After our unexpected five-day stop on Texada Island, we were more than ready to finally continue north.
Our windlass was fixed, our spirits were high, and at last we were on our way to the place we had been looking forward to from the very beginning:
Desolation Sound.
This is one of those boating destinations that people talk about with a certain reverence. If you spend enough time around cruisers on the BC coast, Desolation Sound always comes up. The anchorages, the scenery, the calm water, the warm swimming, the islands, the wildlife — it has a reputation for a reason.
And now, we were finally going to see it for ourselves.
Arriving at Prideaux Haven
Our next stop was Prideaux Haven, one of the best-known anchorages in Desolation Sound.
Prideaux Haven is made up of several little coves, islands and narrow passages, and it immediately feels like a place built for exploring. Everywhere you look there is something beautiful — rocky shoreline, forest, quiet water and tucked-away little corners that make you want to launch the tender and go see what’s around the bend.
We ended up going into Melanie Cove to meet our friends Dennis and Tracey, who were already there.
They were stern tied in the cove, and we put ourselves right beside them.
Our First Stern Tie
This was our first time stern tying, and thankfully, it went swimmingly.
Jared had a really simple setup that worked well. He keeps a bag full of floating rope onboard, tied one end off at the back cleat, and then took the other end directly to the stern-tie point on the rocks at Melanie Cove with our Stryker inflatable boat.
Once everything was set, the boat sat beautifully in place.
It was such a good feeling.
If you’ve never stern tied before, it can seem a little intimidating the first time, especially in a popular anchorage where there are already other boats around. But once we understood the rhythm of it and worked through the steps, it made total sense.
And it gave us a lot more confidence for the rest of the trip.
One of the great things about the stern ties in popular BC marine anchorages is that they help keep boats positioned neatly in tighter spaces instead of swinging around on anchor. They also help reduce wear on shorelines and sensitive bottom habitat in busy areas. In a place as popular as Prideaux Haven, that makes a lot of sense.
Why People Love This Area
It didn’t take long for us to understand why so many boaters love this place.
Desolation Sound has a completely different feel from some other parts of the coast. The water is sheltered and calm, the scenery is dramatic without feeling harsh, and the whole area feels made for slow exploring.
Prideaux Haven in particular is the kind of place where you can spend a day anchored and still feel like there’s more to see.
There are little coves tucked around corners.
Tiny islands.
Passages to explore by tender, paddleboard or kayak.
And views in every direction that make you stop and take it all in.
We headed over to a little island between Melanie Cove and Laura Cove to do some exploring, and it was exactly the kind of outing we love most. Just hopping in the tender, heading to shore and wandering somewhere beautiful with no real agenda.
Those are often the moments we remember most.
A Boating Destination for a Reason
Even at this time of year, there were a few boats around.
It didn’t feel crowded, but it definitely felt like a known destination.
From what we hear, though, peak summer can get very busy, and it’s easy to understand why. Desolation Sound is one of the most sought-after cruising areas on the BC coast. If you want a prime spot in Prideaux Haven in the height of summer, arriving earlier in the day is probably a smart move.
Still, even with a handful of boats around, it never felt overly busy to us.
The area is large enough, broken up enough and beautiful enough that it still feels peaceful.
Fresh Prawns and a Great Night with Friends
Back at the boats, we settled in for the evening and enjoyed one of the best parts of coastal boating life:
freshly caught prawns.
There is just something about eating fresh seafood in a beautiful anchorage with good friends nearby that makes a day feel complete.
We spent the evening visiting with Dennis and Tracey, soaking in the scenery and appreciating how good it felt to finally be where we had been trying to get all along.
After the windlass troubles, the delay on Texada and all the moving pieces at the start of this trip, this evening felt like a bit of a reward.
We were here.
The anchor was set.
The stern tie was solid.
Dinner was amazing.
And all around us was one of the most beautiful boating destinations in British Columbia.
A Few Fun Facts About Desolation Sound
The more we explored, the more we understood why Desolation Sound has such a big reputation.
Here are a few things that make this area so special:
- Desolation Sound Marine Park has more than 60 kilometres of shoreline, with islands, bays and snug coves to explore.
- It’s widely known as one of the top boating and kayaking destinations on the BC coast.
- The waters here are famous for being some of the warmest saltwater swimming waters in Canada, which makes summer anchoring here even more special.
- Prideaux Haven is one of the park’s best-known anchorages and is often used as a base for exploring the surrounding coves and islands.
- The whole area feels very wilderness-based, so boaters need to come prepared and self-sufficient.
It’s easy to see why so many people return here year after year.
Tips for Boating in Prideaux Haven
If you’re heading into Prideaux Haven, here are a few things we’d already say after our first visit:
- Bring stern-tie gear. If you want to anchor in places like Melanie Cove, having a good stern-tie setup makes things much easier.
- Arrive earlier in busy season. This is a popular destination, and from everything we hear, summer can get packed.
- Bring your own water and provisions. There are no services right in the anchorage, so it’s best to arrive prepared.
- Use the tender, paddleboard or kayak. This area is made for exploring the little islands, coves and passages.
- Slow down and enjoy it. Prideaux Haven is not a place to rush through.
Finally in Desolation Sound
Reaching Prideaux Haven felt like a major milestone on this trip.
It was the moment where the trip stopped feeling like a long series of preparations and repairs and finally became what we had been dreaming about — anchoring in beautiful places, spending time with friends, exploring by tender and enjoying the BC coast at a slower pace.
Our first stern tie was a success.
The prawns were incredible.
The scenery completely lived up to the hype.
And for the first time on this trip, we felt like we had truly arrived in Desolation Sound.
Of course, we weren’t done yet.
There was still plenty more to explore.
Next stop: Walsh Cove.
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