July 1 means our bow points northward for the Broughton Archipelago and good scuba diving, kayaking, prawning, crabbing, wilderness hikes and relative isolation.
The archipelago is a paradise and Sea Foam, our 40-foot Eagle trawler, is no stranger to these lands. Hundreds of low-lying islands and evergreen-covered, rocky islets dot the bracing waters of Queen Charlotte Strait. British Columbia's Coast Mountains overlook the vistas, and the intertwined islands and inlets present dozens of wonderful anchorages.
RICK LEBLANCOur anchorage in the Muirhead Islands. The Broughtons are far enough to be challenging, yet close enough to be accessible. When cruising, you're on your own, yet within a half-day's run to civilization. Queen Charlotte Strait is where Vancouver Island diverges from the British Columbia mainland just north of Johnstone Strait. Wells Passage is an entryway off of Queen Charlotte Strait at the most north eastern end of the Broughtons and leads to maze of inner waterways—Grappler Sound, Kenneth Passage, Mackenzie Sound, Nepah Lagoon.
Though we have visited many anchorages and secluded coves off these inlets, we had never traveled into Drury Inlet – one of the least explored – and last season we decided to cross Drury off our list. We planned to visit the new marina at Jennis Bay, scuba dive off Welde Rock in Stuart Narrows and kayak the Muirhead Islands. We'd then slowly navigate through the rock-strewn waterway of Actress Passage to explore the seldom-travelled Actaeon Sound.
DRURY INLET
Drury is a beautiful and unique spot. Unlike most mainland inlets, Drury's head is northwest of its mouth. While most inlets along the B.C. coast are steep-shored, Drury's terrain is relatively flat. Drury Inlet begins with a narrow passage and a cluster of rocks and islets at its head, perfect formation for diving and kayaking. Actaeon Sound at the head takes a northward twist, leading to an inner lagoon that begs for more exploration.
RICK LEBLANCA barge near England Point. Evidence of the logging industry's past can be found throughout the area. Tidal rapids guard Drury's mouth. Though they aren't particularly worrisome, the current in Stuart Narrows can reach seven knots on large tides. Navigation can be challenging once past Jennis Bay but this inlet is worth the effort. Scenery, excellent anchorages and diversion abound here for those with an exploratory spirit.
We arrived at Stuart Narrows, west off Wells Passage, when the water was slack. With the help of guidebooks, we navigated past the hazards at Welde Rock, the narrowest passage, and proceeded west. Beyond the narrows Richmond Bay, Jennis Bay and Sutherland Bay are popular anchorages.
We radioed ahead to Jennis Bay Marina to learn the dock was full for the night but could accommodate us the next day. Like most boaters, we had a back-up plan and anchored instead in Richmond Bay.
We approached Richmond Bay on our port side and proceeded to the eastern side of the bay, anchoring with a view up the inlet to Ligar Islet and beyond. The forecast called for light and variable winds so we weren't worried about any westerlies blowing in on us overnight.
Once secured, we climbed into our tender to take a look around and take Kona, our 120-pound Italian mastiff, ashore. Another boater fishing from his tender at Leche Rocks raved about the spot for lingcod and said he caught a 45-inch specimen here the week earlier. The lingcod seemed to enjoy the rocky terrain.
