Highlights: Whales, Walks, Ice Cream and More

Here are some highlights from the last week or so.

Waiatt Bay

Waiatt Bay borders Octopus Islands Marine Park. It’s large and relatively shallow so it can accommodate many boats without feeling crowded. We stopped there twice–once on the way north and once on our way back south. One must pass through rapids to get to the bay so timing is everything. I grew up hearing horror stories of boats getting into trouble traversing Serge Narrows and Hole in the Wall so to see them and navigate them myself was both exciting and nerve-racking.

While we were there we enjoyed a walk across the narrow bit of land that joins the bay to Small Inlet on the west side of the island. The forest was quiet and radiated every possible shade of green. At first we thought we were walking through a very mature forest but then we spotted old overgrown stumps–evidence that the area had been logged before. The stumps were huge–some well over a meter and a half wide. We tried to imagine what this forest would have looked like a century ago.

Lancelot Inlet

Lancelot Inlet in Desolation Sound is well known for its warm waters and it lived up to its reputation. A friend has recently bought a water access only properly in the Inlet so we stopped by to see his new place and catch up. It was great seeing him and his new place.

Rapids

I have written a separate post about this but it’s worth mentioning here too. It really was a highlight of our trip. North of Desolation Sound and Campbell River there is a maze of long narrow inlets and passes. The currents can run very fast through them and have whirlpools and overfalls. Some of the spots are destinations for kayakers that like to play in the waves in the same way they do when they run rivers. Many of the rapids have reputations among boaters for the havoc they have caused over the years. I grew up hearing horror stories of Serge Narrows and Hole in the Wall. It was fun to see them for myself, finally.

Empty Anchorages

It is prime summer cruising season so most anchorages were not empty but the further north we went the less boats we saw. There were a couple of times that we were actually all alone in a pristine spot! Even when we weren’t alone we rarely felt crowded in anchorages.

Whales!

In Malaspina Strait east of Texada Island we saw a humpback whale on two occasions. It may have been the same whale two days in a row or two different whales. We’re not sure but either way, it’s always a highlight to see whales.

Ice Cream

We eat well on board. We don’t have to compromise our cooking because we’re on a boat. Sharlene even made bread and cookies on this trip! We do eat well but we don’t usually have ice cream on board. We could. We just don’t. It means that every so often when we get to a place with a store, we go looking for ice cream. We love wandering through the small communities dotted along the coast. Because of COVID we have avoided doing this for the last year and a half. Now that infection rates are declining and things are opening up, it’s great go back to visiting these unique communities as we explore the coast.

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