As we head into Roche Harbor marina for the winter, we thought it would be a fun exercise to each independently list our favorite locations we visited this season. Interestingly, there were 5 spots that overlapped on our lists, and 5 more unique to each of us.
Kay’s Top 10
1. Princess Louisa Inlet: jaw dropping scenery, sky high cliffs, towering waterfalls, and deep, warm water. Takes the prize for our most challenging and rewarding hike to Trapper’s Cabin. We were able to make it all the way in and all the way out under sail.
2. False Creek Vancouver: Urban beauty and the hum of the city. Vancouverites embracing the outdoors and beaches, biking the sea wall, hiking up “The Grind”, anchored among the rowers, the Aquabuses, fishermen selling spot prawns off their boats. Granville Market. Food…Shopping…Lights…Music
3. Dusky Cove, Broughtons: Where I felt the most adventurous and the most solitude…alone on the edge of Blackfish Sound sheltered by a few tiny islets, mergansers skimming the water, one of the most beautiful sunsets of the summer.
4. Simoom Sound, Broughtons: We are in this beautiful area for a couple of rainy days—we work on a few projects, do a lot of reading, play a few games. I have some alone time while Brett is out fishing. We have met some new friends—our 2 boats sharing this quiet spot. They have kindly invited us over for dinner and I am cooking a dish to bring. It is in Simoom Sound that this boat really starts to feel like my home.
5. Walsh Cove, W. Redondo Island: pondering time, history, those who were here before us while discovering pictographs on the cliffs. The dramatic impact the 15ft tides have on the appearance and function of the landscape surrounding the cove. Cocktails on a rocky islet while we admire the view.
6. North Cove, Thetis Island: Several seals persistently following close behind letting out the occasional hiss while we paddleboard, protecting their home and families. Many bald eagles soaring and perching in the treetops. Aaron enjoying the hammock strung up on the bow.
7. White Rock Cove, Jedediah Island: a place where one feels in the intensity of the environment—rain, wind, current, waves, tides. Ellie is visiting and we hike in the rain through the thick forest to an abandoned homestead, pondering the lifestyle of those who lived here 100 years ago.
8. Ladysmith: Anchoring off Bute Island across the channel from Ladysmith, a charming and welcoming town. We are adjacent to an active log boom, marvel at the operation and respect an industry that has been so significant in this area. Stunning sunsets with snow-capped mountains behind the hillside town.
9. Prideaux Haven, Desolation Sound: Backdrop of steep mountain peaks, paddleboarding through the maze of warm rocks, hiking through the forest for a freshwater swim in Unwin Lake, taking Ed in the dinghy to meet a sea plane in the middle of the bay.
10. Tumbo Island: Beautiful hike through arbutus, pine forest and along the rocky shoreline. It is one of our last stops of the season. Overlooking the vast Georgia Strait, I reflect on what has been a very satisfying transition into the cruising lifestyle and genuinely look forward to taking our home and adventures further afield.
Brett’s Top 10
1. False Creek Vancouver – incredible to anchor right in the heart of this vibrant, modern, efficient city. Easy dinghy access to a very bikeable city, including Stanley Park, high quality food markets, great restaurants, and excellent public transportation. And also great beaches – what more could you want. Challenging to find a good spot to anchor, but worth it.
2. Princess Louisa Inlet – all the hype was not overblown. Simply gorgeous, we enjoyed a challenging hike to Trapper’s Cabin and a great waterfall, and met some really great people too. We also had a great downwind sail all the way up the Jervis Inlet, which was unexpected and delightful.
3. Canoe Cove, Sidney – 3 weeks on the hard having work done by Blackline and Raven Marine – not scenic, but formative in our cruising plan. Not only did we get some critical safety items taken care of (standing rigging, through hulls) but this is where we first learned to start maintaining items on our own. (oil change, winch service, windlass switch, teak decks). This was our first step toward self-sufficiency and longer term cruising capability. We also got to meet up with friends Suzy and Brian Cavanaugh, and explore the area, including Butchart Gardens and a 20 mile bike right to Victoria along the Lochside Trail.
4. Georgia Strait, B.C. – we crossed the strait 6 times, and all but one time we experienced our highest winds and waves of the year. This was a great training ground for learning how to handle the boat in bigger conditions, and critical for gaining confidence in ourselves and the boat. Also, it was quite beautiful being out far from land with just the birds (and logs) for company.
5. Kwatsi Bay, Broughton’s – though not officially in the Broughton’s marine park, this was a gorgeous deep bay, where we saw a black bear on the shoreline, and had a great swim on a hot afternoon.
6. Simoom Sound, Broughton’s – quiet, eery, rainy, beautiful. Caught the first real crop of rockfish.
7. Prideaux Haven, Desolation Sound – though we had some smoke, the views of the massive peaks surrounding the area were simply jaw dropping. It was a delight to paddle board into Laura Cove and Melanie Cove, and we had a great (strenuous) hike to freshwater Unwin Lake for a refreshing skinny dip.
8. Ladysmith, Vancouver Island – where we, together with Aaron, first started really enjoying summer on the boat. The hammock was out, beautiful sunsets, bald eagles, fun dinghy ride to the quaint town with good shopping and pizza. Liked it so much we returned twice more, the only other place we visited 3 times was Vancouver.
9. Smuggler’s Cove, Welcome Passage – great time with Ellie, had a challenging, high wind sail to get there, but a very successful stern tie with lots of cool areas to explore by paddle board and dinghy, including Bucaneer Bay and Secret Cove.
10. Victoria, Vancouver Island – beautiful city, with your boat moored right in front of the Empress Hotel in downtown. We got to meet our first friends to visit, Glenn and Hallie. Great restaurants (better than Vancouver), excellent walking and biking, historically interesting. A scenic and protected harbor.
Honorable Mention – Pendrell Sound, Desolation Sound – the sound is surrounding by high, rigged snow capped peaks, and incredibly we had the whole area to ourselves much of the time. Our anchorage backed up to to a lagoon with a reversing stream so it filled and emptied with the tide. It made for fun paddleboarding.
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