Quadra Island: April Point Resort

August-September 1998

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Sue Handel

"What a spot", I said to Don Prittie as we gazed out at the incredible view through the dining room window. April Point Resort looks out over Discovery Passge and as we sipped our morning coffee we watched the cruise ships and kayakers go by, and kept our eyes peeled for Orcas. Don is the new General Manager of the April Point and he is busy these days focusing his efforts on diversifying the resort's traditional sports fishing oriented clientele. When the Oak Bay Marine Group acquired April Point only a few months ago, they set the wheels in motion for creating a resort that ecotourists would flock to and, they have succeeded.

April Point Resort is located in the middle of a wilderness playground. Paddlers can rent kayaks or bring their own boats. Guided tours are also available. Within a few paddle strokes of the April Point dock, you can explore Gowlland Island, spot seals, herons, eagles and at low tide an abundance of intertidal life. Experienced paddlers with their own boats can explore further, to Steep Island, or along the shoreline of Quadra Island. Of course there is also the lake systern on Quadra which is a must. See Main Lakes Chain Provincial Park

On our first day at the resort, Greg and I rented scooters and headed out to do some exploring. We live on Gabriola Island and I figured that Quadra would be quite similar. We love Gabriola, but let me tell you, Quadra is impressive! For the outdoor
enthusiast, it has an incredible amount to offer, with numerous lakes, hiking and biking trails everywhere, and kayaking to suit any ability (from fast flowing tidal passes, to calm bays).

After scooting back to April Point Resort, we made our way to the dining room for dinner. We started at the sushi bar and enjoyed fresh creations served up in traditional style. Then after a drink on the patio, we moved on to fresh seafood and vegetables. My senses were overwhelmed trying to concentrate on dinner, while yachts cruised by and the sun slowly set behind the mountains of Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island.

And after dinner we had a deep, deep sleep, marked only by the call of the resident eagle perched in the tree above our room.

The next morning, we woke early and suited up for the whale watching trip. We wondered what exactly we were getting into as the dock staff instructed us to put on rubber boots, survival suits, toques, goggles and ski gloves. As soon as we pulled away from the dock, we were in high gear and traveling at a face flattening 60 km an hour. What a trip! Jack Springer, aka Hurricane Jack (after the 24 foot Zodiac Hurricane he drives), whisked us up to Robson Bight in Johnstone Strait and the whale watching began.

In the area outside of "the Bight" (which is protected and off limits to the public), Jack guided us to two rare Minke whales and five subpods of Orca as well as Dahl's porpoises, seals and eagles. Jack also knows a lot about the history of the area. As we headed back to the resort, Jack told us about gold mines that had been carved by hand and small communities that had once flourished in the days when commercial fishing was still king.

April Point is an adventurers' destination. Activities available at the Lodge include kayaking, hiking, scooter and bike rentals, bird watching and Hurricane Adventure Tours including Whale Watching, Ocean Rapids and Black Bear Tours. Offsite activities around Quadra Island include swimming, golf, tennis, horseback riding, river snorkeling with salmon, saltwater snorkeling and scuba diving.