Speechless in Toba Inlet

 



Toba Inlet, turquoise water and never ending peaks

We decided to spend the day touring Toba Inlet and return to Wildernest Resort Marina in the late afternoon to spend another night.  We told Kyle, the resort manager, our plans to spend the day touring the sights.  He assured us that the scenery in Toba Inlet is well worth the trip. 

Faded Pictograph, Toba Inlet

Pictograph, Toba Inlet

He also told us about a couple of pictographs in Toba Inlet that we hadn’t known about and gave us the approximate locations.  We headed up the Inlet around 11am, anticipating good lighting for picture taking.  We soon were enveloped by towering vertical peaks of granite which seemed to support yet more mountains with cirques and cones capped with snow.  The clear turquoise water, created from snow melt off the glaciers, contrasted with the blue sky and puffy white clouds.   Huge valleys spilling water from the mountains also funneled winds through the Inlet.  We experienced everything from flat calm seas to 30 knot winds, but who cares with such awe inspiring beauty. 

It was hard to imagine the tremendous forces that carved out the mountains above us and the 1,500 feet below us now filled by the sea. 

 Even Leonard was speechless, there were no words to adequately describe the magnitude of what we were seeing.  That being said, I will stop here and let the photos speak for themselves.

      

Nature’s Drama



Frederick Arm

Frederick Arm Scenery

We continued our journey southeast, departing Cordero Lodge around 11am and headed down Cordero Channel with a short side trip into Frederick Arm to take a peek.  We wanted to use up some time before reaching Dent Rapids in order to arrive near slack water.  Currents at Dent Rapids run 9 knots on floods and 8 knots on ebbs.  Devil’s Hole, a portion of Dent Rapids, forms violent eddies and whirlpools 2 hrs. after turn to flood and 1 hr. before turn to ebb. 

 Cordero Channel

We reached Dent Rapids on Cordero Channel just before slack, at the tail of a flood.  Current was still present but nothing significant, and the passage was easy.  

Cordero Channel

Big Bay Area, Stuart Island

After exiting the rapids we were now in the Big Bay area of Stuart Island.  This area is filled with high-end fishing lodges and an exclusive private golf course.  Fishing boats zip back and forth throughout the area and seaplanes are coming and going with fly-in guests.  Back in the 1980’s we had hiked a trail which brought us near the private golf course, looking down on it from above, we marveled that such a place could be located in the wilderness.  I think there were only a couple of fishing lodges at the time.  

Big Mountains behind Big Bay

Big Bay now seems to be the major hub for fishing resorts, centrally located between the Broughton’s and Desolation Sound.  We continued our modern day shoreline tour of Stuart Island and Big Bay.  Timing was on our side so we decided to head through Arran Rapids between Stuart Island and the B.C. mainland, a short neck leading into Bute Inlet.  Arran Rapids has two faces, one calm and unsuspecting, the other violent with huge upwellings at 13 plus knots!  We easily passed through its calm face, while imaging the torrent it produces outside of slack water.  

Bute Inlet

We were now on the east side of Stuart Island and headed south down Bute Inlet connecting up with Calm Channel, all the while enjoying the marvelous mountain scenery.  

Raza Passage

Next came our northeast turn into Raza Passage then east through Pryce Channel with more spectacular mountain scenery.  

Raza Passage

We were now officially in the Desolation Sound region, a group of islands and waterways located east, northeast of Campbell River off Vancouver Island. 

End of Raza Passage, beginning of Toba Inlet

Fabulous Views from Toba Wildernest Resort & Marina

Our path brought us to the northern reaches of Desolation Sound, stopping at Toba Wildernest Resort & Marina with outstanding views and purified water to fill up the tank. 

The Contest




Entering Wellbore Channel 

We left Port Neville around 9am and re-entered Johnstone Strait, turning eastward until we reached Hardwicke Island where we took the northern branch, Sunderland Channel, rounding Hardwicke Island to then head south down Wellbore Channel.  As we approached Whirlpool Rapids in Wellbore Channel, we noticed a sailboat ahead of us.  Passing through the rapids, we continued admiring the scenery and found ourselves catching up to the sailboat.  

Wellbore Channel

To our surprise it was our friends Roger and Chris on White Squall, we enthusiastically waved to each other.  Soon we came to another branch in this complex maze of passages and headed east again along Chancellor Channel as did our friends.  

The wind started to pick up and White Squall hoisted its sails, a nice opportunity for us to take some pictures of her under sail and email to our friends.  

White Squall in Chancellor Channel

It was a beautiful day with fabulous scenery.  Next came Greene Point Rapids then another “fork in the road.”  

Chancellor Channel

We continued east with reservations at Cordero Lodge Marina on mainland B.C., while our friends turned south for Blind Channel Resort on West Thurlow Island.  We were looking forward to visiting Cordero Lodge, a casual marina with “at-home” style hospitality and lovely scenery.  From a distance the marina may appear rather rustic since logs and old docks are used for a breakwater, but beyond the breakwater are nice docks offering 800 feet of mooring space.  A swift 

Approaching Cordero Lodge Marina

current that runs through the area can make docking a little tricky, but we didn’t have any problems with dual engines and a bow thruster.  Located in front of the lodge are comfortable lounge chairs, a screened fire pit, and a gazebo all conducive for socializing and relaxing.  

Beautiful Scenery near Cordero Lodge

Got d' Fever at Cordero Lodge Marina

The attractive, cozy restaurant serves well-balanced home cooked meals and Wayne the proprietor helps wait tables.  For exercise, guests can hike the trail located behind the lodge which leads to a network of roads used for logging.  Another form of exercise is to paddle the kayaks to nearby Tallac Bay, a pretty cove that serves as anchorage.  Since we were on a mission in search of another pictograph, we took the dinghy over to Tallac Bay.   

Cordero Lodge, a place to relax

Before leaving, we asked Wayne if he could tell us the exact location of the pictograph, he wasn’t aware that there was a pictograph nearby and hoped that we could find it, providing additional interest for his marina.  We had looked earlier for the pictograph when we approached the marina with Got d’ Fever, we scoured the shoreline with binoculars but hadn’t found anything; perhaps we would find it with the dinghy.  We headed off with mounting anticipation, circled inside Tallac Bay then headed west around the point, “there it is!” I shouted.  

Pictograph at Tallac Bay near Cordero Lodge

Two figures were tucked inside a rock alcove partially covered by a tree leaning over the bank, I snapped some pictures and we returned to the lodge with the good news.  We printed some copies of the pictograph for Wayne and we jokingly told him our theory about what they might mean. 

Cozy Dining Room, Cordero Lodge

That gave him the idea to pass the pictures around during dinner, asking his guests for their interpretation – a fun contest - who could come up with the best story?  It turned out to be great fun, sparking conversation among his guests and between dinner tables.  Perhaps we helped start a new tradition at Cordero Lodge Marina!

Pawing Bears



Departing Lagoon Cove

We stayed one night at Lagoon Cove and then headed out the following morning, stopping near Littleton Point located on a peninsula of mainland British Columbia; we wanted to check out this site which was on our list of pictograph locations.  

Pictograph at Littleton Point

This particular pictograph looked rather comical, like a cartoon character.  Could this have been intentional, or just in our own imagination?  

Range Markers, Chatham Channel 

After this brief stop, we continued southeast through Chatham Channel at the tail end of slack water, noting the range markers on shore used for navigation through the channel.  

Lots for Sale, Chatham Channel

We also noted a dock along this pretty waterway with a large sign advertising “lots for sale,” perhaps someone’s pipe dream for a waterfront community or resort, or simply the need to sell some property.  We then turned southward and stopped at Hull Island where we spotted a mother bear and her cubs along the mainland B.C. shoreline.  

Mother and Cubs Turning Rocks

We moved in for a closer look and observed the bears turning over rocks, pawing through their seafood dinner.  

Heading For The Forest

Mother bear seemed apprehensive about the big white object sitting out on the water so she began making her way back towards the forest with her cubs trailing behind.   Black Bears are omnivores and their diets vary depending on the season.  They are the Continent’s smallest and most widely distributed bear species and live primarily in dense forested areas.  

Mama Black Bear

The American Black Bear is highly dexterous and has great physical strength.  Even bear cubs have been known to turn over flat-shaped rocks weighing 310 to 325 pounds by flipping them over with a single foreleg. 

Havannah Channel

From Hull Island we made our way southwest down Havannah Channel, exiting into Johnstone Strait then turned east headed for Port Neville, our anchorage for the night.  

Port Neville

Port Neville is an 8-mile long inlet off Johnstone Strait providing good anchorage and a place to duck in should bad weather kick up on the Strait.  A government dock is located a short distance inside the Inlet next to the old Hansen Homestead along with an historic country store; the post office portion of the store closed in 2010.  The store has served as a small museum over recent years.  

Neville Inlet

Beautiful Scenery, Neville Inlet

We continued past the government dock and anchored in scenic Neville Inlet with a couple other boats who had arrived ahead of us.  It was a blustery evening with winds kicking up to 25-28 knots but died down during the night becoming relatively calm once again at daybreak.

The Perfect Billboard



Java enjoying her Dinghy Ride

We departed Alert Bay at 2pm and headed east, bypassing tiny picturesque Telegraph Cove.  This picture perfect postcard cove is lined with boardwalks on pilings with colorful shops and eateries and is also the site of a fascinating whale museum.  We were glad we had stopped here on a previous trip since space at the docks were currently full. 

We motored along the north shore of Johnstone Strait near the Plumper Islands and turned north up Blackney Passage, then eastward through narrow Whitebeach Passage.  After rounding the northwest tip of Habbledown Island, we anchored behind Mound Island, a popular anchorage sheltered from most winds.  With numerous small islands and islets, the area is conducive for exploration by dinghy or kayak.  We in fact saw a group of kayakers camping on the west end of Mound Island as we passed by in our dinghy; we were on our way to Berry Island to find the reported pictograph. 

Choice spot for a Pictograph, Berry Island

Pictographs are typically found on large rock faces with a ledge below on which to stand, the Native version of a good billboard!  Leonard wondered if some important Native had owned the space and charged rent J  I wondered if only men had created pictographs, or did the women also participate?  No initials or signature on the artwork so perhaps we will never know.  

Pictograph at Berry Island

As we motored along the shore, we quickly spotted the pictograph on a large rock face, a good choice location with work completed by a talented artist.  We departed our anchorage the following morning and headed east through Indian Channel, passing the Native village of New Vancouver before heading southeast through Beware Passage.  

Native Village of New Vancouver, Habbledown Is. 

As a side note, we had visited New Vancouver on a previous trip and had also visited the nearby abandoned Native village of Mamalilaculla on Village Island.  This is where I had a face-to-face encounter with the hind-end of a bear while walking through the brush.  We have since read that a fee is now required to walk through the abandoned village, fees go towards the cleanup of the village site. 

Beware Passage

 As we entered Beware Passage, we were mindful of the charted rocks hiding beneath the surface; it required careful navigation to safely get through the passage, including a 90 degree turn to avoid the rock hazards. 

Beware Passage

Many islets and rocks throughout Beware Passage

Beware Passage

Aptly named, Beware Passage is littered with islets, rocks, and shoals but is quite scenic.  

Abandoned Village, Karlukwees on Turnour Island 

On the east end of Beware Passage is the abandoned Native village of Karlukwees with a white shell beach and three buildings still visible in the brush.  Not far from the abandoned village near Nicholas Point we found another pictograph; 

Pictograph at Nicholas Point, Turnour Island

there appeared to be four small objects: a fish, a person, a bird, and perhaps a deer.  Having reached the end of Beware Passage, we were now in Clio Channel on our way to Lagoon Cove Marina.  We took a small detour off Clio Channel to investigate Potts Lagoon, currently being used for a logging operation.  Continuing northeast on Clio Channel, we reached Lagoon Cove around 2:30pm, and once again met up with our friends Roger and Chris.

Clio Channel