Quatsino Sound to Nootka Sound…
We last cruised up Quatsino and said goodbye to our NJ Crew members, sending them homeward bound from Coal Harbour.
Now our adventure down the West side of Vancouver Isle begins. This part of the cruise will be a mix of exploring the 5 sounds that reach into Vancouver Island’s interior, then open onto the Pacific Ocean and Open Ocean passages around headlands that have challenged mariners since the 1700’s.
The area is remote yet has been explored since the 1700’s by Russian, Spanish, and English sailors. All have left their mark and their names on the land of the First Nation.
We will travel down Quatsino Sound back to Winter Harbour finding a safe anchorage near Matthews Island and shelter from the open ocean and its weather. Winter Harbour offers some amenities should we need to replenish our provisions.
Our anchorage near Winter Harbour gives us a great location to await a good weather window for the rounding of the Brooks Peninsula, our next major passage.
There are 2 options open to us for Brooks Peninsula.
- One is the “Just Go for it” plan. A 40 nm shot out into the Pacific, around the Peninsula, Rocks and shoals that mark the west most edge of this mountainous promontory that extends 6 miles out from Vancouver Island. Rounding Cape Cook (named after Capt. Cook) is the second navigational milestone of our west side cruise. The automated weather station on Solander Island provides wind speed and direction for this headland.
- Two is the “It is not looking good today” route that takes us into Inlets on the north side of Brooks Peninsula. Klaskino and Kalaskish where we can find sheltered anchorages from the weather.
Once around Clerke Point we can head East sheltering behind Brooks Peninsula into Nasparti Inlet and find Columbia Cove (sometimes called Peddlers Cove). It is a good place to shelter from a North West Gale.
Next on our list of places to explore are the Bunsby Islands of the Malksope Inlet. The Bunsby’s are said to be Rocky, rugged and beautiful. Checleset Bay is reported to have a large population of Sea Otters. Once hunted to near extinction for their pelts to trade, they are back due to the successful results in 1969 to reintroduce them.
We leave the Bunsby’s for Kyuquot Sound and an anchorage behind Rugged Point and the Rugged Point Marine Park. Depending on our crews, Kyuquot offers several places to visit. Fair Harbour Marina, Dixie Cove, Petroglyph Cove (sometimes called Blue Lips Cove due to the water temps), Hankin Cove, and others. At this point in the trip our Sundowner gatherings will include discussions on our next stops, as we find our way.
From Kyuquot Sound we venture back into the Pacific and head to Esperanza Inlet on the northern side of Nootka Island. Nuchatlitz Provincial Park offers safe anchorage in the bay east of Rosa Island. This was once an Indian village and offers much to explore about the First Nation tribes that once occupied this area.
Our plan is to head up Esperanza Inlet thru Hecate Channel, Tahsis Narrows and to the town of Tahsis at eh head of Tahsis Inlet. Tahsis is a sawmill town that once thrived on the timber of the area. This site offers us an opportunity to replenish our provisions. The Waggoner’s Guide says the restaurant has live music and steak dinners. Perhaps it is a place to take a break?
Our route back to the ocean takes us down Tahsis Inlet to Friendly Cove Yuquot Point. A sheltered bay is the location where Captain Vancouver and Quadra met in 1792 where they attempted to negotiate the final details of the Nootka Convention where in Spain relinquished to England their claims to the Northwest Islands.
By this point we have completed about 24 days of travel around Vancouver Island, not counting layover days. We are about two thirds of our way through the cruise and are now beginning to see the more settled parts of the West Side.
Next up will be Hesquiat Peninsula and the rounding of Estevan Point.