The largest and perhaps best known marine park in British Columbia, is considered by many boaters to be one of the world’s top cruising grounds. The waters of Desolation Sound are calm, sheltered and warm with many protected anchorages, and plentiful oysters, clams, prawns and salmon.
Desolation Sound Marine Park has over 14,000 acres of high land, 6,350 acres of shoreline and water, four lakes, one waterfall. The warmest salt water north of Mexico awaits swimmers in Pendrell Sound (up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit!). The area was named Desolation Sound by Captain George Vancouver, who first sailed here in 1792 and saw a silent and remote coast. The shoreline varies from low rolling hills to 4,500 foot peaks with many protected anchorages tucked into bays, coves and inlets.
The sheltered waters, islands and bays of Desolation Sound are suitable for exploration by small boats, kayaks and canoes with many opportunities to enjoy swimming, fishing, picnicking and hiking. Valid BC fishing licenses are required for fishing and shellfish collection. This itinerary has 4 anchorages, but there is far more to do and the yacht can be moved daily if desired.
Quadra Island, Taku Resort Marina
LAT 50º 5.0’N LONG 125º 12.0’W
This is the perfect spot to begin a cruise of Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands. But, before you start your cruise on the Pacific Yellowfin don’t forget to set your watch to “island time” and then relax and enjoy a glorious time. Rebecca Spit provides well-maintained trails for running, cycling or just taking a leisurely stroll. Suitably placed benches welcome you to relax and enjoy the breathtaking view. The sand and shingle beaches on either side of the spit are wonderful to explore, and they offer safe warm-water swimming on the inside and a log-strewn beachcombing paradise on the outside.
D A Y 1
Depart Taku and cruise to Manson’s Landing
LAT 50º 3.8’N LONG 125º 0.0’W
Walking in Manson’s Landing Park is more of an exploration than a vigorous hike, for there are several different environments to enjoy. From the government wharf in the park, you can walk south along the fine sandy beach of the foreshore, where loons and a variety of waterfowl swim along the offshore kelp beds. Sand dollars and the occasional moon snail shell lie among the debris at high tide line. About a 25 minute walk from the government dock, watch for a huge granite boulder, where a petrogliph of a fish, almost 3 meters long, has been pecked into the rock. The walk to Hague Lake, about 1 kilometer from the wharf, that skirts the lagoon and passes through an old growth forest. We also take to the tenders and explore neighboring Gorge Harbor. This harbor is almost completely enclosed and has many coves and islands to explore by small boat. It is protected from most winds, although westerly’s blowing over the low-lying west arm of the harbor can produce a chop.
There are pictographs on the high cliffs at the narrow entrance to the harbor. They are best viewed at high water when the current is slack, as the tidal current runs at up to 4 knots through the shallow opening. It is thought that the pictographs, about half way down the cliff wall, were made by lowering native artists on cedar ropes from the top of the cliff. Stories tell of how Gorge Harbor Indians ambushed a hostile band by balancing huge rocks on the edge of the cliff and releasing them as the invaders passed through the gorge. This is also an excellent, safe location for a novice to learn kayaking.
Our fast tenders whisk you through Uganda Passage to Whaletown where one of the oldest Post Offices in BC is still in use. This town came into existence in 1867 when Governor Sir James Douglas selected the site as the location where whales caught in the Gulf of Georgia could be rendered, flensed and the products shipped to market. By 1870 the whales had been virtually eliminated in the Gulf and the Dawson Whaling Company moved on leaving nothing but the town’s name.
And of course, one has to visit the General Store to visit with Cockney George to buy some local smoked oysters and to see his English garden. George and his wife came from London to run the store, but she couldn’t stand the isolation. She gave George an ultimatum, me or the store. She now lives in England! The privy shown in November edition of Boat International is next to George’s General Store.
D A Y 2
Manson’s Landing to Squirrel Cove
LAT 50° 7.7’N LONG 124° 55.1’W
Next we move the Pacific Yellowfin to Squirrel Cove, setting our own prawn traps at Cortes Bay on the way. Here at Squirrel Cove we can put the mountain bikes and motor scooters ashore if one wishes to explore the interior of Cortes Island. This is the last chance to do this as there will be no more roads ashore.
Lots of room here for water skiing, wake boarding, and shooting the tidal streams in and out of the lagoons. There is also a nice 30 min walking trail to Von Donup Inlet. From here we can visit our last touch of civilization before we go deep into Desolation Sound called Refuge Cove.
Welcoming Refuge Cove is cooperatively owned and operated and certainly lives up to its name. This friendly enterprising community happily accommodates many visiting boats in the summer months and then leads a quiet, secluded life the rest of the year. It also houses a B.C. Liquor Store outlet and post office. Seaplanes operate regular chartered and scheduled flights to and from Vancouver and Campbell River. “Fuel is available after Sept. 15 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 1pm-3pm.” We thought you would get a chuckle at our West Coast business hours!
D A Y S 3 - 4
Teakerne Arm on West Redonda Island
LAT 50º 11.7’N LONG 124º 50.9’W
The main attractions of Teakerne Arm Marine Park include the invitingly warm waters of Cassel Lake and its spectacular, cascading falls. This is the perfect place to picnic and treat yourself to a freshwater swim. A full-pressure shower under “Cassel Lake Falls” is for the adventurous only. For an energetic hike and more relaxing bath, we follow the well-worn trail that leads from the dingy dock to a ledge of smooth clean bathing rocks on the lake’s southern shore. A helpful haul-out rope has also been placed here for your convenience. Returning to the yacht, the southern shoreline of Teakerne Arm affords splendid sunsets.
Guests can enjoy kayaking, water sports, fishing, and hiking. We also have a special excursion to an oyster farm where our very own oyster lady, a “female version of Crocodile Dundee” gives us a talk and tour of her float house and adjacent farm. She is also featured on a raft in Boat International November Edition. We always leave with clams and oysters.
D A Y S 5 - 6
Von Donup Inlet
LAT 50º 11.0’N LONG 124º 58.8’W
Von Donup Inlet is almost 5 km (3mi) in length and rather narrow in spots as it twists and turns, almost dividing Cortes Island. B.C. Parks, in partnership with the Klahoose First Nations, declared the inlet and surrounding lands a marine park in 1994 and preserved this magical spot for all to enjoy. It still offers a rich variety of nooks and crannies to anchor in as well as peaceful lagoons to explore and forested trails to hike.
The Pacific Yellowfin can only enter and leave on high tide, as there is a large rock in the entrance. We haven’t touched it yet! In Von Donup, we enjoy lots of water sports, as the water is very warm. We always set up our floating water trampoline. A 2 hour hike through old growth forest ends at a majestic swimming hole at Robertson Lake. This place is not well known. Captain Colin first swears you to secrecy, or else ‘keel hauling’.
At night we have a singalong on the back deck using the Pacific Yellowfin’s own songbook. In Ireland they say that if you know the words of the song you are a good singer. So, there is no shortage of great singers onboard the Pacific Yellowfin. We roast marshmallows, drink wine and gaze at the stars. If the tides are right we make trips to either Surge Narrows or Arran Rapids where we shoot the rapids flowing at 6-8 knots and watch the bald eagles diving for unfortunate fish tumbled up from the depths by the turbulence. If we are really lucky, the killer whales or "Orcas” will also join in the feast. A trip to an old hippy commune once full of Vietnam conscientious objectors is a treat, for it is just like a scene from Harry Potter with its “tumbled down rickety houses”.
D A Y 7
Return to Taku Resort
On the way back to Taku, one can explore the trails and logging roads of Read Island or portage the kayaks and rowing skiffs from Carrington Bay over the driftwood pile and into Carrington Lagoon, then go and explore an old deserted farmstead with overhanging grape arbors in an orchard that overlooks the head of the lagoon.
Finally, we return to Taku Lodge and unfortunately end our cruise. Guests will be asked to reset their watches back to city time. By the way, all the clocks on the Pacific Yellowfin, one in each room, do not work, as island time is watching the tide!
Captain Colin Griffinson
Pacific Yellowfin
Toys to enjoy onboard the Pacific Yellowfin
- One 24ft runabout tender
- One 24ft landing craft tender
- Three 50CC cross country scooters
- Three person 1750CC Sea-Doo
- Six mountain bikes
- Two double ocean kayaks
- Two single ocean kayaks
- One 14ft rigid hull inflatable
- One 14ft clinker sailing/rowing dinghy
- Golf driving range
- Air target rifles
- Water trampoline
- Log and launcher
- Three person ‘hot dog’
- Three water tubes
- Water skis
- Wake boards
- Wetsuits
- Snorkeling Gear
- Fishing Rods and Gear
- Prawn and Crab traps
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