Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada

5.0 (55 reviews) Spent Ranking #1 in Sunshine Coast Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Parks

The Best of the Best

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?

Address

, Canada.

Website

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/desolation/

Current local date and time now

Friday, May 10, 2024, 2:32

User Ratings

5.0 based on (55 reviews)

Excellent
85%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%

Reviews

  • 5Wendy B 5:00 PM Jun 30, 2014
    Beautiful!
    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.
  • 5Off-and-Away-I-go 5:00 PM Jun 15, 2015
    Excellent for kayaking trips, even with beginners
    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.

See also