Author: Thomas Hamilton

Campbell River To Comox Harbour

August 28th To 30 th

Trip length 33 nm

We decided to head about 33 nm south from Campbell River to Comox Harbour.  Comox has a marina but we decided to anchor out in the harbour.  Up in the north side of comox Harbrour is the town of Courtney which you can visit by dinghy.

  • Campbell River To Comox Harbour

On the way we encountered some whales with one of them laying on it’s back with both flippers held in the air.  The whale did this for 15-20 minutes and was still going when we left.  We call this our clapping whale.

  • Clapping Whale Sighting

We first anchored out up inside Goose Spit but it was crowded by local moored boats and the only open space was the channel down the middle of the boats in front of the HMCS Quadra military station.  It seemed no boats where anchored in this channel so we moved over to in front of and just North of the marina as shown below.  Nice holding in 30′ or so of water and the only wakes we had was from the boats going in and out of the marina.

  • Comox Harbour

Comox has a fairly large transient dock space when you enter from the southern most end of the marina.  Fishermans wharf is known for fishing boats selling catch off the boats but no one was selling when where there. 

Nice anchorage with view of mountains and Comox (also called Queneesh) glacier. Its shrinking fast and some think if current weather patterns hold it will be gone in 5 years.  https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-happens-town-cultural-identity-namesake-glacier-melts-180958140/

Link to article about shrinking glaciers in BC and photos of Comox glacier 2013-2015

Story of the glacier

Most people in the Comox Valley know the Queneesh narrative

In the version that Everson tells, an old chief is forewarned by the Creator to prepare four canoes for a coming flood. The floodwaters ultimately cover the land completely, leaving the people in the canoes adrift until they’re able to fasten ropes to a giant white whale: Queneesh. At last, as the waters begin to recede, the whale beaches itself on the mountains, and is transformed into a glacier.

  • Comox Marina Fishermans Wharf

The first day we walked up through the park at the marina and up the hill to the small town of Comox to check out downtown.  The park is nice with a food truck or two and a lot of families enjoying the water park and surrounding area.  Downtown is a couple blocks up the street and has grocery, liqour and HW stores for supplies.

  • Comox Marina Water Park
  • Downtown Comox
  • Downtown Comox

The next day we took the dinghy up to the north end of Comox Harbour to the Courtney River to the town of Courtney.  We docked next to the boat ramp at the Courtney Marina to walk to the museum there.   The marina is on the port side up the river about a mile and a half up from the when the river start from the bay.

Going in with a rising tide will help with the shallow depths and outgoing current on this trip.  The water is very shallow, even for a dinghy, on the way up Comox harbour and the markers are not much help.  There was also a pretty good current, and combined with shallow water, can make it tough to make the last part of the trip in too the Courtney Marina.

  • Courtney Marina
  • Dinghy Docked at Courtney Marina

Once we where at the marina we walked a ways back south on the Courtney Riverway Trail along the water and found a bunch of blackberries to feast on.  We then headed back north on the trail about a mile or so to the Courtney Museum.

  • Courtney Riverway Trail

The museum has a great assortment of fossils and is well worth the visit.

  • Courtney Museum

Once we got back to the dinghy Holly helped us pilot through the shallow water going back to the marina.

  • Holly Guiding Crew Back from Courtney

Gorge Harbour To Campbell River

August 26 th To 29 th

Trip Length 17 nm

We got out of Gorge Marina around 10 am for our short rip to Campbell River Coast Marina.  DestinationCambpell river. A largish town (35k, the biggest we have been to in weeks) and the “salmon capital of the world”.  When leaving Gorge Harbour you have to take a hard turn to starboard to get around the spit extending southward from Marina Island.  The channel around the spit at the end of Marina Island is pretty narrow but well marked.  There is a nice anchorage along the east side of the spit we passed on our way by that was very crowded with anchored boats.  We rounded the light house at the south end of Quadra Island ending up fighting a 2-3 knot current for the last mile in to the Campbell River Coast Marina.  This is a smaller family owned marina run by a father and son, highly recommended.  They even provided a free ride over to Elk Falls where we hiked back to the boat. 

  • Anchorage South East End Marina Island Spit
  • Light House South End Quadra Island

  • Campbell River Coast Marina

The first day we walked north of our marina to Robert V. Ostler Park and then checked out Fishermans Wharf Marina Pier Farmers market and had some lunch at the baba ganoush foodtruck. Some artists had booths and some veges/bread baked goods. We bought some strawberries. Walked back along pier street and found a thrift shop where we picked up some paniers and a plumbers wrench.


  • Robert V. Ostler Park 

  • Robert V. Ostler Park 
  • Fishermans Wharf 

Once we checked out the boats at Fishermans Wharf we turned around and went north past Discovery Harbour Marina past an indian grave yard.  The town has put interpretive signs a long the way. There is a cemetery/burial ground on the way out to the spit and many totem poles honored graves as well as grave stones. Some Indian named Henderson carved mosteverything in town (I think he is gone but children carry on).  Hoping to go to Elk Falls provincial parktomorrow with the doggies.



  • Fishermans Wharf Marina
  • Campbell River Indian Grave Yard

A little further north we passed the Tyee Club which is in front of Tyee pool famous for it’s salmon.  The members fish in skiff’s where you must row to catch a Tayee salmon to join the club.

  • Campbell River Tyee Club

Past the club is dick Murphy Park which dead ends at Campbell river.

  • Campbell River Dick Murphy Park
  • Terra Approving Dick Murphy Park
  • North End Dick Murphy Park

The next day the owner of the marina was nice enough to drive us over to Elk Falls Trail Head where we started our hike back to the marina along the banks of the Cambell River on the millennium and canyon view trails.

  • Elk Falls Hike Map

The trail head is close to the Elk Falls suspension Bridge you walk over the wooden plank generator plant “penstock” pipes and suspension bridge to get to Elk Falls.  The wooden plank water pipes are 20′ or so in diameter and built like wood water tanks with planks bound with metal rings.  They where built 60 years ago and still in use.  Shows you how well this construction works, kind of like wood boats surviving for so many years.

  • Elk Falls Trail Head
  • Generator Plant Wood water Feed Pipes
  • Elk Falls Suspension Bridge
  • Elk Falls
  • Elk Falls

We then walked down river from the Falls along the river side trail to the 
John Hart Generation Station.


  • John Hart Generation Station
  • Bridge Crossing Above Station

You cross the river from the south side to the north at the bridge above the generation plant.  We followed the trail down the north side until we got to the logging road where you cross back over to the south side again on Detweiler Rd and back to the marina.

  • Detweiler Rd and Hwy 28

Squirrel Cove To Gorge Harbour Marina

August 23 rd To 26 th

Trip distance 16 nm

Since the smoke was still with us we decided to head to Gorge Harbour Marina, on the other side of Cortes Island, to be able to plug in and run AC’s to filter the air.  This is a short two hour hop from Squirrel Cove.  Nice marina with general store and close by hiking at Whale Town Commons.  On the way in the harbour high up on the port side are some red petroglyphs shown below.

  • Squirrel Cove To Gorge Harbour

  • Gorge Harbour Entrance Petroglyphs

Gorge Harbour turned out to be a great stop where we ended up staying three nights at the marina.  The marina has a long dock out front that can handle large boats, even up too 100′ or so, and room inside for smaller ones.  The grounds are very nicely kept with a well stocked general store with LP gas available.  The grounds also include a nice RV park that seems very popular with folks taking the ferry over to Cortes island.

  • Gorge Harbour Sign

  • Gorge Harbour Marina Restaurant

  • Gorge Harbour Marina
  • Gorge Harbour General Store
  • George Harbour RV Park
  • Gorge Harbour Marina Grounds

If you walk out the entrance road to the marina and take a left on Whale Town road past the fire House sign you will find Whale Town Commons Trail head on the right.  This is a real nice hike with a few old growth trees still standing.

  • Walking down Road To Whale Town Commons Hike
  • Fire House Sign Before Whale Town Commons Hike
  • Whale Town Commons Trail Head
  • Whale Town Commons Map
  • Whale Town Commons Hike
  • Commons Old Growth Tree

The commons hike has many examples of nurser tree stumps where new trees use old logged tree stumps as a base to grow on.

  • Commons Nurser Trees
  • Commons Hike

    The next day we walked back to the commons and walked through it to the back of the park and took a left on Jocelyn road.    On Jocelyn road we passed some cool artsy kind of houses until the road petered out and we found a small path to the left out too Carrington Bay road.  Carrington Bay takes you back too Whale Town road where a small art galley is located before you get to Whale Town proper.  Whale Town has a small dock/marina and the smallest post office I have ever seen.  There is also a small pottery there at the house next too the docks where we talked to the owner about Whale Town and bought two coffee cups.

    • Whale Town Art Gallery
    • Whale Town Church
    • Whale Town Dock
    • Whale Town Post Office

    Teakerne Arm To Squirrel Cove Anchorage

    August 22 nd To 23 rd

    Trip Length 7 nm

    Very short trip over to Squirrel Cove Anchorage on Cortes Island where we are hoping that the smoke from BC forest fires may not be as bad.  There are some nice trails in the Von Donop Provincial Park from the Anchorage.

    • Teakerne Arm To Squirrel Cove

    On the way in you pass by the small town Squirrel Cove on your left as you approach the anchorage at the head of the harbour.  Once we entered the anchorage we decided to anchor out in the first main harbour since it was a bit crowded further in.  Note the Trail Start below for the Von Donop Trail, it was a bit hard to find from the water.


    • Squirrel Cove Anchorage

    • Squirrel Cove Anchorage
    • Squirrel Cove Public Dock

      Once we anchored we took the dinghy in to Squirrel Cove public dock. The small town has a restaurant and well stocked general store.  Down stairs is a HW Store/chandlery that had a surprising variety of stuff available.  We sat outside at the restaurant and had fish tacos before heading back to the boat.

      • Squirrel Cove Restaurant 
      • Squirrel Cove Store
      • Patty And Dogs Squirrel Cove 

      The next day it took a bit of searching in the dinghy but we finally found the trail head for the Von Donop Trail which is marked with a white bucket filled with rocks.

      • Von Donop Trail Head

      • Von Donop Trail Start

      The trail has been well marked by previous visitors with various items you find on the trees as you proceed.


      • Von Donop Trail

      • Von Donop Trail

      If you proceed to the head of the trail at the road you will find the small Salmon Facility.  At this point you can walk in to town if you like.


      • Von Donop Trail, sign in to town
      • Squirrel Cove Von Donop Salmom Facility

      On the way we passed by the Van Donop Anchorage which is accessed through the Ha’thayim (Von Donop) Marine Provincial Park on the north side of Cortez Island.  Was much less crowded there with only two boats present that seemed to be there long term.

      • Squirrel Cove Trail Von Donop Anchorage

        Tenedos To Teakerne Arm Provencial Park

        August 21 st – 22 nd

        Trip Length 14 nm

        We went to Teakerne Arm to check out the waterfall but by this time the smoke had gotten so bad that we did not want to get off the boat and exert ourselves due to the bad air.  You could not even see across the anchorage to the boats on the far side.  Very pretty spot but we ended up just staying a day and not really checking out much so not any pictures etc……..

        We decided to head to Squirrel cove where the BC smoke map showed cleaner air.  

          Grace Harbour To Tenedos Bay

          August 20th-21st

          Trip Length 8 nm

          Our second stop in Desolution Sound Marine Provencial Park is Tenedos Bay where there is a hike to freshwater Unwin Lake where many people swim in the warm water of the lake.  Tenedos Bay was the start of our problem’s with smoke from the BC fires that plagued our trip for the next 3-4 weeks.  This is when we started looking at the BC Smoke Forecast web page with 24 simulations of smoke coverage so that we could start planning our next location to move around the smoke.

          http://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/BSC00CA04/current/

          We ended up anchoring out along the north east side of the bay in about 40 ft of water.  Our first try at anchoring when backing down we could could feel our chain twitching as our Rocna 110 anchor dragged on rock, on the second try a little further north we did get a good set.

          • Tenedos Bay Entrance, gettin smokey!
          • Tenedos Bay Dinghy Landing Unwin Lake Hike 

          The trail starts at the dinghy landing and we took a trail offshoot to the left of the main trail to let the dog’s run in the stream coming down from the lake.

          • Unwin Lake Trail Sign
          • Unwin Lake Trail Start
          • Unwin Lake Trail Stream
          • Unwin Lake Rock For Swimming

          Once at the lake we took a short hike on a trail to the right side of the lake but it petered out pretty quickly and got swampy so we ended up turning back after a few hundred yards.

          • Unwin Lake Trail Right Side Of Lake

          Powell River to Grace Harbour Anchorage

          August 18th To 20th

          Trip length 26 nm

          Grace Harbour is our first stop in the BC Desolution Sound Provencial Marine Park system. The park has three main anchorages: Prideaux Haven, Tenedo’s Bay and Grace Harbour.  We plan to visit Grace and Tenedo’s.

          See http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/desolation/

          This park has long been a boater’s favorite in the Malaspina Inlet and Homfray Channel area.  The warm waters of the park make for great swimming and their are nice hiking trails at the anchorages.

          We headed north from Powell River and then took a right at the entrance to Okeover Arm Inlet to Malaspina Inlet where Grace Harbour anchorage is located.

          • Grace Harbour Entrance
          • Desolution Sound Park Sign Grace Harbour Entrance

          We went to the north east side at the head of Grace Harbour where we anchored in 30′ or so in a nice mud bottom.


          Looking West Grace Harbour Anchorage

          On the west side of anchorage is a nice dinghy landing spot with a trail to Black Lake.

          • Dinghy Landing Grace Harbour
          • Grace Harbour Trail To Black Lake Map
          • Patty On Black Lake Trail

          • Patty And Dogs Black Lake Trail

          • Black Lake
          Terra at Black Lake
          • Holly at Black Lake

          It is very evident from all the old equipment found all over these areas that logging was everywhere and old growth forest are just left in small patches  here and there.

          • Old Case Diesel Engine 
            Black Lake Trail

          Chatter Box Falls To Powell River

          August 14th – 18th

          Raised anchor at around 9am to make slack tide at 9:45am at Malibu Rapids, timed it well and had an easy 1-2 knot ebb current going out through the pass on our way to Powell River.

          Powell River is a logging town with the Catalyst Paper Mill to the north of the marina, the area next to the mill is the historic area of Powell river.   There are plenty of places to provision with grocery stores and HW stores available but they are up some steep hills so expect to get some good exercise.

          • Chatter Box Falls To Powell River

          As we where leaving we started to start noticing the smoke from the BC forest fires that get worse over the next 2-3 weeks and ended up driving us back south from the Broughtons to get out of it later in the trip.  

          • Exiting Malibu Rapids, Smoke!

           Powell River Marina is around 56nm miles away so at our roughly 9 knot speed we made it to Powell River West View Harbor marina at around 3 pm.   The dock crew at Westview do a great job in packing the boats in so if you have a side tie to the dock expect boats to side tie up to you during your stay.

          • Powell River West View Harbor Entrance 
          • Westview Harbour
          • Willingdon Beach  Park

          Dont miss the Willingdon Beach Trail if you visit Powell River.  The trail runs along the water and is very cool with old logging equipment set up for viewing along the trail.  We walked out of the marina heading North along the water through the Willingdon Beach Campground to the trail.


          • Willingdon Beach Camp Ground

           We followed the trail all the way down to Historic Downtown Powell River and the Catalyst Paper Mill.  We returned back south to the marina on Marine Avenue above the trail taking in the view of the old houses for the mill managers/employees up the hill. 

          • Willingdon Beach Trail

          The logging equipment is very cool and all is custom made for very specific tasks.  The designs for these things are pretty complicated and must have taken years of refinement for a lot of it.  For example the Pole Wheel Cart design uses logs for rails to run the cart on. 

          • Road Grader
          • Pole Wheel Exhibit
          • Steam Donkey

          The steam donkey was dis-assembled by a volunteer crew and flown out by helicopter to the current location where it was re-assembled.   At the north end of the trail the you run in too the Catalyst Paper Mill which is surrounded by the original Old Town Powell River buildings supporting the paper mill. 

          • Log Tug Catalyst Paper Mill.

          Dwight Hall is the original hall for the mill with kitchens and entertaining facilities.

          • Dwight Hall Historic District
          • Dwight Hall
          • Paper Mill And Dwight Hall Powell River Historic District

          On the way over to Marine ave we ran in to the Patricia Theatre so we just had to get a picture of Patricia in front of it.

          • Patricia at Patricia Theatre

          One the way back we headed south on Marine Ave above the trail tp take a look at the pretty houses built for the upper echelon mill employees.

          • Marine Avenue

          • Marine Avenue House

          That evening we had dinner under the grape vines at Snickers up the hill and south of the marina.  Very good food and great atmosphere!

          Vines Above Snickers Outdoor Dining

          Pender Harbor Too Chatter Box Falls

          August 11, 12 and 13th

          Big day… off to Chatterbox falls in Princess Louisa inlet. Alex thought we might be departing later to catch the Malibu rapids at entrance to the inlet at slack…. then he realized we had to leave NOW ?…so we got going quickly and cruised up Agammemnon Channel and in to Jervis Inlet.  Was worried the ebbing tidal current, shown ebbing at 13:45 PDT at Malibu Rapids diagram below, would slow us down and we would miss our slack window. Did not see anything over a knot or so of current on the trip up so all good.  
          Malibu Rapids at Princess Louisa Inlet can have up to 10 knots currents with a narrow dog leg in the middle so nothing to trifle with.  Even with making close to slack we had 2-3 knots flood going in.

          John Henry Marina Too Chatter Box Falls
          Princess Luisa Current 8/11/2018

          Gloomy cloudy day and ended up raining too. At first a bit disappointed about rain but later realized this created many waterfalls in the fjord. Easy cruise and got to the rapids a bit before slack with incoming 2-3 knott current. Announced our transit and through we went.  Entrance dog legs to the right and a bit of an S curve but since we had timed it well not a problem. A 110 foot boat Alliance went through before us. We did not see it but wondered about navigating a long boat like that through the inlet.

          • Rapids Entrance, Dog Leg Right Past Rock On Right
          • Rapids Middle of Dog Leg


          Right near the entrance to Princess Louisa Inlet is a Christian kids camp. It must be for rich kids as what a place! Beautiful grounds, swim area, ski boats, SUPS, volleyball etc…. looked very swanky.

          Fancy Kids Camp At Malibu Rapids

          Arrived at the falls..it rained much of the way up the inlet but this created the waterfalls. The dock was full (we are too big for dock anyway) and there were several boats anchored to the west of the falls. I urged Alex to squeeze in right in front of the falls which he did YAY!! They guys went to stern tie us but it would have been on east side of falls and ranger came out to say not a good idea to tie there but she said we likely did not need to stern tide due to the current from the falls. So no stern tie but right  in front of falls four our 3 day stay.

          • Water Dog At Chatter Box Falls
          • View from Starboard Chatter Box
          • View from Stern Chatter Box
          • Port Side Cliffs Chatter Box

          We all checked out the falls and then settle in for evening. We had some left over dungenous crab so I made crab coconut soup. I added Ramen noodles at the end and it complemented it well.

          Next day we deployed SUPS and kayaks and all did a bit of both. Took Dinghy to MacDonald island and took a short hike on Ming’s Loop, nice walk through the woods to the inlet. Got back and did some more SUPing and hanging.

          • Alex Suping Chatter Box
          • Patty, Gary and Marsha Dinghy Ride To Macdonald Island
          • Mings Loop Macdonald Island

          Mings Loop Trail
          Dighy Dock Macdonald Island
          Macdonald Map
          Terra Enjoying Ride Back from Macdonald Island

          Unfortunately a yacht we had seen at John Henry “Shiatz” showed up and anchored next to us. They had these motorized self-propelled wake boards which were an annoyance. Alex asked that they keep them away but they still ruined the serenity. Unfortunately the ranger was gone for the time they were there so they were not shut down (one would think they would not be allowed). After the fact we should have told them of 4 mph speed limit and maybe the would have respected that. Terrible behavior!

          The next AM Gary and Marcia were to fly out around 2pm.  We went to falls in AM, those guys took a kayak and then their float plane arrived.  When we were kayaking kept getting the feeling were being watched for some reason hmmmmm……Later in the day the float plane arrived at the park dock and Gary and Marsha flew off into the mist…

          • Holly Overseeing Kayaking
          • More Holly Intent On Kayakers
          • Float Plane Taking Of from Chatter Box Falls

          That afternoon we struck out on the trail to the trapper’s cabin (Which continues up to the top where apparently there are amazing views). Lots of warnings at beginning of how strenuous and unmaintained the trail is. We heard various reports…45 minute walk 1.5 hour walk? Anyhow off we went and it was very technical…lots of rocks and steep areas where one had to pull on roots etc…. We got about ½ hour and then Terra balked…she had enough…just too much for her with the steep inclines. So we turned around…I think youngster Holly could have made it and likely I could have too but it was a bit more than I liked too… maybe next time.

          • Trapper Cabin Hike Sign
          • Holly On Trapper Cabin Trail
          • Patty On Trapper Cabin Trail

          So the entire time we were there it seems hazy. We attributed it to humidity as it had rained but even on the last day when “sun” was out it was hazy. Turns out it was the beginning of several day so bad SMOKE from BC and Washington fires.

          • Exiting Princess Louisa Inlet
          • Exiting Princess Louisa Inlet


          We would have stayed another day but the idiots on Shiatz continued to run their motorized wake boards so we left and headed north to Powell river where we could provision and refill water.

          Nanaimo To Garden Bay/Pender Harbor

          August 10th

          Departed Nanaimo and stopped overnight at Garden Bay/Pender Harbor to get the first 30nm in for our destination of Chatter Box Falls.

          Nanaimo To Garden Bay/Pender Harbor

          Saw a couple humpbacks close by on the way (two sets of two) which was so cool. Arrived late afternoon and picked John Henry Resort and Marina in Hospitality bay for our overnight.  John Henry turnes out to be a real nice small marina with nice staff and well stocked store with all the essentials, food, beeer and Liqour.  At the free public dock nest to us we noticed a really nice restored fishing boat the Merry Chase, well done!

          • Whales!
          • Alex, Patty, Gary and Marsha at John Henry
          • John Henry Office
          • Liqour Agency And Marine Supply, Perfect
          • Pretty Wood Boat Merry Chase

          Walked a bit from marina and found a sign for the Pub Path, sounded like our kind of trail so followed it to Garden Pub on edge of Garden bay. Had some beers and wings then walked back. Chilled and had dinner.

          • Pub Path This Way, Cool
          • Pub Path Garden Bay
          • Garden Pub
          • Garden Pub