C12 QUEEN CHARLOTTE CHANNEL

A. Bowen Island is the home of the Union Steamship Marina with year round facilities for boats from 20 to 200 feet. Marina pub, restaurant and overnight accommodations. Bowen Island Marina has year round moorage, kayak rentals, organic pies and an ice cream shop.

B. Sunset Marina - Ample parking with a launch ramp, full marine service, pay phone, haul out, fuel and visitor moorage.

C. Horseshoe Bay is the home of the Bay Mooring Restaurant.

D. Fisherman’s Cove is the home of Vancouver Outboard Center. This is where you want to come for your marine needs.

1. Seymour Bay – Good anchorage and shelter from north winds. A great scuba diving site.

2. Apodaca Provincial Park – Adjacent to the Bowen Island Ecological Reserve.

3. Dorman Bay – South of Snug Cove. Great anchorage and shelter from north winds. Some scuba diving in the bay.

4. Snug Cove – More than 240 m (800 ft) of temporary mooring at the government floats; 5 km speed limit in the bay. Watch for the B.C. Ferries that dock several times a day. Bowen Island Yacht Club holds its meetings at the Union Steamship Co. Marina. Crippen Regional Park was established in 1983 with 240 hectares stretching on both sides of the public wharf.

5. Mannion Bay – Good temporary anchorage and shelter from north winds. Respect private property and floats. Killarney Creek flows into the south corner of the bay under a cement bridge. Captain Thomas Roys hunted whales in Howe Sound, Mannion Bay was one of his home bases.

6. Bowen Island – Named after Rear Ad-

miral James Bowen, master of the H.M.S. Queen Charlotte, flagship of Admiral Earl Howe. Students above grade 6 attend school in West Vancouver by ferry. This 5200 ha (13,000 ac) island with 37 km (23 mi) of coastline is home to 2,700 people.

7. Millers Landing – A nice bay to the north provides great shelter and good anchorage.

8. Cates Bay – Named after Captain John A. Cates. Some good anchorage but very little shelter from the Squamish winds. Marker in the bay marks a shoal.

9. Hood Point – Named after Admiral Sir Alexander Hood, captain of the flagship Royal George which lost 20 men in the battle of the “Glorious First,” of June, 1794. Columbine Bay and Smugglers Cove (to the west) provides good anchorage. Enchanta Bay (to the east) also has good anchorage. Some people bottom fish on the north part of Bowen Island 150 feet offshore.

10. Bowyer Island – Named after Admiral Sir George Bowyer who lost a leg in the battle of the “Glorious First,” of June, 1794. Private properties and no moorage on the island. There are 3 good scuba diving sites around the island.

11. Strachan Creek – Directly across from Bowyer Island there are very nice homes. In this area you will see a unique way of storing your sailboat when the tide is out.

12. Horseshoe Bay – Pay special attention when entering this area as you may confront a B.C. Ferry. The marina here will provide you with fuel, boat rentals and mechanics. The large government wharf is fairly busy during the summer. Be careful when going around Tyee Point Light on the east side of the entrance.

13. Lookout Point Light – Provides a great viewpoint towards Bowen, Bowyer and Anvil Islands. Private floats and property in Copper Cove and Cliff Cove to the east.

14. Whyte Cliff Point – Part of the Whyte Cliff 12 ha (30 ac) park which features a playground, beach, concession, washrooms, picnic tables and trails. No fishing or crabbing as this is a marine protected area. During the summer killer whales hunt seals and salmon in Queen Charlotte Channel. In Whyte Cove, there is good temporary anchorage. Scuba diving in the world famous underwater marine sanctuary. At low tide you can walk to Whyte Islet and Batchelor Cove just to the south.

15. Bird Island – Pass to the west side. South of Kettle Point is Lawson Bay Park which provides good anchorage, a great beach and washrooms. Always watch for swimmers and scuba divers.

16. Fisherman’s Cove – Enter on the north side of Eagle Island, north of the beacon. Watch for drying rocks. Inside Fisherman’s Cove you will find just about everything you would ever need, fuel, haulouts and full shipwright service. This is the home of the West Vancouver Yacht Club and the Thunderbird Yacht Club.

17. Eagle Island – Has cables connecting it to the mainland on the east side. Avoid entering Fisherman’s Cove from this area. Eagle Harbour Yacht Club is behind a 60 m (200 ft) barge breakwater in Eagle Harbour where you will find a small park with sandy beaches and benches. Some anchorage available.

18. Queen Charlotte Channel – Named after the H.M.S. Queen Charlotte. The Queen Charlotte was the ship of Admiral Lord Howe at the battle of the “Glorious First,” of June, 1794. Watch for ferry traffic when entering Howe Sound through Queen Charlotte Channel.

19. Passage Island – Named by Captain Vancouver in June 1792 because it provided a centre line for a direct sight passage from Sandheads at the north of the Fraser River to Anvil Island. Two good scuba diving sites to the south end. Good coho fishing to the south of the island 15 to 22.5 m (50 to 75 ft) off shore.

20. Grebe Islets – Pass to the west. Erwin Point is to the north of Grebe Islets. South is Indian Bluff with a small park called Klootchman Park.

21. Point Atkinson – Named by George Vancouver in 1792. The first lighthouse on this site was in operation by 1875. The present tower was built in 1912 and manned 24 hours a day by two resident keepers. Be careful of the Howe Sound and Berrard Inlet currents as they meet here. Lighthouse Parks’ 40 ha (100 ac) are behind Point Atkinson. The shoreline and forest walk takes about 75 minutes. No bicycles allowed on the trails, no fires, BBQ or hibachis. Some good scuba diving to the west side of the light. 22. Pilot Cove - Has a monument and anchor in memory of Francis Caulfield as well as a small waterfront park. Good anchorage but watch for winds and currents. Caulfield Cove has good anchorage and protection from winds, as well as a small government float, park benches and good scuba diving along the shore towards Pilot’s Cove.