Disclaimer: This blog article is not to be
used for navigation. It is solely an
account of our personal experience and anchor location in Mussel Inlet during
calm weather conditions. What worked for
us at one particular time is no guarantee or indication that it will work for
others. There are no services and any
boat that enters should be self-sufficient.
One
of the things we love the most about cruising in British Columbia is the number of glacial fjords and inlets there
are to explore and the opportunity to travel into the mountains . . . by
boat. It’s a humbling experience and
something we never seem to get tired of doing.
In
an area already known for its dramatic scenery and beauty, Fiordland
Recreational Area stands out from the rest:
A place where glaciers have carved sheer granite cliffs, reaching
heights over 1,000 metres (3,300 feet), waterfalls rumble to the sea and
wildlife roams the shore. Located in the
Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation territory, the nature reserve is managed in
cooperation with the provincial government and includes 76,825 hectares and two
main inlets – Kynoch and Mussel.
By
most accounts, Kynoch Inlet is the best.
But we disagree. Though only five
nautical miles long, Mussel Inlet is equally as beautiful and has just as much
to offer the visiting boat . . . maybe more.
According
to the BC Parks
website, the Mussel River and Poison Cove estuaries, located at the head of
Mussel Inlet, are among the most valuable wildlife habitat along the Central Coast, particularly for bears (both black and grizzly). Strict guidelines for visiting the area are
in place and enforced, none of which are found in cruising guides. Many are geared towards commercial
enterprises but apply to the visiting cruising vessel as well and are listed at
the bottom of the page as they appear on the BC Parks
website.
Despite
the opportunities for an extraordinary wilderness experience while surrounded
by dramatic scenery, Fiordland has one major shortcoming – the lack of good
anchorages. We’d love to be able to
spend the night tucked away in one of its stunning bays and extend our time there
but, apart from a few hours anchored at the head of Mussel Inlet, we’ve been
unsuccessful so far.
Possible Anchorages and Bays within Mussel Inlet:
Oatswich Bay:
Home to beautiful Lizzette Falls, the bay is too deep and
steep-to for convenient anchoring.
David Bay:
Located on the south side of Mussel
Inlet near the mouth, David Bay is striking but the head of
the bay is steep-to and deep.
Mussel Bay:
In our opinion, Mussel Bay is a temporary day
anchorage due to inflow winds and poor holding in sand. Anchorage can be found along the
eastern shore off the mud flats of the Mussel River in depths of 10 – 20 metres
(22 – 33 feet). From the head of Mussel
Inlet, you’re 20 nautical miles (as the crow flies) from the head of Gardner Canal – now on the southern face
of the same mountain range, most of the glaciers have long since melted.
Poison
Cove:
Named by Captain George Vancouver when several of his
men fell ill after eating mussels tainted with PSP (paralytic shellfish
poisoning) gathered there, Poison Cove offers better protection from wind than
Mussel Inlet and is beautiful, ending in an alpine estuary. The center channel is steep-to and goes from depths of 50
metres (165 feet) to 5 metres (16.5 feet) very quickly but it might be possible
to find temporary anchorage in 20 metres (66 feet) along either the north or
south shore – we’ve never tried.
Windy Bay:
The safest overnight anchorage (again,
this is only our opinion) is Windy Bay which is located outside
the park boundaries along the southern shore of Sheep Passage. Anchorage can be found throughout the
large bay in depths around 15 metres (50 feet) where the holding is good in
sand and mud.
Special Regulations Mussel River (Laig) / Poison Cove (Peak Fall
Season)
When
you arrive in the Mussel River / Poison Cove Area, please contact the Mussel River Guardian Watchmen on Marine Channel 6. As listed below, there are very
specific rules and regulations for this area
LAND
BASED GUIDED ACCESSS ONLY IN SEPTEMBER in 2014 – with a permitted guide.
AREA
CLOSED TO WILDLIFE VIEWING AFTER OCTOBER 15.
Water-Based
Viewing Guidelines:
- Check in with Mussel River Guardian Watchmen.
- Maximum one vessel viewing at a time.
- No viewing or boat access upstream of the lower Mussel River Island.
- Jet boats are not permitted.
- Maximum 18 people in total and all vessels must stay grouped together.
- Stay at least 50 M (160 ft) away from bears.
Land- Based
Viewing Guidelines:
- Allowed with caution but not recommended.
- Check in with Mussel River Guardian Watchmen.
- Look for a series of rock cairns which will indicate viewing location; do not wander, proceed directly to viewing site and back to your vessel when safe to do so.
- No visitor access on lower Mussel River Island and the Mussel Estuary other than designated viewing site. These areas are off limits to viewing, hiking or any other form of access.
- Maximum of 14 people permitted on shore at one time. Visitors MUST stay grouped together.
- Bear spray required by at least one person who is trained in its use.
- Firearms may not be carried while viewing.
- No pets are permitted in viewing areas.
- Food is not recommended.
For more
information, visit BC Parks Fiordland page on their website or the Spirit Bear Lodge in Klemtu.
1 comments
So, Captain Vancouver had to be all negative just because he got poisoned and name the whole cove after one bad experience. Sounds like a typical reviewer to me!
ReplyDeleteOnce again, your pictures are beautiful and really makes us want to explore the PNW by boat.