to Poets Cove for the Ranger Tugs/Cutwater Cruise Event. When we leave there we’ll be stopping in little ports along the way on Pender, Salt Springs, and Vancouver Islands. From there we’ll cruise east to Canada’s mainland to make the trip up Jervis Inlet to Chatterbox Falls before heading north to Desolation Sound to spend a month soaking up some of the remote island nature in some of Canada’s most pristine, natural beauty. From Desolation Sound we’ll head through the island waterway as far as the Broughtons to explore. We always love a new adventure and we’ve been told, by others we know who have cruised these waters, that the Broughtons will not disappoint. After the Broughtons, we’ll turn south and cruise back to the San Juan Islands after crossing the border to the US at the end of August in time to celebrate Labor Day and attend the yearly Ranger Tug/Cutwater Rendezvous in Roche Harbor.

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Video Clips from the Ranger Tugs2013 Desolation Sound Cruise

More Videos from Trailer Trawler Life

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As Our Cruise in Desolation winds close to the end, Black Lake Was a Real Treat!

One of the activities we came to enjoy while cruising Desolation Sound was hiking to the many inland freshwater lakes. Black Lake was one such lake located not far from our anchorage in Roscoe Cove. After a short dinghy ride, it was easily accessed by hiking a fairly short woodsy remnant of a logging trail. The trail continued along the lake for a while before heading up a big hill. Lush vegetation and huge ferns surrounded us as we explored the trail further up the hill. With the big trees and lush vegetation, we felt like we had been plopped down in the middle of a Jurassic Park movie set.

On two separate occasions, we landed our dinghy at the base of the trail and hiked up to the lake to cool off and freshen up. There are no beaches at the edge of the lake instead large outcroppings of boulders line the shoreline. We’d ease ourselves out onto the slippery tops and slowly walk into the crystal-clear fresh water. What a treat for us on a hot august afternoon. The water temp was pretty much the same as the other lakes we hiked to earlier in our trip, quite warm.

All in all, Roscoe Bay provided an excellent last stop for the crew of Kismet while cruising Canada’s beautiful Desolation Sound.

Next up… Cruising the Sunshine Coast to
Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls.

The family (below) was carrying jugs of water, all the way from Black Lake, to their boat anchored in the harbor.

We made another trip to the lake on our last full day in Roscoe Cove; it was crowded. A bunch of kayakers descended upon the bay and, like all the other boaters in the anchorage, they wanted cool off by taking a dip in the lake.

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We saved the last two days of our Desolation Sound cruise for Roscoe Bay.

Once inside the narrow entrance to the inner cove (which guide books state is best navigated on a rising tide), we took our time to slowly cruise the perimeter of the anchorage (photo-below), we wanted to find the perfect spot before we dropped anchor and stern tied to shore. There was plenty of room available, so we could be choosy about our selection which was located all the way up into the bay. Surrounded by pine trees and high rock bluffs, the cove offered, not only a picture perfect setting but, a lot of protection from any potential foul weather.

The anchorage was lined with boats of all kinds. We cruised almost all the way back into the bay where there were a few fewer boats. It was cloudy and overcast when we arrived, but it cleared up to give us a sunny day where the mountains made their presence known as the clouds moved through and out of the area.

We picked a spot where we had to stern tie to shore, always a fun task. We drop the anchor somewhat close to shore and draw it back to set it. Jim then gets into the dinghy with the end of the line on the spool. We found it works best if he takes it up and around the trunk of a tree and brings the end back to the boat. This method allows us to retrieve the line without getting the dinghy out, we just untie and pull the line back onto the boat.

The entrance to Black Lake (above) was just a short dinghy ride from our anchored boat.

Roscoe Bay was the perfect anchorage to spend our last night in Desolation Sound.

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We left Pendrell Sound this morning to motor over to Squirrel Cove. Several boaters recommended this spot as a very well-protected anchorage and since our weather turned a little sour we decided the cove might just be the ticket for a good night’s sleep.

The photo below not only shows a pretty typical type of cruising boat in Canada’s Desolation Sound but some of the huge logs boaters have to contend with when cruising this area.

Squirrel Cove is a popular anchorage for cruisers!

The cove provides a very protected anchorage for a large number of boats and, as a bonus, there’s a small village nearby, Squirrel Cove – we love an opportunity to get off the boat. That’s just what we did shortly after we got settled at anchor; we jumped into the dinghy and headed toward town. The wind had really picked up outside the cove and it was a pretty rough, one-mile ride in our little 7.5-foot dinghy from the Squirrel Cove anchorage to the town of Squirrel Cove.

It doesn’t take much to entertain us, a little walk, lunch off the boat, and a stop at the grocery store for a few supplies or just to check the availability of produce and goods. On this trip out we even picked up some blackberries from a roadside stand. We desperately needed to dispose of some garbage that had been collecting in the corner of the cockpit of Kismet and we’d heard the town dock at Squirrel Cove was the place to drop it off.

The pirate boat (below) sent their tender out to collect a small group of aptly dressed young ladies.

Our trip into the village of Squirrel Cove was three hours tops. As far as getting off the boat, Lisa was good to go for another day, but I was still up for a little more exploration by dinghy, so when I dropped her off at the boat, I continued on to explore the anchorage at Squirrel Cove. As it turned out it became a little more than I had bargained for… I almost missed dinner.

Sometimes a guy just has to get away by himself to explore new territory by himself. I thought this would also offer up an opportunity to return to the boat with stories to share with Lisa, something hard to do when we’re always together. I had heard about an inner lake near the anchorage that is impossible to transit, even by dinghy, at low tide, and also not possible at high tide when the current is creating full-fledged rapids, but my source said that it could be negotiated at or close to slack tide. Sounded like just the sort of challenge for me… just what I was looking for to brighten up my afternoon.

Consequently, I set out to investigate this mysterious channel before slack tide, thinking to myself that this adventure would be worth some spousal separation. Time-wise, I thought a good half hour or forty-five minutes tops would do the trick. As I approached the northeast side of the small inlet to the lake, I could see water filling the approximately 100-foot channel with the incoming tide. I ventured a little closer to get a better vantage point, thinking all would be OK and just as I was processing this thought a kayaker had come through the rapids and continued past me. As I inched closer I realized the shallow, rock-laden, and narrow mouth of the inlet would be problematic for my small dinghy, much less returning against the current. TOO LATE!!! The outboard prop caught a rock, the engine died, and I went for the oars… without control of the dinghy the current sucked me through into the calm interior of the landlocked little lake.

Now what to do, I thought to myself as I restarted my outboard and slowly cruised around the small pristine lake, enjoying the undisturbed natural setting. I May as well take a look around while I was there, but all during that time I was thinking, how the heck am I going to get back out? Nightfall was not far off and slack tide was at least two hours away. Of course, I had not brought my cell phone or portable VHF radio, so  I couldn’t alert Lisa, who was comfortably enjoying our anchorage back at Kismet. It was about this time I spotted another dinghy in the far reaches of the inner lake and decided to head his way. My thoughts were that this guy would have more knowledge of the area than I did and surely would have an exit strategy in place. Subsequently, I introduced myself to Peter, who I found out was in the exact same predicament as myself, he was also stressed about being late for dinner back on his anchored boat and perplexed as to what to do next.

Peter suggested we both raise our outboard dinghy engines to their highest transom elevation, in order to reduce our draft, then we could try to run hard up against the turbulent rapids. We both tried and failed, the current was that strong against our small outboards, besides, if we had drifted into the really shallow rock areas we could have caused damage to the prop and/or the dinghy. Our next strategy included the aid of a friend of Peter’s who had, lucky for us, just kayaked up to the inlet and landed his craft on the outside mouth of the rapids. Peter’s friend suggested we do a three-way relay and pull the dinghies (one at a time), with a long painter line, up through the rapids. At the shore’s edge, one person stood on slippery rocks and steadied the dinghy close to the rock-strewn shore, another pulled the dinghy forward 20 feet, while the third person took the newly created available line up the channel another 20 feet and began another pulling process. We did this relay method three or four times for each dinghy and finally made it back to the anchorage with both Peter, his friend, and I returning to the dry warmth of our respective boats… just in time for dinner.

By the time I got back to the boat, I was pooped, but it was a fun time and makes for a good story.

I was so excited about my little adventure, the next morning before we left the cove, I took Lisa over to the rapids so she could fully appreciate the dilemma I faced the day before.

The post Fighting Rapids at Squirrel Cove – Desolation Sound, British Columbia appeared first on Trailer Trawler Life Blog – Cruising USA & Canada.

We left our anchorage at Octopus Islands late morning, during slack tide, to head to Pendrell Sound. Just as on most days during this trip, we had sunny skies and calm waters for our day’s cruise.

“How was the swimming at Pendrell Sound?”

We often get asked this question in regard to how a cruising territory meets some fairly typical cruisers desired water activities. The reason I bring this up in this post has to do with our stop in Pendrell Sound. British Columbia’s Desolation Sound is located within close proximity to the 50th parallel. As a reference the only place above this parallel, in the United States, is Alaska. With that said you’d think the water would be too frigid to go swimming. Not so!

If you look at a map you’ll notice Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Straits are situated north of Desolation Sound, while the Strait of Georgia is to the south. In the middle sits Desolation Sound where the meeting of the tides occurs. The proximity of these straits and poor tidal circulation, as described to me by a local boater, is what maintains a year-round water temperature averaging 74° and some of the warmest salt water north of Mexico. We initially thought our thermometer was broken when we stuck it in the water to gauge the temperature before jumping in. It registered a surprising 79 degrees (most of the rest of the Pacific Northwest bodies of salt water average a brisk 48 to 54 degrees).

With that said we didn’t waste any time getting into the water after getting settled into our two-day anchorage, located at the very tip of Pendrell Sound.

We spent most of our time in Pendrell Sound swimming and relaxing in the warm sun. In between swimming and enjoying our new fjord-like setting, we ventured off to explore the upper part of the large cove by dinghy. There was quite a variety of vessels anchored in our midst, everything from boats our size to mega yachts and everything in between.

Returning from our dinghy ride, we stopped to visit a large oyster farm not far from our anchorage. Oysters like warm water and seem to thrive in Desolation Sound. While talking to one of the farmers, we learned that the warm, dependable, water temperature of Pendrell Sound makes it an ideal location for this major oyster culture operation, specifically to collect oyster seed (spat). Pendrall Sound was eventually set aside as a reserve to protect breeding oyster stocks. The type of oyster most widely cultivated in BC and the PNW is the Pacific oyster which is not native to the area, most of the seed was imported from Japan to British Columbia between 1930 and 1940s when they eventually became naturally established. Like most farming, the work they do looks pretty demanding, but if you like to work outside and be on the water with Mother Nature I don’t think you could find a better setting than Pendrell Sound.

It was hard to leave Pendrell Sound in our wake as we headed out after two days of blissful anchoring, but there is still more for us to explore before we leave Desolation Sound.

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After a restful time at Toba Wildernest, we departed late morning for Octopus Islands Marine Park on Quadra Island in Desolation Sound. Our departure was timed according to the tide schedule to achieve safe passage to and from the Octopus Islands area. Boaters have to properly negotiate one to three sets of rapids through narrow, shallow passages, depending on one’s chosen destination.

“Rapids?” You may ask, “How the heck does someone do this in a boat?” First of all the key is to do it properly. The tide fluctuates twice per day, up to 12 feet per cycle, but usually only 8 to 10 feet. When the tide is coming in or going out the maximum current runs up to 12 knots on the flood and 10 knots on the ebb. When the water is running either way hard rapids are created because there is simply too much water being forced through tapered, shallow, channels. When the flow slows, close to the tidal swing, the current subsequently eases up; the rapids subside and become safe to transit at what is called “slack tide.” This period of time happens twice a day – arrivals and departures to these islands are best timed by nature’s clock. We’ve encountered several rapids during our time cruising in Desolation Sound and British Columbia due to the mountainous topography and huge tidal swings.

To get to Octopus Islands, and our selected anchorage, we had to transit a channel called “Hole In The Wall.”

The two photos above show the channel after we finished going through it. We timed our morning departure so we’d arrive at the east end of Hole In The Wall 30 minutes before slack tide, so we never got to see the rapids in full force, and we’re glad of it. As it was the still active current could be felt pushing Kismet around as we worked our way through the many eddies that had not quite settled down. Lucky for us we have enough engine horsepower to power through stronger currents and eddies at slightly less than slack tide. I’d guess the current was running about 3 knots when we transited the pass, just enough to be exciting but not enough to be dangerous. After we passed through the rapids we soon entered Small Inlet and arrived at our chosen anchorage spot in the heart of the Octopus Islands.

There are several areas to anchor in the Octopus Islands, we choose a smaller cover with only a few boats already anchored. We could look out into the larger cover (above) from our anchorage. Then there were a few even smaller coves like the one below that only a couple of boats could anchor in.

We saw some mammoth sea kelp (above) around the islands here, the biggest we’ve seen anywhere so far.

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We found Toba Inlet to be some of the most beautiful areas in Desolation Sound. When we were there the water was that greenish color, almost like we’d see in the Bahamas. It seemed to have a phosphorescent glow about it.

As we approached Toba Wildernest Resort, we enjoyed a parade of boats passing us as they left the marina.

Lots of boats coming and going from Toba Wildernest.

As we slowly approached the marina dock I radioed Kyle, who gave me instructions to dock on the inside of the T dock closest to shore. My immediate concern was if there would be enough water being that close to shore. With Kyle still on the radio, I asked him if there was enough depth for our two-foot draft. His comment was that there was more than enough. Once tied up I noticed the distance beneath our boat was whopping 40 feet.

I missed it the first few times, maybe you didn’t, the name is Toba WilderNEST Resort. The owners, Kyle and Andrea, have made a “nest” out of this beautiful piece of “wilderness,” off Toba Inlet. They raise their family and run a business in this remote wilderness. They live there year-round and enjoy a lifestyle not many of us would entertain, not long-term anyway. Their location is very remote, not a neighbor for miles. The only way to get to this marina is by boat.

“Some might say there’s not much do to at this marina/resort and to that, I’d quickly say that although that statement may be true – that is what is so very special about Toba Wildernest Resort.”

Situated off Pryce Channel, to the North of the Redonda Islands, and at the gateway to Toba Inlet, Toba Wildernest gave us a chance to experience a very rustic and remote dockage situation. It also gave us an opportunity to get off of our boat, stretch our legs, fill up our water tanks, take hot showers and socialize with other backcountry seekers. But, more importantly, it allowed us to get up close and personal with a stark, peaceful, uncultivated wilderness setting.

Lisa and I had read there was a trail, starting not far from the resort, following a riverbed up the mountain, so soon after we were settled in at the dock, we headed to the trailhead just past the marina building to take in the “Wildernest” falls. We followed the homemade signs up the steep incline, using tree roots as steps in some areas. We made it, not to the very top of the mountain, but high enough to get some good exercise on the steep, rooty trail. We can’t imagine what the runoff from that waterfall would be like in the springtime as there has not been much rain in this area lately and the riverbed is all but dried up.

Interestingly enough the resort’s, (consisting of the marina, family home, and rental cabins), entire electrical source is generated by Kyle and Andrea’s home-built hydroelectric plant and they use water from the falls for their water supply for the whole resort (above and below).

Cocktail hour was held on the dock of Toba Wildernest that night. I enjoyed swapping stories with the C-Dory owner and a few other guys on the dock while Lisa was preparing dinner.

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Anchoring in Walsh Cove while waiting to get dock space at Toba Wildernest.

One of the beauties of cruising in Desolation Sound is that when you leave one place you have plenty of spots to consider for your next day’s docking or anchorage. We left Laura Cove after the three-day holiday weekend and headed northeast up Homfray Channel. We passed Homfray Lodge, a stop recommended by some friends, but we decided to pass on it and continue cruising as we were hoping for a black bear sighting. We had heard bears were often sighted along the shoreline of the channel, however, after striking out on the bear sighting, we cruised up to Wildernest Lodge and radioed in to reserve a spot on their dock for the next day and night, we then proceeded on our way to Pryce Channel, down into Waddington Channel and finally into Walsh Cove where we decided to anchor for the night – all this within a two-hour, trawler paced, cruise. The snow-capped mountains and picturesque fjord-like channels more than made up for the lack of a bear sighting earlier in the day.

 Look how much different that rock island looks at high tide. Jim is just returning to the boat (above) after setting the stern line to shore at Walsh Cove. The photo below shows our line barely visible on the top of that rock.

Shortly after our anchor was set and stern lines were taken ashore, who should show up but some friends, fellow Tugnuts (folks who own or have owned a Ranger Tug), Willie’s Tug, Last Call, and Moondance, cruised into the cove and rafted off each other on the far side of Walsh Cove. After spending a week or so without much outside social interaction we were looking forward to visiting with them after dinner to catch up on our mutual Desolation Sound cruising adventures. Don’t get me wrong Lisa and I get along just fine, but when you’re on a boat 24/7 together, it’s nice to bump into some friends on the water.

After dinner we dinghied over to the three boats, the girls settled into the salon inside, and the guys in the cockpit of Last Call. I’m not too sure what the girls talked about but they sure laughed a lot, we guys talked about anchorages, fuel filters, boat registration, and such. Herb and Willie, on Willie’s Tug, Bruce and Vickie, on Moondance, and Patrick and Gail, on Last Call, had been cruising together since they left Gorge and came up with a group name… Willie’s Last Dance.

When we bumped into Bruce and Vickie later we learned how close we were to a whale sighting, apparently, when they arrived at the cove (we were already settled in) they saw some orcas making their way through the channel outside Walsh Cove. Our view of them was blocked by the huge rock we had tied up to.

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Laura Cove Reminded Us of Cruising Ground Closer to Home, the North Channel, Ontario, Canada.

During our three days in Laura Cove, we swam next to the boat every day in the clear, warm water. We hiked a little, and took dinghy rides around Prideaux Haven to explore and visit with other boaters we knew who were also staying in one of the coves for the Canadian holiday weekend. We liked our spot. There were three other boats rafted off the narrower tip of the rock and a few more on the other side but there wasn’t any room for another boat to stern anchor in our vicinity.

We took a dinghy ride over to Melanie Cove, still lots of boats anchored there, as we said earlier it was a lot busier over in that cove than it was at Laura Cove.

On one dinghy excursion around Melanie Cove we came across fellow Ranger Tug owners, Tym and June, on Circle T (above left), and Fred and Diane, on Sunrise (above right). We had all met earlier when we joined the Ranger Tug Cruise to Desolation Sound. Now, a few of us are bumping into each other occasionally as we each take different routes to explore the Sound.

We weren’t the only ones that had a good time in Prideaux Haven. Milt Goodman, Goodship (see plaque above and below), had such a good time he, or a loved one, affixed a plaque to a huge rock in a channel, near Melanie Cove, in his memory. We understand the sentiment completely.

Lots of rocks are visible under the water in Prideaux Haven. This is a scary thought for some boaters but after cruising in Canada’s North Channel, and now Desolation Sound, we are used to the idea of that rock-hard surface just under the hull of our boat; it helps tremendously having a boat with a shallow draft, we can get into many places a bigger boat, or sailboat, with a deeper draft can’t.

We saw this unusual boat anchored in a channel between Melanie Cove and Laura cove. It appears to be homemade out of aluminum.

On our last night in Laura Cove, we had fun watching “Boo,” (below-the dog on the rock) defy ongoing commands that he come back to the boat as it grew dark. He was banished to the rock island earlier in the day by his family (in rafted boats to the right of the rock), It appeared his nose was a little out of joint at having been sent away for a time-out, or perhaps he just liked the peace and quiet the rock afforded him.

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We found a nice anchorage in Laura Cove, so we set the anchor and tied lines to the big rock. Lisa prepared lunch to take out on a dinghy exploration of the surrounding area. We ventured out of the cove into Homfrey Channel turned the outboard off and floated around while having lunch with a spectacular mountain view surrounding us off in the distance.

Afterward, I dropped Lisa off at the boat and continued on, by dinghy, to a hiking trail located off Melanie Cove. I’d read about this trail somewhere and how it leads up to Unwin Lake, the freshwater lake we’d hiked to and swam in the day before when staying in Tenedos Bay. As I neared the shore, I looked for a well-worn path leading into the brush and I fairly quickly found a homemade sign indicating the path to Unwin Lake.

As low tide had already passed (tide swings are around 10 feet) I knew I had to be careful where I landed and parked the dinghy, there wasn’t a sandy beach to rest the dinghy on and the rocks were covered with growth that was slippery and sharp. To keep the dinghy from washing ashore and risking puncturing a hole in the Hypalon, I didn’t raise the outboard like I usually do, instead, I let the skeg act as a stern anchor while running my extra long painter line up to shore to secure.

Another hike to Unwin Lake after securing our anchorage in Laura Cove.

Then I set off on my hike through the woods up and away, above the crowds of Melanie Cove on a narrow, well-traveled path. The further I got away from the busyness of the boat-strewn coves of Prideaux Haven the quieter my surroundings became. The woods were almost magical with cedar trees canopying the hillside as I made my way up to the lake. At various points, I’d climb under or over fallen trees as I followed the path lined with monstrous 5-foot-tall ferns. At more than one point I thought I’d been gone awhile and it was enough of a hike for one day, but I continued on rationalizing that I may not have this opportunity again.

Forty minutes later, after about a mile into my hike, I reached a divide in the path. One direction indicated it led down to the lake while the other, the one I chose, led to a cliff-side view of Unwin Lake. I chose the latter and less than 10 minutes later I had reached the summit and stood 300 to 400 feet above the unspoiled beauty of Unwin Lake and a spectacular view overlooking the northern arm. I’m glad I persevered and continued to the top. What I found up there was serenity – absolute quiet, no boats, no people or seaplanes, the only noise was that of a slight breeze ruffling through the forest. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of undisturbed nature, the aroma in the air seemed to come from the cedar trees that line all of the nearby hills and mountains. I clapped my hands and heard the clap return to me in the form of an echo off of the canyon walls. What can I say but how I am loving our cruise in Desolation Sound?

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Prideaux Haven is the area made up of Melanie and Laura Coves.

As you can see from the photos it was a spectacular day for cruising in Desolation Sound.

This area is a very popular anchorage in Desolation Sound and since we knew we were going during Canada’s Civic Holiday, a three-day weekend, we knew it would be a busy place. As we neared Prideaux Haven, we followed a few boats into Melanie Cove and found them quite large and filled with boats of all shapes and sizes, many rafted together. This seemed too much company for our tastes, so we decided to keep moving to check out the adjacent, and smaller, Laura Cove.

Floatplanes were busy all weekend bringing and taking people to and from boats. They landed out in the open water of Homfray Channel and if you had a ticket to fly you just dinghied out to the plane at a predetermined time.

We spent a lot of time investigating where we wanted to throw the hook for a few nights. There were a lot of places to choose from, so it was not an easy task.

This was the biggest yacht we saw during our stay in Prideaux Haven.

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After our swim at Unwin Lake, we followed the river and small rapids back to the dinghy. Just outside the woods in the open sunlight by the park entrance, where our dinghy was tied up, we came across a slew of blackberry bushes loaded with precious ripe berries. Risking bee stings and thorn-torn hands and legs, we harvested enough for blackberry pancakes the next morning. But first, when we arrived back to the boat, sitting in our Tenedos Bay anchorage, a batch of martinis was in order to wind down a very enjoyable day. Lisa then whipped up one of our favorite dishes, red beans, and rice.

By this time in our trip, I’d have to say we’ve become very VERY relaxed. Over a stack of blackberry pancakes the next morning, I asked Lisa, “What day is it?” and she said, “I don’t know!” After spending five travel days trailering our Kismet across the country, followed by a few days of preparations, laundry, and provisioning, and finally hop-scotching up the coast of Vancouver Island with the Ranger Tug group, we knew we’d come to the point of our PNW cruise where we had become completely relaxed. We didn’t know, or care, what day of the week or month it was. We had not seen or heard a newscast since putting our boat in the water, and we didn’t care. We had turned our phones off when we entered Canada and our onboard wifi card was turned off as well, no calls in or out for us and no internet except at the rare marina stops. We were beginning to feel like we were in a bubble of sorts and we savored every minute of that blissful state, being in the moment and totally focused on our Desolation Sound Cruise.

Blackberry pancakes this morning in our Tenedos Bay anchorage!

After a yummy breakfast of pancakes and berries, on Sunday morning, we pulled anchor to head over to Melanie and Laura Coves.

The post “What Day Is It?” – Tenedos Bay Anchorage appeared first on Trailer Trawler Life Blog – Cruising USA & Canada.