Central Coast
Destinations
Hakai
Pruth Bay | Way Back Wednesday
Wednesday, February 15, 2017TheCambrians
It’s
Way Back Wednesday, an opportunity to dig through the files and pull out an old
blog post to shed some new light on it. Over the years, I’ve written several
posts about anchorages we’ve stayed in, including first-hand anchoring
information (i.e. holding, protection, GPS coordinates), historical information
and things to do. To date, I’ve done 26 of these (they can all be found on our Destinations
page) and they’re some of my favourite posts. For the next six months, I’ll be
highlighting one every Wednesday (from south to north) and adding a few new
ones in where I can. This week, it’s a return to Pruth Bay
in British
Columbia’s Central Coast (you can read the original post here).
Disclaimer: This blog article is not to be
used for navigation. It is solely an account
of our personal experience in Pruth Bay during settled 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 in the
immediate area and any boat that enters should be self-sufficient.
With more than 120,000 hectares, the Hakai LúxvbálÃs Conservancy is the largest protected marine area in British Columbia. It
includes most of Hunter Island, the northern half of Calvert Island and several small island groups in Queen Charlotte Sound. Here, the
coastline is diverse and home to stunning white sand beaches, tombolos,
tree-covered hills, secluded anchorages, islets and reefs all begging to be
explored – the West Coast, in particular.
And while the park is easily accessed from the east, along Fitz Hugh Sound, the western boundaries are more difficult. The area is strewn with rocks and reefs and
isn’t charted particularly well, so local knowledge would be helpful. We tried to make a several years ago but
were unsuccessful – the westerly swell was breaking and we had to turn around. We’ve yet to make another attempt, but I
hope we will some day. Until then, Pruth Bay
makes a fine substitution . . . as well as a destination.
Situated
within the park boundaries on Calvert Island, Pruth Bay
is a popular spot. But as far as
anchorages go, it’s fairly ordinary: The
protection is fine. The holding is okay. The scenery is familiar. And the bay is busy with regular traffic from
float planes, boats and helicopters. So,
what’s the appeal? That’s simple: land-access
to the pristine white sand beaches of the Hakai LúxvbálÃs Conservancy . . . and free
wi-fi.
Sitting
at the head of Pruth Bay
is the Hakai Institute. Housed in a former up-scale fishing resort,
Hakai is a non-profit venture that works with universities, First Nations, BC Parks
and others to offer in-field research opportunities. Together with the parks department, the
institute added boardwalks, trail markers and an outhouse for public use and
access to Calvert Island’s famous West Beach. The trail
is well-maintained and winds through bushes, ferns and a forest of Sitka Spruce before opening to West Beach.
A
substantial dock and wharf provide access to the property and visitors are
welcome to use the dinghy docks underneath the pier. Sign in at the visitor’s center where you’ll
find a map of some of the island’s trails. If you have any questions, the staff and
guests are very friendly and have always been happy to help or discuss whatever
research they might be doing . . . even if you wander outside public areas
(which you shouldn’t do) because you have some perverse addiction to “the
back-of-house”.
The
trail to West Beach is well-maintained and winds through bushes, ferns, and a forest of Sitka Spruce before opening up to the Pacific Ocean. If you
stop there, you won’t be disappointed. West Beach is beautiful, and on a clear day the sun highlights the greens, blues
and whites to make the scene look tropical.
It’s easy to spend hours walking barefoot in the sand, combing the beach
for any treasures that may have washed ashore.
But, for the more adventurous, two other trails await.
The
first and best known of the two leads to North Beach. The trailhead can be found at
the northern end of West Beach and passes through rainforest and can be muddy in
places. But it’s easy to follow and only
about 0.5 mile each way. The second
trailhead can be found at the southern end of West Beach and calls for more of a commitment:
The system of trails is intricate and leads to a series of eleven
beaches along the west side of Calvert Island (I’ve only managed to reach four or five). The hike is rugged in places and requires
good shoes and some climbing. Access to
both trailheads is limited to lower water, however, so plan accordingly.
To
anchor, Pruth Bay
offers good protection from most weather and plenty of swinging room, but boats
are asked to stay 100 metres (330 feet) from the dock to allow access for float
planes and barges. The holding is good
in mud and sand in depths of 10 to 20 metres (33 to 66 feet). As a bonus, the Hakai Institute pipes free
wi-fi into the bay. The downside is that
Pruth Bay
is often crowded but a quieter, more secluded anchorage can be found in the arm
to the south.
So,
if you find yourself in the area of Calvert Island, we highly recommend making the seven-mile trek up Kwakshua Channel
to Pruth Bay. But make sure you give yourself plenty of
time to enjoy and explore the Hakai LúxvbálÃs Conservancy – an experience you
won’t soon forget and a destination all on its own. And if you figure out how to reach all eleven
beaches, let me know!
Things to Do:
Beach
Combing
Camping
Eagle
Watching (both Golden and Bald)
Hiking
Kayaking
Surfing
Swimming
Talk to
the staff at the Hakai Institute
Waypoints of Interest:
Pruth Bay: 51°39.216’N,
128°06.724’W (approach)
Pruth Bay: 51°39.216’N,
128°07.649’W (anchorage)
Kwakshua
Channel: 51°39.067’N, 127°57.364’W
(entrance)
