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Day 4: Adams Harbour - Island 38 |
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The next day we headed north around the top end
of Calvert Island and out into the ocean swells, which were running about
6-9 feet. We wanted to go to the West Beach again, but this time from the
ocean side. In this picture, you can see the radio tower that
we hiked to yesterday way up on the hill. It looks a little bleak and
forbidding over on the ocean side, and it felt a bit that way too. |
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We did not progress beyond the outer cove of
West Beach, as the rocks which guarded the entrance were quite formidable in
the swell, with waves crashing and pounding over the top. |
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We eventually anchored in Adams Harbour in a wonderful spot, with a view to
the north into an intertidal channel, visible in the picture taken at high
tide. |
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We
then took the dinghy out to explore. There is a small private resort here
which occupies part of the cove north of Sandspit Point,
with a beautiful driftwood walkway from their buildings out to their float.
The ramp from the dock down to the float defaults to a raised position – we
watched someone come out and then tip it gently down by slowly walking out
to the end. |
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Kayaking is popular in the Hakai area.
At the southern end of the bay, we came across a kayakers' camp. They had
come from Port Hardy and been dropped off at the the mouth of Kwakshua
Channel where it meets Hakai Passage and had paddled over here for a couple
of nights. |
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The constant ocean swells carve beautiful
formations into the rocks around the area. |
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Day 5: Serpent Group Cove,
Kildidt Sound |
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The next morning we came
through the narrow entrance to Edward Channel. The scenery here is enchanting - small, tree-covered islets
sprinkled liberally on glass-smooth water. This is the view looking back
towards the entrance to Edward Channel. |
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We tucked into Lewall
Inlet on Stirling Island for breakfast of freshly baked chocolate-chip &
banana muffins. We used a bow watch to enter, shown at left, as the charted
entry appeared more difficult than it actually was. |
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Upon leaving Lewall, we continued north in
Edward Channel and then turned west into Nalau Passage. There was quite a
bit of current here - some fair size logs were being carried along at a good
pace. There were lots of rocks far offshore at the west entrance to Nalau -
it would be so easy to run aground here. |
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Our initial plan was to anchor in Leckie Bay but the Serpent Group caught our attention on the chart, so we
went over to investigate and ended up staying the night, anchoring in a cove formed by the
islets. |
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A gorgeous white sand midden-shell beach
appears at the head of the anchorage when the tide is down. It is
reminiscent of a lazy tropical island. Other than the small fishing skiffs
off our anchorage this morning, we have not seen another vessel all day. We packed a picnic lunch and dinghied to the head
of the bay. |
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We climbed the rocks to get out to the exposed
outer shore to have lunch over the surf. There is all kinds of life here,
but it has to work hard. |
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Looking northeasterly over the outer exposed
rocks to Dirona back in the protected cove, showing the barren rocks,
windswept trees, and ocean surge. It was a truly thrilling picnic spot. |
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This is the view from our picnic spot looking
west, past a gnarled and stunted tree, with the vast Pacific Ocean behind. |
