Cruising Vancouver Island’s “Wild West” Coast on the MV Uchuck III’s Esperanza
Adventure
A trip aboard the MV Uchuck III gives visitors a glimpse into a unique, maritime way
of life. The coves and inlets of the rugged northwest coast of Vancouver Island are
home to remote logging camps, fishing resorts, fish farms and coastal communities,
all with no road access, who rely on Nootka Sound Service and its MV Uchuck III to
deliver everything from groceries to fuel to them on a weekly basis. The MV Uchuck
III is, quite literally, a lifeline to these marine out posts and carries a variety of cargo
on her voyages.
The MV Uchuck III carries more than just freight however, she also carries
passengers who wish to experience a true “Wild West Coast” adventure. The very
friendly and informative crew enjoys interacting with the guests and the “Esperanza
Adventure” offers those onboard an opportunity to witness the day-to-day activities
of a working marine vessel as well as to see spectacular coastal scenery and marine
wildlife.
The trip begins on Day 1 in Gold River with the MV Uchuck III making freight
deliveries and kayak drop offs as it makes its way through narrow inlets to Kyuquot,
a remote village in Kyuquot Sound. Day two includes a trip through Esperanza Inlet
and up the Tahsis Inlet before docking overnight in the community of Tahsis. Day 3
concludes with a trip down Tahsis Inlet to Friendly Cove, the birthplace of British
Columbia, where visitors disembark for a 2 hour visit prior to returning to Gold
River. The “Espearanza Adventure” is a great way to see what makes Vancouver
Island’s northwest coast so unique.
Heading out on a sunny morning from Gold River guests settle in on the top deck to
take in the scenery of the inlet and its rugged forested cliff faces that plunge into the
sea. Pods of kayakers hug the shorelines, eagles cruise overhead, diving down to
grab fish close to the surface. Cameras are working overtime and we’re only twenty
minutes out from the dock as the aroma of fresh baked muffins and coffee wafts up
from the galley below.
At our first stop, Grieg Seafoods Fish Farm, we drop off supplies and food for both
the employees and the Atlantic salmon that are being raised there in open net
holding pens. Standing close to the action, guests watch First Mate Spencer deftly
man the controls of the cargo winch as it lifts supplies from the cargo hold and
drops them onto the dock. Heading further down Tahsis Inlet we next stop at
Nootka Island Lodge which caters to sports fishers eager to catch their limit of coho,
spring salmon and halibut. Groceries, siding material and motor oil make up the
main supplies dropped here as the resort gears up for the start of its sport fishing
season.
The MV Uchuck III then heads up Kendrick Inlet to drop supplies at Nootka Sound
Timber one of the west coast’s largest logging operations. This is a lengthy delivery,
taking over an hour, offering passengers the opportunity to see firsthand a slice of
life at a West Coast logging camp. It’s equally informative for those interested in
resource industries as well as those who are more interested in the environment.
It’s also an opportunity to engage in dialogue with the boat’s crew as well as
workers on the dock as they work offloading supplies.
Up to this point the vessel has been travelling in relatively calm waters, protected
from the Pacific Ocean by Nootka Island. Departing Kendrick Inlet we head out to
the open ocean via Esperanza Inlet to make our way to Kyuquot Sound, our day’s
final port of call. The open waters of the Pacific give the MV Uchuck III a rolling
action as she makes her way north. Guests aboard are now getting to know each
other, hunkering down in the lounge, trading stories, sharing photos and enjoying a
bowl of fresh made chili or soup. A few settle in for a nap or tuck into a good book or
the ever-popular ‘Nootka Sounder’, the MV Uchuck III’s own onboard newspaper
with information about the vessel, the communities and the wildlife in the area.
Nothing gets the guests back on their feet and back out on the decks faster than
someone shouting: “There’s whales out here!” We were lucky enough to see a few
Humpback whales breaching as well as watching the antics of sea otters in kelp beds
in the sheltered waters behind a multitude of small rugged islands along the route.
This open ocean stretch is great for wildlife viewing, bird watching and offers
opportunities for taking some great west coast landscape photos.
Just before arriving in Kyuquot, the MV Uchuck III ‘wet launched’ two Calgary
kayakers at Rugged Point. The crew does this by loading each of kayaker
individually, in their kayak, onto the cargo pallet. The crew then winches the pallet
overboard, allowing the kayakers to paddle directly from the pallet once they’re on
the water. These adventurous Calgarians were setting off on a weeklong paddle
back to Nootka Sound. Once there they will be picked up by the MV Uchuck III for
their return to Gold River.
Their goal is to circumnavigate the Vancouver island over a series of summer visits.
Coming into the sheltered waters of Kyuquot Sound we witness what a truly remote
maritime village looks like on Vancouver Island. Small cabins and docks dot the
shorelines as boardwalks and trails hug the shoreline of small islands and rocky
outcrops, all backed by towering Douglas fir and Cedar trees. The misty evening
atmosphere and gentle rain only add to the mystique of the Sound.
We eat our evening meal in a bunkhouse style, one-room restaurant that once
served as the community’s school many years ago. The building, built on stilts, had
an abandoned look about only adding to the ambiance. This gave all of us a further
opportunity to get to know each other while we shared a fresh made meal. It’s
amazing how hungry one can get sitting or walking around a boat all day watching
the world pass by. We even helped one couple amongst us in celebrating their 60th
wedding anniversary. After dinner nearly everyone was out like a light in warm and
clean bunkhouse style accommodations.
Next morning after departing Kyuquot Sound we made our way back to Esperanza
Inlet, passing more Humpback whales and sea otters along the way. Heading back
into the protected waters of Esperanza Inlet we stopped first at Chamis Bay Logging
Camp to drop off fuel, cables, tires, propane tanks and provisions. Along the way
Mother Nature gifted us with a spectacular early morning rainbow which arched
over a small settlement in the inlet.
Continuing down Esperanza Inlet we headed up Tahsis Inlet for an overnight stay in
Tahsis. The inlet, once devoid of sea otters, now teams with ‘rafts’ of as many as
thirty to forty in each. The Captain kindly slowed the Uchuck down to give everyone
an opportunity to watch and take photos of these inquisitive and fascinating marine
mammals.
That night in Tahsis included dinner at Westview Marina’s floating dock pub,
complete with live blues being performed as sports fishers cleaned their catch on
the nearby dock. It doesn’t get any more west coast than that.
Day Three saw us head back out to Friendly Cove or “Yuquot”, the birthplace of
British Columbia, and the ancestral summer home of the Muchalaht First Nations
and their Chief Maquinna. Here in 1778 famed explorer Captain James Cook made
first contact between First Nations people and Europeans.
The stopover at Friendly Cove allows plenty of time to hike the rugged, surf washed
shoreline of the open Pacific Ocean and visit the historic Roman Catholic church
which is now a museum and cultural centre. Inside you’ll find dramatic native
carvings and stained glass windows donated by the Spanish Government
commemorating Spanish settlement in the area. There’s time to visit the Lighthouse
and possibly meet the lighthouse keepers. This elevated location features stunning
views of Nootka Sound.
On our return to Gold River we make a stop in Resolution Cove, where Captain
James Cook moored his crippled H.M.S. Resolution while making repairs to her. Cook
and crew spent a month here working on their vessel while developing a
relationship with Chief Maquinna and his people who provisioned them and traded
with them for sea otter furs. Resolution Cove also marks the location of where
Europeans first set foot on land in British Columbia.
That evening, after arriving back in Gold River guests say their goodbyes to their
newfound friends with whom they had shared a unique and rewarding experience.
Undoubtedly, many photos will trade hands by e-mail and the memories will last
forever.
For more information on Nootka Sound Service’s ‘Esperanza Adventure’ and other
scheduled cruises go to www.getwest.ca