Mothership Meanderings: The Sunshine Coast

October-November 1999

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

by Alan Wilson

Forgive me for saying this, but as much as I love 'The Sunshine Coast', the term strikes me like something dreamed up by a realtor.

The guidebook Paddling the Sunshine Coast notes that indeed there was a promotional origin to the term. Apparently one of the early inhabitants of the area painted 'the Sunshine Belt' in large letters on his shed in hopes of attracting the tourist trade.

On the other hand, the name wouldn't have stuck unless there was some truth in it. In fact, the Sunshine Coast does benefit from being in the lee of the Vancouver Island mountains which wring a lot of moisture out of the Pacific air.

With these favourable climatic conditions, and situated where the continental mountains and great mainland inlets meet the sea, the Sunshine Coast is one of the best paddling environments on the coast.

The area is also great for boaters and it's on the main route for boats traversing Georgia Strait to reach Desolation Sound and points north. Most US or Gulf Island power and sail boaters cross from Nanaimo on the Vancouver Island side, and this is exactly what we did as we started out on our trip this summer.

We left Nanaimo August 2nd on our converted fishboat with our twin kayaks aboard, and crossed Georgia Strait on a blissfully calm morning. At the Thormanby Islands we turned up Malaspina Strait for Blind Bay where we anchored by noon. Situated between Nelson and Hardy Islands, Blind Bay has a number of nooks and crannies to choose from, and paddlers can camp on Musket Island, a Marine Park just off Hardy Island.

The shoreline of this area is intriguing to paddle, but our intention this year was to paddle to nearby Hidden Basin, a salt water lagoon with a very narrow opening which becomes a raging torrent of whitewater as the tides in Georgia Strait rise and fall. Laurie had been to the Basin many years ago, and wanted me to see it. So after a quick lunch, we launched our kayaks and set off for the afternoon.

Compact kayaks store easily on deck. Photo Alan Wilson

This was the first of several inner basins and lagoons we paddled this year. Inevitably they have energy charged tidal entry points, then once inside, sudden quiet. You feel enclosed by the land and your circuit is narrowed, more focused. You're looking at the inside of things, instead of the usual perspective of circling outside rocks and islets.

In any case, it turned out to be a scorcher that day, dispelling any of my doubts about 'sunshine', and we sought relief in the shade of cliffs here and there as we wended our way around headlands and looped through bays, towards the Basin.

Approaching the Basin's entry, we could see whitewater surging out on either side of a small islet as inner waters emptied into the Strait. Laurie assured me that her family had taken their full-sized boat through on high tide, but it was hard to believe, looking at the rocks and racing water.

We stepped ashore on slippery boulders to the left of the islet, and I lined the kayaks along the raging channel, one at a time, clambering over the boulders, amid an amazing intertidal profusion flourishing in the nutrient-rich rushing waters.

Then we were inside, with the torrent behind us and the forest rising on all sides. It was wonderfully peaceful and quiet. Our fears that the Basin might have been logged or developed in the years since Laurie had last been here were relieved.

We paddled slowly along the perimeter of the Basin for about an hour and half, seeing only a handful of dwellings among the trees, some pretty funky. After a refreshing swim and snack, we paddled back to the entry.

The tidal race seemed to be running out just as fast as before and Laurie demurred at making her first whitewater passage, so I lined the boats back through and we paddled back to the fishboat at Blind Bay for dinner.

Lining our kayaks through the tidal race at Hidden Basin. Photo Laurie MacBride

That night we had the loudest and longest thunder and lightning storm of our lives, which rumbled and flashed nearby all night, plus a tremendous deluge. We later heard the freak storm had been widespread around the coast and even knocked out power as far away as Victoria.

In the morning, a bit grumpy and sleep deprived, we paddled around Blind Bay exploring several little islands and admiring the clear waters. It's a beautiful place to paddle but we did encounter the remains of a fish farm which had ramshackle floats piled high with abandoned gear and the remains of nets, floats and other eyesores spread along the shoreline of five of what would otherwise have been the prettiest islets you can imagine... which didn't help our mood.

Returning to the boat, we weighed anchor and headed up Malaspina Strait for Desolation Sound, Johnstone Strait and beyond. But that's another story, in fact several other stories... columns to come. We spent another three nights on the Sunshine Coast at the end of August, on our return trip south. We anchored in Pender Harbour and Bargain Bay, waiting out the weather for a safe crossing back to Nanaimo.

Pender Harbour is incredible. With a total of 122 miles of convoluted shoreline, each of its several inner bays offer great protection and easy anchorage, and together make up a unique marine-based community. This is a very developed place with expensive new homes, modest fishermen's cottages, docks both private and public, plus a variety marinas and resorts around its perimeter, but it has all the services you could need, including some very fine fish and chips at Irvine's Landing pub! We were also able to purchase inexpensive salmon from one of the few fishboats which were fishing this year, for a lovely barbecue one night.

By day, we toured Pender Harbour's shoreline, and even paddled through Gunboat Passage which can run several knots, into Gunboat Bay and inner waters beyond the Harbour. We also explored the outer islands of the Harbour where there is little development and a rich intertidal life in evidence. And we paddled through a narrow tidal pass under a bridge into Bargain Bay, which separates the Francis Peninsula from the mainland, and to a group of islands off the south shore of the Peninsula for some fine paddling. A local group is working to make part of Francis Point into a Marine Park, and the idea certainly has our support.

By night, under a beautiful moon, we leaned on the gunwhale of our boat staring down in amazement as cavorting shapes left a fantastic phosphorescent 'fish ballet' below us, as complex a tracery as any fireworks display. Like so much of our experience this summer, it left us breathless and amazed.

Of course, there's much more to the Sunshine Coast which we don't have room to cover here. For a full outline of trips in the area, including day and multiday excursions, see the excellent book by Dorothy and Bodhi Drope of Sunshine Kayaking, Paddling the Sunshine Coast (Habour Publishing, 1997). For boat anchorages, refer to Bill Wolferstan's excellent cruising guide to the Sunshine Coast (Whitecap, 1998), or the indispensable Waggoner cruising guide. Sunshine and Salt Air (Harbour Publishing, 1997) is a more general visitor's guidebook to the area.

There are many delights in the area, from Gibsons' Landing and Howe Sound in the south, up to Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay, Sargeant Bay, the sandy-cliffed Thormanby Islands, Secret Cove and Smugglers' Cove. Or you can travel up through Agamemnon Channel to the mouth of Jervis Inlet, and spectacular Princess Louisa Inlet, or through the famed Skookumchuck Narrows (prime tidal surfing) into the extensive inner waters of Sechelt Inlet. North of Pender Harbour lie Powell River, Savary Island, Lund, and Copeland Island Marine Park on the way to Desolation Sound.

You can reach the Sunshine Coast by BC Ferries' convenient car ferry from Horseshoe Bay or plane from Vancouver. And there are various kayak rental and touring companies located in the vicinity, giving you the option to rent kayaks or even sign up for a tour.

For more information on paddling the Sunshine Coast, contact Sunshine Kayaking at 604-886-9760 (cell: 604-740- 7005), or Pedals and Paddles (604-885- 6440), or Powell River Sea Kayaking ( 604- 485-2144). For information on the proposed Francis Peninsula Marine Park, contact the Francis Point Marine Park Society at 604- 883-2730 (francispt@uniserve.com).

In Pender Harbour, kayaks are available at Lowes Resort (604-883-2456) and we found the folks at Coho Marina very accommodating (604-883-2248), with inexpensive showers, and a small grassed camping area in trailer park.

Alan Wilson is the WaveLength Editor and lives on Gabriola Island, BC
awilson@island.net