Vancouver to Desolation Sound - marina suggestions?

[YVRguy]

This is my first year sailing my own boat and my buddy and I are planning our longest trip yet - from Vancouver to Desolation Sound. I'm starting to plan the trip in earnest and I'd like to identify any full-service marinas north of Gibsons. In particular, is there anything around Nelson Island area? If anyone has a trip plan they have used with good anchorages and a couple of well placed marinas for re-provisioning, that would be ideal.

Thanks!

 

[Tricia]

Vancouver-Desolation Sound

We usually go to Gibsons the first day (Gibsons Marina), Pender Harbour the second - good provisioning there. There's a grocery store an easy walk from the public dock at Madeira Park. We like to stay at Fisherman's Marina in Hospital Bay.Both Madeira Park and Hospital Bay are part of Pender Harbour. From Pender, we go to Lund for the next night, then you're an easy hop to Desolation. Other spots we've stayed are Smuggler Cove (anchorage), nearby Secret Cove, which has a good store/liquor store at the dock; anchored in Blind Bay at Hardy Island; Powell River, which has new docks at Westview and a shuttle bus to shopping. There isn't much around Nelson Island unless you go up the channel to Egmont, but that's kind of out of the way if you're heading up to Desolation. Pender Harbour and Lund are the best stops for easy provisioning.

Once you're in the Desolation Sound area, Refuge Cove and Squirrel Cove are your best provisioning stops. Refuge Cove also has a garbage drop and the best block ice anywhere.

Have a great time. It's gorgeous up there and I hear it's not too crowded this year.

 

[YVRguy]

We usually go to Gibsons the first day (Gibsons Marina), Pender Harbour the second - good provisioning there. There's a grocery store an easy walk from the public dock at Madeira Park. We like to stay at Fisherman's Marina in Hospital Bay.Both Madeira Park and Hospital Bay are part of Pender Harbour. From Pender, we go to Lund for the next night, then you're an easy hop to Desolation. Other spots we've stayed are Smuggler Cove (anchorage), nearby Secret Cove, which has a good store/liquor store at the dock; anchored in Blind Bay at Hardy Island; Powell River, which has new docks at Westview and a shuttle bus to shopping. There isn't much around Nelson Island unless you go up the channel to Egmont, but that's kind of out of the way if you're heading up to Desolation. Pender Harbour and Lund are the best stops for easy provisioning.

Once you're in the Desolation Sound area, Refuge Cove and Squirrel Cove are your best provisioning stops. Refuge Cove also has a garbage drop and the best block ice anywhere.

Have a great time. It's gorgeous up there and I hear it's not too crowded this year.

Awesome! Thanks so much

 

[Stu Jackson]

Doug, IIRC (my father-in-law lives on Vancouver Island, so I used to do some boating up there) the Waggoner's Guide should answer that question. I also recall the Dreamspeaker Guide. Don't know if Activecaptain goes that far north.

 

[Mark Maulden]

Waggoner's should do it. Excellent cruising guide.

 

[Lost Parent]

When are you leaving

 

[YVRguy]

When are you leaving

We are leaving on the 23rd

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Waggoner's Guide (2013) is your best guide for this area of the coast.

One note of caution (in an otherwise Garder of Eden) is to avoid Grief Point just south of Powell River. A real dump. Thought I might be a bit harsh the first time but they really confirmed my opinion the second time.

Showers consisted of cubicles in an abandoned, moldy health club. All the athlete's foot you can handle .

Lot's of big power boats with lots of entitlement ................ both times we were there ! ! ! !

And yet Powell River which is just up the coast, is an absolute delight. I don't imagine the commercial fishing boats put up with too much crap from the stink pots and that's why they go elsewhere.

 

[YVRguy]

Waggoner's Guide (2013) is your best guide for this area of the coast.

One note of caution (in an otherwise Garder of Eden) is to avoid Grief Point just south of Powell River. A real dump. Thought I might be a bit harsh the first time but they really confirmed my opinion the second time.

Showers consisted of cubicles in an abandoned, moldy health club. All the athlete's foot you can handle .

Lot's of big power boats with lots of entitlement ................ both times we were there ! ! ! !

And yet Powell River which is just up the coast, is an absolute delight. I don't imagine the commercial fishing boats put up with too much crap from the stink pots and that's why they go elsewhere.

Thanks for the tip Ralph. Just the kind of info I was looking for.

 

[Stretch]

Bit of a sail between Gibsons
and the next protected mooring or marina, at Secret Cove, Smugglers Cove Marine Park, or Half Moon Bay, so weather or the iron jib will determine how far out of YVR you get the first day. Check out Merry Island lighthouse station on the way up. Hope you see whales or orcas on your trip. ''

If anything is gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there.''

 

[David W]

This is my first year sailing my own boat and my buddy and I are planning our longest trip yet - from Vancouver to Desolation Sound. I'm starting to plan the trip in earnest and I'd like to identify any full-service marinas north of Gibsons. In particular, is there anything around Nelson Island area? If anyone has a trip plan they have used with good anchorages and a couple of well placed marinas for re-provisioning, that would be ideal.

Thanks!

We just returned from three weeks in the Desolation Sound area.

We left from Nanaimo so can't comment on coming up from Vancouver. But we spent two nights anchored in Smuggler's Cove then went to Madeira Park in Pender Harbour. There is a terrific grocery store in Madera Park so it's a good stop for provisions.

We then headed to Powell River and tied up at the public docks. Be prepared to raft. Excellent facility with very clean showers and friendly staff.

Then up the Malsapina Strait and around the corner to anchor in Galley Bay. Also a beautiful spot. We popped over to Refuge Cove for ice and ice cream(!) then over to Tenedos Bay. Watch out for the rocks that come out a fair ways in side the entrance. Check your charts carefully. We anchored on the easy side of the bay and rowed over to the west side and hiked to Unwin Lake for awesome freshwater swimming.

We then headed to Manson's Landing for two days of the best waterpark experience when the tide fills the Lagoon. Seriously it's a blast floating in on a 3 kt flood!

Next up was a day anchored in Gorge Harbour. They have done an amazing job with the marina and facilities including 24/7 laundry, a funky store for provisions and a new pool. $20 get a family of four in for the day. Also a very good restaurant on site. Make reservations for a cooks night off ;-)

After a good rest, we headed to Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island. Lovely spot, anchor toward the south end of the inlet where the land shoals away a bit more gradually than near the middle of the pit where it can be 90 ft deep 60 ft from shore.

We then started south to home base in Maple Bay. Basically was Rebecca Spit to Comox to Deep bay to Nanaimo to Maple Bay. We did 120 nm in four days which was a bit of bash

Have a great time. It was our first time up but it won't be our last!

Oh, as far as guides go, I HIGHLY recommend the Dreamspeaker guides. We lent ours to a couple who compared it to the Wagoneer guide and they found the Dreamspeaker guide much more useful.

 

[Switched Off]

This is my first year sailing my own boat and my buddy and I are planning our longest trip yet - from Vancouver to Desolation Sound. I'm starting to plan the trip in earnest and I'd like to identify any full-service marinas north of Gibsons. In particular, is there anything around Nelson Island area? If anyone has a trip plan they have used with good anchorages and a couple of well placed marinas for re-provisioning, that would be ideal.

Thanks!

I'm in Nanaimo, the trek up to desolation takes me 2.5 days. The second one being a long day to get to the Copland islands. Nice marine park. As most people have said, smugglers or secret cove is day 1. But I found this great little boat club on the upper side of Texada called the "Texada Boat Club" it is not very big but they are really nice wharfingers, and it has groceries/ pub and great blackberry picking.

Texada Boat Club
The Texada Boat Club lies safe and secure ringed by steep treed bluffs and a mammoth rock breakwater. The dream of a viable community Boat Club started in the 60's by forward thinking Islanders has become a reality through the dedicated hard work of club members, the generosity of local landowners and the quarries and especially through community support throughout its history. Volunteer work parties are the backbone of the Club's expansion, which now extends to over 500 feet of docks, including substantial transient moorage for the accommodation of visitor boats, all which generates income for the Club. Membership is open to residents who reside full time on Texada.
For more information contact Greg McMahon (President) at 604-486-7504.

The wharfingers, Bob & Maggie Timms, can be reached at 604-486-0274 or 604-414-5897 and monitor VHF 66A

http://texada.org/texada-boat-club/

Texada is such a long run and if you have the time up or down and don't want a long day this is a great stopping point.

 

[YVRguy]

We just returned from three weeks in the Desolation Sound area.

We left from Nanaimo so can't comment on coming up from Vancouver. But we spent two nights anchored in Smuggler's Cove then went to Madeira Park in Pender Harbour. There is a terrific grocery store in Madera Park so it's a good stop for provisions.

We then headed to Powell River and tied up at the public docks. Be prepared to raft. Excellent facility with very clean showers and friendly staff.

Then up the Malsapina Strait and around the corner to anchor in Galley Bay. Also a beautiful spot. We popped over to Refuge Cove for ice and ice cream(!) then over to Tenedos Bay. Watch out for the rocks that come out a fair ways in side the entrance. Check your charts carefully. We anchored on the easy side of the bay and rowed over to the west side and hiked to Unwin Lake for awesome freshwater swimming.

We then headed to Manson's Landing for two days of the best waterpark experience when the tide fills the Lagoon. Seriously it's a blast floating in on a 3 kt flood!

Next up was a day anchored in Gorge Harbour. They have done an amazing job with the marina and facilities including 24/7 laundry, a funky store for provisions and a new pool. $20 get a family of four in for the day. Also a very good restaurant on site. Make reservations for a cooks night off ;-)

After a good rest, we headed to Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island. Lovely spot, anchor toward the south end of the inlet where the land shoals away a bit more gradually than near the middle of the pit where it can be 90 ft deep 60 ft from shore.

We then started south to home base in Maple Bay. Basically was Rebecca Spit to Comox to Deep bay to Nanaimo to Maple Bay. We did 120 nm in four days which was a bit of bash

Have a great time. It was our first time up but it won't be our last!

Oh, as far as guides go, I HIGHLY recommend the Dreamspeaker guides. We lent ours to a couple who compared it to the Wagoneer guide and they found the Dreamspeaker guide much more useful.

Thanks, tons of great info here!