Prideaux Haven and Shoal Bay

The last couple of years we have not stopped in Prideaux Haven - or Shoal Bay. Both spots are on our favourite places list but they can be quite busy in the peak seasons.

Prideaux Haven is so lovely with the "big vistas" - a fellow boater called them. This year we were able to drop our anchor in the one spot in Prideaux Haven that was his favourite place to anchor. Looking up towards Homfrey Channel and the Coast Mountain range.














A bit of a grey day though when we arrived.

The next morning it was a glorious bright blue sky sunny day.














Could it get any better than this??

We pulled up our anchor and headed north through "The Dents".

When we arrived in Shoal Bay around 1:30 pm the dock was empty. The view from the dock is just stunning - straight up Phillips Arm.




That photo is taken from the cockpit of Phoenix Hunter shortly after we tied up.

There was a photography group from Nanaimo staying in the rooms in the pub. So the pub was not yet open. The group of photographers had been out on their boat and had seen some bears in the estuary at the top of Phillips Arm.

We took the skiff down from the boat deck for a little test and ride up to check out Bickley Bay. It looks like a nice anchorage if the weather is good. The skiff ran well.

Later in the early evening we thought we'd take the skiff up Phillips Arm and look for bears. And -- nope - that darn skiff! Didn't start!!! Well. That's why we wanted to check it out before we got too far along. Probably the battery? We were able to get enough power with the pull cord to get the engine into the tilt position for raising back onto the boat deck.

Nothing ever goes 100% smoothly. And this skiff of ours has caused us a few extra days in Port McNeill before.



Shoal Bay dock from the shore.






Not quite as sunny the morning we left.

So after a night in Port Harvey - where we were too early for pizza and cinnamon buns -- we are now in Port McNeill. And it's blowing a gale out there in Queen Charlotte Straight! So we will be here for a couple of nights and we will get the skiff issue sorted before we leave.


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