Change of Plan

Northwest Float Plane lands at Blind Channel Resort

Boaters cruising through the Broughtons know that cell phone coverage is spotty and we had been out of contact for a couple of days. Just as our phones came to life among the Broughtons, we received a call from our son who informed us that my mother had passed away. It was a shock and unexpected. She was 94 years old, and I am thankful that she was able to live on her terms in her own home, still drove her car, and enjoyed working around the house. She went quickly as she had wished.

The challenge for us was to quickly get me to her home. where my brother was awaiting my arrival. We motored to Blind Channel Resort, where there is float plane service and spent the night. It just so happened that Mark and Danielle were at Blind Channel as well, so we had a nice dinner together. 

My Ride Arrives at Blind Channel Resort

Leonard left with our boat early in the morning to start the journey back to our home port of Anacortes, and I took a Northwest float plane from Blind Channel to Renton, Washington. I think mother would have been pleased that I enjoyed the flight.

At Renton our son and daughter-in-law met me for dinner and then took me to Sea-Tac Airport where I flew out to Portland, OR. My brother picked me up at the airport and we drove to mother’s house. It had been a long day with more long days ahead. Having contingency plans is always a good idea when out boating. You never know what needs might arise.

Wishing all our boating compatriots good times on the water and in the air.

Bear Viewing at Glendale Cove

The eastern portion of Knight Inlet is stunning.

The Broughtons provide opportunities to see and experience a wide variety of terrain and wildlife, everything from low-lying islands and islets, to fjord-like channels and majestic mountains. Similar to Kingcome Inlet and Tribune Channel, Knight Inlet is stunning and remote. Knight Inlet is big, 70 miles long, 2 miles wide and 1,500 feet deep. The eastern portion of Knight Inlet is absolutely breathtaking and is home to Glendale Cove, a world-renowned grizzly bear viewing area.

Tourists come from all over the world to stay at Knight Inlet Lodge

Knight Inlet Lodge, located on the eastern shore of the cove, has gone from being a fishing lodge to a high-end Eco-tour lodge. Seventy percent of their guests come from Europe and twenty percent come from Australia; a handful of guests are Canadian and U.S. citizens. Two other nearby lodges also provide Eco tours of Knight Inlet.

Glendale Cove has one of the highest concentrations of Grizzly Bears (Brown Bears) on the west coast of British Columbia. Bears making their way from the high mountains above, appear in the spring and forage along the grassy tidal areas of Glendale Cove. By mid-August, the bears are feeding on salmon. Glendale Cove is the territory of the Da’naxda’xw Native Band, who moved to New Vancouver in the 1960’s (see blog post dated July 23rd). 

Band members working at Glendale Cove provide visitors with written guidelines for bear viewing. These guidelines are important to maintain the preservation of the bear habitat. When bears feel disturbed or crowded, they often become displaced. For these reasons, bear viewing is allowed from dinghies and kayaks, keeping at least 50 meters (165 feet) from shore. It is best practice to turn off the motor when viewing bears to reduce noise and disturbance.

Vessels viewing bears along the shore are limited to 6 at a time. Maximum speed within the Cove is 5 knots. Going ashore is not allowed within the Cove, all viewing is done from your vessel, dinghy, or kayak. For boaters who have pets that need to go ashore, dogs can be taken to Duncan Bight, located east of Glendale Cove. Tour operators as well as pleasure boats all abide by the same rules to ensure the protection of these bears.

While these bears are used to seeing water craft in the Cove, viewing time should be limited; if a bear looks up and stares at you, it’s time to leave; they have become stressed at that point.

We were thankful to see that tour guides and pleasure boaters were all being very careful, abiding by the rules set down by the Commercial Bear Viewing Association and First Nations. There’s no need to hurry, Grizzly Bears are so concentrated here, that you’re almost guaranteed to see a bear. We saw a mother with two little cubs feeding along the western shoreline.

Anchorage at Glendale Cove

When pleasure boaters visit Glendale Cove, you are to hail the “Glendale Cove Guardians” on VHF Ch 68 to announce your arrival; they will provide written instructions for bear viewing once you have anchored. Anchorage can be taken along the western shore in two small bights in 50-80 feet of water at the required distance of 200 meters (656 feet) from shore for anchoring.

After our visit to Glendale Cove, we motored north across Knight Inlet to Naena Point to find another reported Native pictograph. Located along a wide, white-colored ledge about 10 feet above the waterline, we found the pictograph, a drawing of four boxes with markings inside each box. It appeared that there had been a string of many boxes, which have faded over time. These pictographs serve as testament to the long-standing occupation of First Nations people.

Continuing back down Knight Inlet, we stopped once again to anchor for the night at Tsakonu Cove. If not planning an overnight stay at Glendale Cove, Tsakonu Cove serves as a good staging point for a visit to and from Glendale, with well-protected anchorage for overnight stays. Anchorage is also possible closer to Glendale Cove behind Tomakstum Island in a small, unnamed cove.

Tribune Channel to Knight Inlet

Heading east on Tribune Channel

Heading east along Tribune Channel from Kwatsi Bay, we stopped at Miller Point in search of a reported pictograph. Miller Point is at the end of a peninsula that divides Kwatsi Bay from Bond Sound.

Pictograph at Miller Point along Tribune Channel

Hovering around the point, we spotted the pictograph about 20-30 feet above the waterline on the east side of the point. The pictograph is simple in design, but obviously made by a human. Perhaps it represents a “watchful eye” or marks a sacred place?

Continuing along Tribune Channel, which turns southeast, we came to another sound, Thompson Sound. Like Kwatsi Bay and Bond Sound, Thompson heads northward and dead ends among the tall mountains. Near the entrance to Thompson Sound, Tribune Channel turns southward.

Log Debris from rivers and shorelines in Tribune Channel caused by rains and high tide

It was here that we found a line of debris, including logs, stumps, and limbs, which created a challenging obstacle course. In fact, we encountered numerous logs when we left Port McNeill and throughout The Broughtons. We suspect that the recent extreme high tide and heavy rain over the last 3-4 days contributed to the flow of logs washed out from rivers and shorelines.

The south end of Tribune Channel connects with Knight Inlet. The main south entrance/exit for Tribune Channel is the route west of Viscount Island. A second option is to take the narrow waterway of Sargeaunt Passage on the east side of Viscount Island. 

Sargeaunt Passage from Tribune Channel to Knight Inlet

We decided to motor through Sargeaunt Passage as part of our research for the Waggoner Guide. The Passage is narrow and shallow, with some noticeable current at the narrowest section. The shallowest point is at the south end of the passage, with a minimum depth of approximately 9 feet at zero tide, which is much less than the charts indicate.

Tsakonu Cove Anchorage

After exiting Tribune Channel, we motored across Knight Inlet to Tsakonu Cove, located behind Protection Point. As we approached Protection Point, we had the pleasure of spotting a whale in the distance, breaching several times as if to wave at us while passing.

An Old Log Dump in Tsakonu Cove on Knight Inlet

After rounding Protection Point, we entered Tsakonu Cove, surprised to find another boat in this remote anchorage.

Tribune Channel, a Treasure Trove

Departing Port McNeill, we once again journeyed across Queen Charlotte Strait and wound our way among The Broughton Islands on our way to Kwatsi Bay via Tribune Channel.

Mountains rise steeply along Tribune Channel

Beautiful Lacy Falls on Tribune Channel

Tribune Channel provides some of the most stunning scenery in The Broughtons. Stopping at beautiful Lacy Falls on the north shore is a must. You can nudge the bow of your boat up close for a great view. The water tumbling down the smooth rock slab face, creates a lace-like effect on the water which is mesmerizing.

Entering Watson Cove

Waterfalls in Watson Cove make for a nice anchorage.

Farther northeast is Watson Cove, where several waterfalls tumble through the trees and down the rock cliffs. Anchorage depths in Watson Cove are 50-60 feet; the cove is fairly protected except during westerlies, when the wind blows up Tribune Channel.

One of the treasures of Watson Cove is the 1,000-year-old cedar hidden from view, but a trail shows you the way. We tied the dinghy to a heavy rope, which was attached to a large rusty pin on a flat slab of rock located along the northeast end of the cove. The trail is just inside the tree line. It’s an adventure trekking through the mud and jungle-like vegetation. Although the tree is just a short distance away, you’ll want to wear high boots; we sank into the mud up to our calves.

Continuing east along Tribune Channel, we reached Kwatsi Bay, which is without question the most scenic of the marina destinations among The Broughtons.

Guest Docks at Kwatsi Bay

A true remote, outback destination, the docks at Kwatsi Bay are surrounded by towering mountains and numerous waterfalls. We couldn’t count all the waterfalls, and it was impossible to capture the grandeur by camera. Back in 1998, Max and Anca leased 4-acres of land and opened their docks to visitors, along with a small gift shop.

Happy Hour at Kwatsi Bay

Boaters have been coming here ever since. Their daughter and son are now grown and Max and Anca are empty nesters; they have made the decision to move to Sointula and have put their business up for sale. We hope that someone will be inspired to carry on their legacy. While it remains to be seen what will become of the docks and buildings; anchorage can be taken in the eastern cove of Kwatsi Bay in 50 to 80 feet of water to enjoy the same spectacular views.

Evening Mist at Kwatsi Bay

A Fabulous Dinner at Cluxewe Bistro

After our successful boat repairs and the arrival of our friends Mark and Danielle, it was time to spend an evening out together over dinner. The new Cluxewe Waterfront Bistro is in its fourth year of operation and has already gained notoriety. The restaurant is accessible by taxi, or boaters staying at North Island Marina can use the marina’s courtesy van.

The Cluxewe Waterfront Bistro has expansive views of Broughton Strait

The Cluxewe Bistro is located 7 miles west of Port McNeill and has expansive ocean views of  Queen Charlotte Strait and Broughton Strait, with the Pulteney Lighthouse on Malcolm Island. Eagles sore over the beach at the bistro and nest in nearby trees, it’s a lovely setting.

We had the pleasure of meeting Chef Chris Pankratz and his wife Julie, who shared their philosophy of good service and good food. According to Chris, hospitality is the number one ingredient, “guests should feel good and leave happy.” Their hospitality and great food met our expectation of a complete experience.

Chef Pankratz believes in using fresh seasonal foods that are recognizable, with an added flare of various combinations and the use of locally sourced greens and edible flowers.

Chris is a fan of braising meats to lock in taste and tenderness, while adding special herb blends. 

We began our dinner with a couple of appetizers: Bruschetta, a combination of tomatoes, shallots, fresh mozzarella, basil and balsamic on grilled focaccia; and the fresh yellowfin tuna topped with mango in a semi-sweet sauce.

Yellowfin Tuna and Bruschette appetizers

Lamb Shank with a blend of Moroccan spices

For a main dish, Mark chose the Lamb Shank, slowly cooked with a secret Moroccan spice blend, served with potatoes and fresh broccoli. 

Leonard chose the Trout served with roasted king oyster mushrooms and new potatoes over a truffle spring pea puree.

Fresh Trout served with seasonal vegetables

The Chicken and Fig Penne goes well with red wine

Danielle and I both chose the Chicken and Fig Penne, chunks of juicy chicken breast, black mission figs, and garlic in a gorgonzola cream sauce; wow! I didn’t know pasta could taste so good.

When visiting Port McNeill, be sure to make reservations for Cluxewe Waterfront Bistro (250-230-1006); it’s a seasonal restaurant not to be missed; menu selections change from time to time. The bistro operates June 1^st through the end of September, open Wednesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.