Secrets of Sulphur Passage

Anyone who reaches the northern waters of Clayoquot Sound has more or less committed to cruising the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

These waters are about half-way up, or down, the coast.  Of course, you can turn around here and go back the way you came, but whatever wind conditions you will have encountered up to that point will likely have educated you about what you will face to finish the job — whether you do or not.

But as a destination, even if you stop and turn around, it is glorious. The destinations here include Matilda Inlet and the community of Ahousat, Hotsprings Cove and nearby Cougar Annie’s Garden at Hesquiat  Harbour, as well as many other delightful anchorages from which it is difficult to select a favourite.

Obstruction Island sits near the centre of the northern sound, like the hub of a wheel, the spokes of passages flowing west, east and south. Sulphur Passage cuts a zigzag slash to carve Obstruction Island from Vancouver Island.

Off Sulphur Passage is Saasin Cove, the bent crooked finger of a withered Dickens villain and an anchorage which offers excellent protection.  It is a bit deep for numerous vessels to swing on anchor with adequate rode, but it would be easy to run a line ashore to stern tie.

We assumed the cove was unnamed, since we could find no name on any chart or map we had. But later, talking with a First Nations guardian who visited us while we were anchored in nearby Bacchante Bay, we were told the small bay’s name. I scrawled the word sassen on a piece of paper which I stuffed into my pocket. Much later, after some mad googling, we learned that the word saasin means hummingbird in Nuu-chah-nulth. That was close enough for us, and we added the name to our chartlet. We are open to being corrected, but admittedly will be very sad if we are.

From Saasin Cove, we paddled by kayak the one nautical mile south to Shark Creek. If you don’t have the time or inclination to paddle, you can anchor off a tiny islet near the creek mouth, because it is worth the effort. Hidden around a bend a short paddle up the creek is Secret Falls, a lovely waterfall that is at its grandest during the wet.  Not to be missed.

Sulphur Passage is a lovely, protected paddle, and it’s pleasant to poke about the calm waters whether you find a treasure or not. The passage is about 1.5nm long, from Saasin Cove north to an entrance off Belcher Point on Shelter Inlet.

North across the inlet is the Megin River, a scenic anchorage near another delightful waterfall tucked in behind an islet. Fit paddlers can kayak up the river to an ecological reserve, and farther, portaging over sandbars. It’s possible, we are told, but will take paddlers younger and fitter than Lynne and me, to make the nine-plus kilometres upriver to Megin Lake.

To the east is Bacchante Bay, an idyllic anchorage with high, steep shorelines where countless streams pour down after a rain. Hop in your dinghy and venture up Watta Creek to where tangles of trees block the way.

To the west in Shelter Inlet, along the north shore of Flores Island, is Steamer Cove. A smaller bay further in, known as ‘Little’ Steamer Cove, is a special anchorage with convenient depths, good holding and wonderful beaches to explore ashore.

Nearby is the T-junction with Sydney Inlet which flows north to the popular anchorages at Young Bay and Bottleneck Cove, and south to the enchantingly named Hootla-Kootla Bay and Tootoo Cove, both good spots to drop a hook, before arriving at Hotsprings Cove.

The operators of both Hotsprings Cove and Cougar Annie’s Garden, at Rae Basin, a daysail northwest across Hesquiat Harbour, have announced they will remain closed through 2022 due to the pandemic.

The temporary closure of both is unfortunate, but not so terrible that your cruise to northern Clayoquot Sound will be spoiled. There is much to explore here; you will not be disappointed.

The waters discussed in this article are covered by Salish Sea Pilot’s West Coast of Vancouver Island Cruising Guide.