Fueling and Provisioning at Refuge Cove – Desolation Sound

Refuge Cove is a relic of the past.

We have not been out cruising in Desolation Sound that long, this being our fifth day, but we missed getting fuel while we were at Gorge (it was busy when we left and we didn’t want to wait). So when we left Teakerne Arm we thought we’d head over to Refuge Cove, a fully functioning marina and year-round community, centrally located on West Redona Island in the heart of Desolation Sound. We wanted to fuel up and top off our water supply. Refuge Cove is a relic of the past. We marveled at how the store still stands in one piece on top of the ancient barnacle-covered pilings below. The cove provides a seasonal home to 20 families and home to half that many during the off-season.

While there we had a quick trip through the little store and were pleased to find quite a selection, more than we thought they’d have – all the basics were covered and some fresh produce to boot. We picked up a few items at the store and investigated all the other buildings – a laundry and shower facility, a used book store that also sold local honey, and a small gift store and cafe on top of the rocks.

We were really impressed with the laundry and shower facilities at Refuge Cove. They also make and sell ice there.

We like the looks of the marina’s Boater’s Lounge (above).

We ran into a couple of Ranger Tugs while we were at Refuge Cove, one of them had delivered Kenny, Service Rep at Ranger Tugs, to Refuge Cove so that he could catch a seaplane to Seattle to attend the wedding of a friend. We had talked to Kenny earlier about him cutting his Desolation Sound trip short to attend the wedding, he said it was really important that he be there for his friend. The reason Kenny is still sitting at the dock mid-Saturday with his suitcase, a day after his scheduled flight, is that during his trip to the marina to catch his scheduled flight, the boat ferrying him to the marina had a mechanical problem. Kenny chose to forego his flight to stay and help the owner identify and repair the problem. Now that’s way up there on the charts for first-class customer service. Way to go Kenny. It all worked out for the best in the end. We later heard that Jeff Messmer, Ranger Tugs Sales Manager, arranged a special flight for Kenny and he was able to make it to the reception.

The marina has an unusual plumbing system (above and below, right).

We had never heard of this game called Washer Dome (above left and below). Have you?

I guess you could say I have a weakness for cute dinghies. The bright colors of this one caught my eye. Isn’t it sweet?

We stayed less than two hours checking out the cove and getting fuel, water and groceries, then we were on our way again. Next stop… an anchorage in Tenedos Bay.