BOAT TRAVELS
Cortes Island to
Desolation Sound
This is a continuation of the Pender Harbour to Cortes Island trip made in April 2004.
On a beautiful bright morning we rounded the south end of Cortes Island & headed into Desolation Sound.
This is one of many provincial marine parks on the Sunshine Coast, all marked with these pretty signs including the provincial flower, the dogwood.
Prideaux Haven in Desolation Sound is a famous cruising destination, with well-deserved praise for its beauty. It's very crowded in the summer, but was totally quiet when we were there in April.
Hard to believe Capt. George Vancouver, who named it, saw this area as "desolate".
We toured around in our dinghy to enjoy the scenery.
This sailboat was the only other boat sharing the environment. Can you spot it?
Seabird taking off from shore.
Rod, Maggie & Sandra explored the shoreline in Melanie Cove.
Moss covered the trees and everything seemed vividly green.
Seastars were plentiful & large in this area.
Sandra is very fond of these arbutus trees that thrive on the Sunshine Coast (called Madronas in the US). They only grow within about a mile of the sea and seem to thrive on the salt moisture in the air.
Oyster beds abound in Desolation Sound (sounds poetic).
NiSa was quite dwarfed by her surroundings.
