Rick Hudson - travel writer and author

This appeared in
KANAWA
Canada's Paddling Magazine
Summer 2004

Homepage

The bounty of Nootka Sound

Splendid white sand beaches, forested islands
and real history await the sea kayaker in Nootka Sound.

The Uchuck III is a working ship, plying the fiords of Vancouver Island’s wild West Coast. Twice a week in the summer, this converted minesweeper loads cargo, passengers and kayaks, and leaves Gold River, bound for Friendly Cove. On board, we lounge in the sun, make last minute adjustments to gear, and fill up on the galley’s soup and sandwiches.

The Uchuck III at dockside

The region is full of history, and skipper Fred Mather points out items of interest. Right now, we’re passing Gore Island, named for Lieutenant Gore, who served on Captain Cook’s HMS Resolution and, after Cook’s murder in the Hawaiian Islands, brought the expedition safely back to England in 1779.

Beyond Gore, we turn north around Bligh Island, also named by Cook, in honour of William Bligh his navigator, who would later be immortalized as the infamous Captain Bligh of HMS Bounty.

Now it’s time to clear the decks and launch kayaks. Each craft and occupant is swung overboard on a pallet by the winchman. As the pallet sinks below the surface, the kayak floats free. The crew are old hands at this, and within minutes our single and double kayaks are away. We wave the ship a cheery goodbye.

It’s early afternoon as we paddle the western flank of Bligh Island, and turn into Charlie’s Beach at the SW tip. There are two other paddlers onshore. Otherwise, the place is deserted. Later, when the afternoon wind eases, we explore the southern reaches of Bligh Island Marine Park, and discover an inlet where a boathouse floats at anchor. There’s public fresh water, which is much appreciated. Late in the summer, few streams are flowing.

On Day 2 we leave early for Burdwood Point, the southern cape of Nootka Sound. An hour across calm waters, and we land on a white sand beach, feeling like Cook’s 18th Century sailors must have felt. Nothing has changed since then. The forest crowds the beach. Silver logs lie half-buried in sand. The sun is out, and the sea fog, which is common here, burns off. It’s going to be a great day. Overhead, eagles soar. Later, we paddle round the headland, and feel the great Pacific swells under our kayaks.

Back at Charlie’s, we laze the afternoon away, watching the wind shunting sea fog up the inlet towards Gold River, 50 km away. In the evening, two fishermen offer us a fillet of freshly caught chinook. We have herbs, lemon and mayonnaise. Life is OK.

The following morning we explore deep Ewin Inlet. Right at the end, there’s a campsite under giant maple trees, but the main discovery turns out to be a sailboat at anchor. The occupants are “suffering from a surplus of blueberry pancakes”. Could we help? It seems only civil that we do.

As a result, we are late paddling back out, and the breeze has strengthened. Near the southern cape there are surge channels to play in, where the ocean swells push the kayaks through narrow rock channels, like surfboarders.
playing in the channels
In the surge channels.

It’s a short distance from there to Resolution Bay, where HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery found safe anchorage in 1778. Two plaques commemorate this founding moment of British Columbia. By landing and cutting two cedar trees to replace worn-out masts, Captain James Cook laid claim to the territory in the name of King George III of Great Britain. The rest is history.

On our final morning on Bligh Island, we pack the tent and then turn west towards Nootka Island. Just south of Nootka village, the intriguingly named Boca del Inferno (mouth of the inferno) is a narrow passage connecting a lake to the ocean. Depending on the tide, the water either boils into, or pours out of, the channel. Near slack water, kayakers can boldly go where no boater would dare. Worth a visit.

Finally, into Friendly Cove and the Nootka Lighthouse, which commands the northern headland of Nootka Sound. The pebbly beach is a welcome change, after the rocky shores of Bligh Island, and the locals live up to their name. There are lots of camp sites on mowed grass near the church, or you can choose something away from it all along the outside coast beaches, where the Pacific rollers murmur constantly.
Loading at Friendly Cove
Kayak slung aboard Uchuck III.

This is the start of the newly built Nootka Trail, which resembles the West Coast Trail in many ways. If you’re not planning on going far, at least walk to the freshwater lake for a swim, to get the salt off your skin. Pause at the graveyard along the way. Elsewhere, don’t miss the huge totem pole, flat in the salmonberries, a reminder of this historic community who first made contact with Europeans.

If you go:
The Uchuck III sails to Friendly Cove (Yuquot) on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Return fare to Friendly Cove is $40 per person, less if you are dropped off or picked up closer to Gold River. Children are $20. Kayaks are $15 (single) or $20 (double) each way.

An alternative way to access the region is to turn right at Gold River on the Tahsis Road, then at the Tlupana River crossing, take the left fork to the Chessiah Indian Reserve, where you can put in on Hannah Channel. A word of advice: It’s about 3-5 hours paddling from there to Charlie’s or Burdwood Beach. Wait until the headwind drops in the later afternoon, or better yet, make an early start in the morning.

In Gold River, there are a number of B&B’s and lodges to stay before and after the trip. There are also two campgrounds located between the town and the Uchuck dock.

Since June 2003, there has been a landing fee of $10 pp to come ashore at Friendly Cove. Camping is $20 per group per night. Drinking water from a well, but no showers.