Desolation Sound is one of
the most beautiful paddling destinations on the West Coast. The Coast
Mountains rise straight up out of the water and tower into the sky
reflecting the brilliant colours of the sun’s dynamic rays and rendering
the area inaccessible by land.
Wildlife
Wildlife you may see on this tour are the Bald Eagle, Harbour Seal, Oyster
Catcher, Raven, Dalls' Porpoise, Black Bear, Deer, River Otter and more.
Sea life varies from a Wolf Eel to Star fish to Moon Jelly and more. The
list is endless.
Landscape
Desolation Sound is situated in the rain shadow of the Vancouver Island
mountains. This means that as the prevailing weather systems come into the
coast from the Pacific Ocean, the majority of the precipitation is dropped
while the system passes over Vancouver Island making Desolation Sound a
relatively dry area on the coast that receives plenty of sunshine.
Incredible Mountain Views in
Desolation Sound.
Day 1
Our tour begins on Quadra Island where we meet
in the morning to catch the ferry that takes us to Cortes Island. The
ferry ride to Cortes is great fun and offers a view of the waters
surrounding Rebecca Spit, Quadra and Read Islands. Once on Cortes we have
a short but interesting drive to our launch point at Squirrel Cove where
we go over a safety and instructional talk on the beach. We’ll eat a
hearty lunch in the cove, then your guide/s will explain, and show how to
effectively pack your kayak, and before you know it we are on the water
paddling our way toward the majestic Coast Mountains. This leg of the trip
is almost always a great photo opportunity. With the mountains coming into
view, they make a picture perfect back drop for photography. We’ll stop
for a shoreline snack and get out to stretch our legs along the way.
Depending on the group’s speed and desires, we may camp on
the Martin Islands or a little closer to Desolation Sound Marine Park. We
set up camp for the night and snuggle in for a sumptuous dinner and
campfire.
Day 2
Fresh air and the sounds of birds and seals are the morning wake-up call
with a hint of fresh Starbucks coffee brewing on the camp stove. After a
hearty, delicious hot breakfast served with fresh fruit and hot freshly
brewed coffee (or hot beverage of your choice
from the pantry,) we pack up our boats and head off for a day of
adventure. Depending again, on the groups desires we can base camp for a
few days from one exceptional
 camp
site or move about each day with a new site for each evening. Either way,
we have our lunch with us and always eat somewhere different. Likely, we
would explore Tenedos Bay which is on the mainland inside the marine park.
It is accessible only by water, and here we hike along a clear babbling
stream up to a stunning fresh water lake that begs you for a swim, which
almost everyone obliges. By the end of the day we’ll be camped again,
enjoying surrealistic views abound, while sampling the smells and sounds
of another gourmet dinner, and desert. Another night of fresh air and
solitude, and a usually cloudless sky displaying an amplitude of stars to
inspire awe.
Day 3
Before the morning sun rises from behind the mountains it creates a glow
that begins as a sizzle of light silhouetting the highest peaks with
orange-red rim. Then, slowly, the light increases in intensity, as if
turning up the volume and the world around us awakens to another day. The
Black Oyster Catchers with their bright orange beaks and flesh coloured
legs begin flying from rock to rock while whistling that wonderful call
that makes them irresistible. The Ravens, a highly intelligent and problem
solving bird, soon begins its clucks, giggles and metallic clunks as if it
were showing off its wide range of vocabulary just for us. This will be
followed by the load splashing sounds of nearby Harbor Seals diving into
the water for a morning meal, and in the background is the slight waft of
breakfast cooking and coffee roasting to greet your day.
Another day of adventure will probably find us kayaking
up to Prideaux Haven, a wonderful collection of islands and islets that
are clustered together in just a couple of square nautical miles. Shallow
passages between many of these islands boasts some of the warmest waters
in the Pacific Northwest. The tides that go around Vancouver Island enter
from the top and bottom and meet approximately at Desolation Sound. This
means there is not as much water transfer here, as there is in the rest of
the coastal waters. And as such it gets plenty of time to heat up in the
hot sunshine of this dry area. We spend the day kayaking through these
channels, swimming and exploring depending on your interests. The shallow
channels and clear water makes bottom viewing fantastic. See Star Fish,
sea shells and a virtually endless collection of sea life from the comfort
of your kayak.
Day 4
Of course another hearty, delicious hot breakfast is the dawn of a new
day. Today we may find ourselves paddling to the mouth of Waddington
Channel to explore Roscoe Bay, another gorgeous spot. On the paddle across
Homfray Channel to Waddington we experience a view of the coast mountains
that is unsurpassed. In front of us is East Redonda Island, the highest
island for its circumference on the coast and impressive it is! In less
than three kilometres inland
 on
the island, it rises from sea level to over 1500 meters in height creating
a formidable challenge to a hiker. Almost splitting the island in half is
the world famous Pendrell Sound, a dead end inlet that holds water even
warmer than Prideaux Haven due to its long length. This is a view we often
reflect on as one of the few that reproduces in photographs with
reasonable reflection of what is was actually like to be there
-Stupendous.
As we round the corner of Marylebone Point at Roscoe
Bay it immediately becomes apparent why we came. The bay is cut deep into
the high mountainous sides of West Redonda island with a waterfall
crashing down the rock face except during the driest times, that you can
paddle your kayak almost under to cool off. At the far end of the bay is a
small river flowing vigorously out of Black Lake which is just a few
minutes hike on a flat trail inland. The lake is another fantastic
swimming exercise, which is an activity we invariable we find ourselves
partaking in. Occasionally we have portaged the kayaks up to the lake for
a fresh water journey on the remote unpopulated lake.
Day 5
By the time day five comes along the talk of leaving is almost enough to
bring on mutiny. We have all fallen into the syncopated rhythm of natures
land and sea, and it feels "right" to be living outdoors in a nomadic
lifestyle that encourages ones connection with the land in which we come.
It is this day that brings guests back for another tour, next year.
We eventually find ourselves back at Squirrel Cove, in
no real hurry or schedule except meeting the ferry in the late afternoon.
The ferry ride back to Quadra Island is the best of the two in that
we usually sit outside on the deck at the rear of the ship, facing the
mountain vista that we have been living amongst these past days. The view
is, well, we don’t want to give away the ending.
We meet as strangers, we part as friends.
Dates and Prices
For those who are interested in maps and charts, the
chart for this area is named DESOLATION SOUND AND SUTIL CHANNEL 3538 and
is available from most marine stores.
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Itinerary Changes
As
on any outdoor adventure vacation, the traveler needs to
acknowledge and accept the fact that we are subject to the whims
of nature and/or other circumstances, and as such may have to
change details or routes of our itinerary to accommodate our
dynamic environment. |
Sea
Kayaking Desolation
Sound