Sample Itinerary to the Sunshine Coast and Princess Louisa Inlet

So here I am in cold, gray but sunny Toronto imagining a passage to the Sunshine Coast and also up to Princess Louisa Inlet. Where would I go and why? This might be it for 10 days...

Day 1 - Nanaimo to Pender Harbour (crossing Strait of Georgia)
Day 2 - Pender Harbour to Egmont
Day 3 - Egmont to PLI
Day 4 - PLI (Harbour day)
Day 5 - PLI to Harmony Islands
Day 6 - Harmony Islands to Ballet Bay
Day 7 - Ballet Bay to Buccaneer Bay
Day 8 - Buccaneer Bay to Jedediah Island
Day 9 - Jedidiah Island to Schooner Cove (crossing Strait of Georgia)
Day 10 - Schooner Cove to Nanaimo

The idea is that it is not a race but to be able to enjoy the sights and destinations - and to be relaxed while doing it all.

The passage is about 200 nm, a few days that are longer in travel and other days where you are just puddle jumping around.

A serious and informative guide...

 

After leaving the charter base of Nanaimo the first thing to deal with (besides the weather) is the Whiskey Gulf (WG) military missile test range just northeast of Nanaimo and sort of in the way if you are making a crossing to the Sunshine Coast. The bad news is that if they are testing you have to go around and this is most usually done during the week. The good news is that they don't test on weekends so you can take the direct route across. The most important thing no matter what is to call in and check either week day or weekend - you don't want a cruise missile or torpedo chasing you across.

Whiskey Golf Military Test Range

The crossing of the Strait of Georgia can be a mild or extreme adventure. Conditions can be smooth as glass - no wind or all the way to storm warnings with wind on current that translates into dangerous conditions.

I believe in going greater or longer distances at the beginning of a passage to create opportunities for relief in case bad weather keeps you in harbour. So the destination for the first day would be Pender Harbour which is about 35 nm away.

Pender Harbour

Pender Harbour is considered to be the Venice of the Pacific what with the hugely undulating harbour coastline and waterfront buildings and boardwalks. It is a good place to do any last minute provisioning before services disappear on the way to PLI. There are lots of good places to anchor or even to get a slip at a marina.

Next stop is going to be Egmont which is an easy sail or motor up Agamemnon Channel to the mouth of Sechelt Inlet, home of the Skookumchuk Narrows where tidal flow can reach up to 15 knots. Yes - we will stay away from there with our sailboat. This same current but preferably at slack needs to be navigated when berthing in Egmont. Egmont will be our last place to refuel in case we have to motor all the way to PLI.

Skookumchuk Rapids

There are very few places to anchor or holdover on the way to PLI as the water depths drop off severely very close to shore just as the mountains rise quickly out of the water. These narrow fjords are amazing and delight to experience. The 40 nm passage up to PLI needs to be timed to meet slack water at Malibu Rapids just before entering the final inlet to PLI. The rapids at Malibu can hit 4 to 6 Knots so it is advised to wait if you are on a sailboat.

Slack at Malibu Rapids

There are a few places to drop anchor in the narrow shoreline of PLI, as well, there is Macdonald Island that provides good anchorage if the park dock is full and too noisy. It is a ways in to get to PLI so why not make the most of it by staying an extra day. There are hikes that can be made, especially up the mountainside to the Trappers Cabin which is described in the must read of The Curve of Time by Muriel Wylie Blanchet. If there is one book that will get you going to read about the BC coast, its history and people, the industries and the marine environment - it is this book.

Above Princess Louisa Inlet

Princess Louisa Inlet

It is Chatterbox Falls that makes PLI the highlight that it is.

Princess Louisa Inlet at Chatterbox Falls

Leaving PLI must again be timed to transit Malibu Rapids then a passage down the picturesque reaches back to Jervis Inlet. If you have motored a lot, a return to Egmont may be recommended to refuel, otherwise it is on to the Harmony Islands of Hotham Sound where a small cluster of islands in this very scenic locale provides shelter and views.

Harmony Islands

The return passage over the next few days will be a lot easier as they are shorter and within easy reach of Nanaimo if needed due to weather. 

To be navigated only at high water a transit of Telescope Passage takes us between Hardy and Nelson Islands to Blind Bay. There are several well protected anchorages at Musket Island and Ballet Bay. Lots of room for a several boats.

Musket Island

The thing about the Sunshine Coast is that it is more remote and the natural environment is spectacular - much of it only accessible by boat. Ballet Bay is a pretty little bay with some inhabitation. Jim Spilsbury of Queen Charlotte Airlines lived here previously on Nelson Island.

An easy sail down Malaspina Strait starts to take us back to civilization near the Thormanby Islands. Most of the islands in the area have some form of connection to horse racing in their history. Buccaneer Bay is an anchor located between the North and South Islands with on shore access to the park and beaches.

Thormanby Islands

Not too far westwards between Texada and Lasqueti Islands is a group of small islands that has some amazing anchorages in the nooks and crevasses. Plan to get here early before spots disappear. Lasqueti is within a day of Nanaimo so that we can be mindful of weather conditions on the crossing. 

Jedediah Island

Schooner Cove just north of Nanoose Harbour provides a full service marina stop if desired, otherwise Nanaimo can be easily reached in a single day.

Nanaimo looking Towards the Mainland

Yes - we went all the way over to the coastal mountains and returned safely!