Cortes Island Museum is offering a unique opportunity to travel through rip tides and narrow passages in Desolation Sound.
The museum is sponsoring a trip aboard MISTY ISLES to circumnavigate historic Maurelle Island on Wed., Aug. 17.
Only certain tides during the summer permit the one-of-a-kind trip. Surge Narrows in Beazley Passage and the Hole In The Wall are famous for their tidal rapids but on this day we will be able to work our way through at near slack water.
Later in the afternoon the incoming tide will thunder through at almost 11 knots. Eagles, seals and sealions are often seen fishing in these fast waters. Along the way the boat will pass the Octopus Islands with an old cottage where visiting boaters have left their marks.
The trip will also take you through some fascinating historic places, from pictographs and old village sites to a 1920s store that is still standing. Skipper Mike Moore will be your guide to the rich marine and bird life of the area while also telling tales of the area’s history.
MISTY ISLES will depart from the Whaletown public dock at 10 a.m. and returns at about 5:30 p.m. in conjunction with the ferry schedule.
The cost for the trip is $115 (HST included). Participants from off island should catch the 8:30 a.m. ferry from Campbell River to Quadra Island which connects to the 9:05 a.m. ferry from Heriot Bay to Cortes Island where you can walk on.
When you arrive in Whaletown a shuttle service is provided to the public dock. The shuttle will return participants to catch the 5:50 p.m. ferry off Cortes Island that evening.
Make sure to dress for the weather, bring a lunch and don’t forget your binoculars and camera.For more information or to register please call the Cortes Museum (250-935-6340), email cimas@twincomm.ca or drop by the Museum.
The Cortes Museum has one last trip scheduled for this summer: Desolation Sound on Aug. 25.