Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park
Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park
Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
55 reviews
Excellent
47
Very good
6
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
1
ianjc
Saanichton, Canada268 contributions
Sep 2016 • Couples
I have sailed all over the world, and British Columbia is the best cruising area by far. The weather, in summer, is generally pleasant. The main cruising area, from Victoria to the Broughton Archipelago, is protected, with hundreds of islands and thousands of anchorages, many of which you might have to yourselves, even at the height of cruising season. The most accessible are the Gulf Islands, but the best area is Desolation Sound. You can get there in one very long day from Vancouver, or two easy days. Two long days from Victoria. The water is warm, especially in Pendrill Sound, the warmest water north of, well, it's warmer than most of California. Great scenery, open enough for sailing but protected enough to be safe. What's not to like?
Written October 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wendy B
Denver, CO93 contributions
Sep 2013 • Couples
I love sailing in Desolation Sound...it's huge and filled with beautiful inlets and coves. The water is deep and dark and the mountains are high. Sailing in the channels, it's evident the geology of the area is shaped by glaciers, with U-shaped valleys running down to the main channels. There are many anchorages and some are quite busy; Prideaux Bay is popular and can be crowded, Melanie and Laura Coves are nearby and Melanie Cove has a bar that dries at low tide, so caution is necessary if your boat has a deeper draft. Once in the cove, it becomes a bit of a spectator sport watching boats transit over the bar (we have been witness to some really bad maneuvers!). One of my favorite places to sail is up the Toba Inlet, which is a very large fjord with waterfalls and beaches where you can bear watch. It's water changes to a turquoise as you approach the head of the inlet, because of the glacier's melt water, which mixes with the sea water in the inlet. There are stores in Squirrel Cove and restaurants, places to have ice cream and one restaurant has numbers on it's tables, so you can "judge" the docking abilities with an Olympic flair (it's a fun way to spend some time...after you have been judged on your docking skills). A word of caution: Galley Bay is a mosquito haven! Do not anchor there or you will be fighting the critters all night. I wound up taping our hatch and even with the boat closed up, the determined buggers came through the anchor locker! It was a miserable night for my husband, me and the dog. But, I have to say, sailing in Desolation Sound is very special; put it on your List and go hang out on the hook in Melanie Cove, score someone's docking skills and try to win the garbage-barge toss...you'll be happy you made the trip.
Written July 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Off-and-Away-I-go
Montreal, Canada81 contributions
May 2015 • Friends
Even if you have people in your group who've never gone kayaking, this is a fantastic place to go. The campsites are well-spaced and plentiful, the views are excellent, and even if you don't bring snorkel/dive gear, you get to see lots of intertidal life while kayaking and exploring the many tiny islands.
Written June 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HarveyL759
Bethesda, Maryland219 contributions
Aug 2013 • Friends
I went on a high speed Zodiac ride up the coast from Lund on an overcast day, with the water a little choppy, so I was thinking about the bangs I received to my bottom every few seconds as much as the scenery.
It was interesting, as is every new place, but not spectacular. The "desolate" coast actually boasts a chain of residences, some allegedly belonging to Vietnam-era draft dodgers who never went home. We learned about people who, long ago, paddled from here to Lund and even to Vancouver (over several days).
I also logged a few life birds, including almost invisible murrelets bobbing in the swells, along with a perched Bald Eagle, as well as seals.
There aren't too many sightseeing options out of Lund, so I'm glad I did it--and the return trip was on much calmer waters.
It was interesting, as is every new place, but not spectacular. The "desolate" coast actually boasts a chain of residences, some allegedly belonging to Vietnam-era draft dodgers who never went home. We learned about people who, long ago, paddled from here to Lund and even to Vancouver (over several days).
I also logged a few life birds, including almost invisible murrelets bobbing in the swells, along with a perched Bald Eagle, as well as seals.
There aren't too many sightseeing options out of Lund, so I'm glad I did it--and the return trip was on much calmer waters.
Written August 19, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
westsidewoman1
Kelowna, Canada167 contributions
Sep 2012 • Friends
I have just finished my latest trip to Desolation Sound. (I have taken several friends there who were as amazed as I am by the place). We have seen seals, heard eagles, and seen dolphins (or were they porpoises?). We also saw orcas very close to Desolation (in Thulin Passage en route to Lund). We have swum in some of the warmest water on the Pacific coast north of Mexico. Those of us who live in British Columbia are very lucky to have this in our backyard. There are lakes to hike into and many little nooks and crannies to explore (or should I say, gunkhole?). A very entertaining book has been written about the place called "Adventures in Solitude" - highly recommended! And off season (before July and after August) the boat traffic is much lighter and yet the weather is still great.
Written September 8, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rigmat
Victoria, Canada64 contributions
Aug 2018
My daughters didn’t realize what we could do without phones & iPads. What an amazing bonding experience and we will stay longer next year! We hit every nook and cranny we could find from past travels and places recommended by friends. Of course the main attractions like stocking up in Lund, dropping prawn traps off Savary Island, crabs a plenty off the north tip of Marina Island. Clams and oysters galour off the shores and sandy coves near Townley Islands. I don’t care how you get here but it is a bucket list must to bring your family closer together again for true love and relationship building. ❤️🙏🍷
Written January 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacob N
3 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
A couple friends and I kayaked all the way here from a cabin we rented, and we went around a small island in the middle of the park. The amount of marine life there was unbelievable! If you're lucky, you can catch a couple of seals playing and the occasional eagle.
Written September 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Allan B
Auckland, New Zealand58 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
We were lucky to arrive by sailboat and had three days to enjoy the tranquility of the Sounds. The water was great as well and learned to SUP. Visited the fabulous hanging lake and waterfalls on West Redondo Island - Teakerne Lake.
Written September 1, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elaine S
32 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
We set out from Campbell River passed Quadra and Cortez Islands, through the Lewis Channel to Desolation Sound. Through out the trip we heard about the history of the area from our Museum guide, Luisa. We went into Lund for a great lunch at the historic Lund Hotel. Here we were greeted by a staff member who gave us a history of the hotel. We had time after lunch to go to the bakery for the cinnamon buns and the gift shop. Back on the boat we motored passed Mitlenatch Island, a nature Provincial Park. We saw many harbour seals, Steller's and California sea lions as well as various birds, oystercatchers, gulls, Cormorants and Pigeon Guillemots to name a few.
On the way back from Mitlenatch we were fortunate enough to see hump back whales, a great way to end a great trip.
On the way back from Mitlenatch we were fortunate enough to see hump back whales, a great way to end a great trip.
Written July 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nolty
Okanagan Valley, Canada28 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
Last week we ( two couples ) spent six days exploring Desolation Sound aboard a
36 foot Hunter sailboat - a bare boat charter from Desolation Sound Yacht Charters.
The friendly, knowledgeable staff spent time with us going over the charts of the area
and a full onboard briefing of the yacht made us feel comfortable with any issues that might have arisen.
The stunning scenery of North America's largest west coast marine park is not to be missed, ,waterfalls, snow peaked mountains , fresh water lakes to hike to minutes from
small uncrowded bays make this the perfect relaxing getaway for power boaters and sailors alike.
36 foot Hunter sailboat - a bare boat charter from Desolation Sound Yacht Charters.
The friendly, knowledgeable staff spent time with us going over the charts of the area
and a full onboard briefing of the yacht made us feel comfortable with any issues that might have arisen.
The stunning scenery of North America's largest west coast marine park is not to be missed, ,waterfalls, snow peaked mountains , fresh water lakes to hike to minutes from
small uncrowded bays make this the perfect relaxing getaway for power boaters and sailors alike.
Written June 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It's roughly 28 kilometers north west of Powell River to
Sarah Point where you can make the first turn into
Desolation Sound. You could also drive to Lund BC , launch
there and you are only about 5 kilometers from the sound.
Written September 29, 2015
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