The convoy to Heriot Bay was uneventful, but the sunny, warm weather was welcome. However, after we looked around for parking and launching sites, it became apparent that the prevailing headwind would keep us shore bound at the Heriot Bay Inn campground for the night. The next day brought more sunshine and reduced wind, so our expedition of discovery in the Discovery Islands could begin.
At 0930 h sharp, Colleen, Nick and Iveta led Esmeralda, Eric and John out on the first 10.2 NM day of our now six-day trip. The first two crossings to Read Island were moderately choppy, but by the time we rounded Viner Point and headed northeast, the wind had decreased and our drysuits became a bit uncomfortable. Along the way, we encountered eagles, curious sea lions and very little boat traffic. After a long day of paddling we reached Penn Islands North, where we set up for the first of two nights at the BC Marine Trails campsite that boasted a new composting toilet. The campsite is a beautiful up/down split with the upstairs sites providing refreshing breezes and spectacular views from the rock thirty feet above the water. The downstairs sites are closer to the beach and are tucked in the woods out of the wind. As the tide went out in the evening, we sat upstairs and watched a solitary inquisitive seal patrol the small inlet below as it returned repeatedly to keep and eye on us.
Day 3 brought more glorious weather and a 6.0 NM tour of Frederic Pt on Read Island and the Penn Islands themselves. Near the end of our outing, we passed through the channel between Central and East Penn Islands. John speculated that this area was a nursery for young seals that had been left for the day by their parents and told not to venture out of the area. It seems that the temptation of kayaks was too much for many of them, as they followed our boats with interest for quite a while.
The next morning brought us to another travel day, but not until after we saw a small pod of orcas not far from our campsite. The whales were active in the same area in which we had seen the young seals, so perhaps there was an unpleasant meeting of the two. Shortly after, we set off on 4.5 NM day 3 with a crossing to Robertson Creek on Cortes Island, where we stopped for lunch and a water recharge. In the afternoon, we reached the dispersed camping site near the reversing tidal rapids in Von Donop Inlet. It was fascinating to see the rapids flowing seaward at low tide, but we were too tired to get up in the middle of the night to see the flow reverse.
On the next day, we explored the rest of Von Donop Inlet before heading back out into Sutil Channel and down the shore of Cortes to Carrington Bay (9.0 NM), where we spent two nights at the campsite at Carrington Bay Regional Park. Thankfully, the park was quiet and we seemed to be the only campers in residence. As at Von Donop, Carrington Bay also has tidal rapids connecting the Bay to a lagoon. John and I watched expectantly, but again, we could not see the rapids reverse into the lagoon. Our next day (day 5) was a shore day that included hiking several of the Park trails and a beach lunch on Carrington Lagoon.
Our final leg on day 6 took us out of Carrington Bay, past Coulter Island and the Subtle Islands. We then worked hard on three crossings under full sun and with calm winds, first to Viner Point on Read Island, then on to the Breton Islands and finally back to the Heriot Bay Inn on Quadra Island, 11.6 NM in all. For some of us, the trip ended with another night of camping at the Inn, while others departed for Quathiaski Cove and beyond.
Many thanks to Colleen, Nick and Iveta for researching and leading this outing and for scheduling it for a period of outstanding weather. Thanks also Esmeralda, Colleen, Iveta and John for accompanying photos. Exploring in the Discovery Islands
