Timing the Gates

We said goodbye to Derik in the afternoon and departed Campbell River, motoring a short distance northward to Gowlland Harbour on Quadra Island, where we anchored to stay the night and await slack water at Seymour Narrows for a morning transit.

Gowlland Harbour

Gowlland Harbour, a large body of water tucked off Discovery Passage, has room for numerous boats to anchor. The most protected anchorage area seems to be at the east end of the harbour.

Gowlland Harbour looking towards the city of Campbell River

After getting settled, we took the dinghy over to visit Seascape Waterfront Resort on the north shore of Gowlland.

Seascape Waterfront Resort

To our surprise, a building from Point Roberts (U.S. territory near Tsawwassen, BC) had been towed to their docks. Seascape Resort hopes to purchase the building and use it for additional accommodations and a kitchen.

Boaters can tie-up at the Seascape docks as space allows; you can call ahead regarding availability or take an open space. It’s first-come, first-served unless you have arranged for a group rendezvous.

Rocky Islets provide additional anchorage spots in Gowlland Harbour

From Seascape Resort, we motored the dinghy south across the harbour and through a narrow cut to visit April Point, also located on Quadra Island.

Docks at April Point Resort can accommodate mega  yachts (old removed floats are in the foreground)

April Point Resort has a fairly large marina, which can accommodate mega yachts. We noted that docks here are continuing to be replaced and upgraded.

Docks are currently being replaced at the April Point Resort moorage facility

Some guests arrive by float plane at April Point Resort

The resort itself, with accommodations and a restaurant, is located a short distance west of the docks on April Point, and is easily accessed by dinghy. The dinghy docks at this historic resort are still in need of replacement, along with other building-maintenance. Improvements are slowly taking place.

The following morning, we transited Seymour Narrows at slack around 9 a.m.; traffic was light and there were no tugs with barges to contend with.

Seymour Narrows

Seymour Narrows is another one of those “gates” to transit in order for boaters to continue along the northern reaches of Vancouver Island and into the Broughtons, the group of islands lying off Vancouver Island to the north and northeast.

Seymour Narrows leads into the northern part of Discovery Passage, which intersects with Nodales Channel and Johnstone Strait. The Chatham Lighthouse sits prominently at this intersection.

The Chatham Lighthouse at the intersection of Johnstone Strait and Nodales Channel

We turned westward into Johnstone Strait, the wide channel that separates Vancouver Island from the Broughton Islands. The long fetch of Johnstone Strait, coupled with wind and opposing current, can cause the seas to whip-up; but we were fortunate to have only rippled conditions.

After a few hours motoring west along Johnstone Strait, we turned northeast up Havannah Channel and anchored among a small group of islands (Warren Islands) at the entrance to Call Inlet.

Entering Havannah Channel

Anchorage among the Warren Island near the entrance to Call Inlet

The entrance to Call Inlet

We would pass through additional rapids the following morning, making our way through the various areas of the larger Broughton Island Group. It’s all about timing when boating in and around the Broughtons.