Wildlife
Wildlife you may see on this tour are the Bald Eagle, Harbour Seal, Oyster Catcher, Raven, Dalls' Porpoise, Black Bear, Deer, River Otter and more. Sea life varies from a Wolf Eel to Star fish to Moon Jelly and more. The list is endless.

Landscape
Desolation Sound is situated in the rain shadow of the Vancouver Island mountains. This means that as the prevailing weather systems come into the coast from the Pacific Ocean, the majority of the precipitation is dropped while the system passes over Vancouver Island making Desolation Sound a relatively dry area on the coast that receives plenty of sunshine.

Incredible Mountain Views in Desolation Sound.

Day 1
Our tour begins on Quadra Island where we meet in the morning to catch the ferry that takes us to Cortes Island. The ferry ride to Cortes is great fun and offers a view of the waters surrounding Rebecca Spit, Quadra and Read Islands. Once on Cortes we have a short but interesting drive to our launch point at Squirrel Cove where we go over a safety and instructional talk on the beach. We’ll eat a hearty lunch in the cove, then your guide/s will explain, and show how to effectively pack your kayak, and before you know it we are on the water paddling our way toward the majestic Coast Mountains. This leg of the trip is almost always a great photo opportunity. With the mountains coming into view, they make a picture perfect back drop for photography. We’ll stop for a shoreline snack and get out to stretch our legs along the way.

Depending on the group’s speed and desires, we may camp on the Martin Islands or a little closer to Desolation Sound Marine Park. We set up camp for the night and snuggle in for a sumptuous dinner and campfire.

Day 2
Fresh air and the sounds of birds and seals are the morning wake-up call with a hint of fresh Starbucks coffee brewing on the camp stove. After a hearty, delicious hot breakfast served with fresh fruit and hot freshly brewed coffee (or hot beverage of your choice from the pantry,) we pack up our boats and head off for a day of adventure. Depending again, on the groups desires we can base camp for a few days from one exceptional camp site or move about each day with a new site for each evening. Either way, we have our lunch with us and always eat somewhere different. Likely, we would explore Tenedos Bay which is on the mainland inside the marine park. It is accessible only by water, and here we hike along a clear babbling stream up to a stunning fresh water lake that begs you for a swim, which almost everyone obliges. By the end of the day we’ll be camped again, enjoying surrealistic views abound, while sampling the smells and sounds of another delicious dinner, and desert. Another night of fresh air and solitude, and a usually cloudless sky displaying an amplitude of stars to inspire awe.

Day 3
Before the morning sun rises from behind the mountains it creates a glow that begins as a sizzle of light silhouetting the highest peaks with orange-red rim. Then, slowly, the light increases in intensity, as if turning up the volume and the world around us awakens to another day. The Black Oyster Catchers with their bright orange beaks and flesh coloured legs begin flying from rock to rock while whistling that wonderful call that makes them irresistible. The Ravens, a highly intelligent and problem solving bird, soon begins its clucks, giggles and metallic clunks as if it were showing off its wide range of vocabulary just for us. This will be followed by the load splashing sounds of nearby Harbor Seals diving into the water for a morning meal, and in the background is the slight waft of breakfast cooking and coffee roasting to greet your day.

Day 4
Of course another hearty, delicious hot breakfast is the dawn of a new day. Today we may find ourselves paddling to the mouth of Waddington Channel to explore Roscoe Bay, another gorgeous spot. On the paddle across Homfray Channel to Waddington we experience a view of the coast mountains that is unsurpassed. In front of us is East Redonda Island, the highest island for its circumference on the coast and impressive it is! In less than three kilometres inland on the island, it rises from sea level to over 1500 meters in height creating a formidable challenge to a hiker. Almost splitting the island in half is the world famous Pendrell Sound, a dead end inlet that holds water even warmer than Prideaux Haven due to its long length. This is a view we often reflect on as one of the few that reproduces in photographs with reasonable reflection of what is was actually like to be there -Stupendous.

As we round the corner of Marylebone Point at Roscoe Bay it immediately becomes apparent why we came. The bay is cut deep into the high mountainous sides of West Redonda island with a waterfall crashing down the rock face except during the driest times, that you can paddle your kayak almost under to cool off. At the far end of the bay is a small river flowing vigorously out of Black Lake which is just a few minutes hike on a flat trail inland. The lake is another fantastic swimming exercise, which is an activity we invariable we find ourselves partaking in. Occasionally we have portaged the kayaks up to the lake for a fresh water journey on the remote unpopulated lake.

Day 5
By the time day five comes along the talk of leaving is almost enough to bring on mutiny. We have all fallen into the syncopated rhythm of natures land and sea, and it feels "right" to be living outdoors in a nomadic lifestyle that encourages ones connection with the land in which we come. It is this day that brings guests back for another tour, next year.

We eventually find ourselves back at Squirrel Cove, in no real hurry or schedule except meeting the ferry in the late afternoon. The ferry ride back to Quadra Island is the best of the two in that we usually sit outside on the deck at the rear of the ship, facing the mountain vista that we have been living amongst these past days. The view is, well, we don’t want to give away the ending.

Click here to return to
Desolation Sound Kayaking

www.outforadventure.com
Toll Free: 1-866-344-5292
Tel:          1 250 285 3600
© 2003/4/5 and property of Out For Adventure
Out For Adventure is a Canadian owned and operated  company.
Updated Monday February 25, 2008