The Colorful Side



Shawl Bay Marina

We made our way to Shawl Bay with plans to depart the next morning for a scenic cruise through Kingcome Inlet.   Shawl Bay Marina is the nearest marina to Kingcome Inlet but some people may be put off by the marina’s rustic appearance.  I have to admit that we bypassed Shawl Bay on a previous trip.  

Happy Hour Tent, Shawl Bay Marina

This time we decided to give it a try, perhaps it will prove to be fun and the complimentary pancake breakfast sounded appealing.  We arrived around noon, greeted with smiles by Rob, son of this family run marina.  He helped us with our lines and told us about happy hour, the pancake breakfast, and about the marina facilities. 


Cute, White-washed Bungalows

The marina docks are lined with cute, white-washed bungalows and numerous potted flowers add charm.  Located on the remote B.C. Coast, there are no roads or hiking trails at Shawl Bay or additional amenities on shore, but Shawl Bay Marina has a distinctive character, frequented by some colorful people.

 

We met one older gentleman who is a friend of legendary Billy Proctor of Echo Bay and he shared some interesting stories.  Owner Rob talked about the process of getting supplies for the marina; his parents and wife were off buying groceries and other supplies, including new machines for the laundry room.  Rob explained that they pick up the supplies with a van and then drive their load to Port McNeill where the supplies are transported by a delivery barge.  

Rustic Floating Homes in Shawl Bay

Guests of the marina also had some interesting stories to share and came from different walks of life.  We met one gentleman who was a retired stock broker from Merrill Lynch, met a family from California, and a marine biologist from Oregon who had also been a pilot in the Navy; of course that kept Leonard talking for hours.  And yes, the “all you can eat” pancake breakfast was very tasty.  The old adage seems to hold true, “you can’t judge a book by its cover.”  Sometimes these rustic places are where you meet the most colorful and interesting people.