Desolation Sound Marine Park




Squirrel Cove Public Wharf

A pleasant dinghy ride from our anchorage in Squirrel Cove brought us to the Squirrel Cove Trading Co. and Squirrel Cove Public Wharf.  The Trading Co. is a fun old-fashioned general store serving coffee and pastries, stocked with groceries on the main level and household items and hardware available downstairs.   

General Store and Gift Shop, Squirrel Cove

A gift shop selling quality handmade crafts and art from the Island is located next to the General Store; the General Store's dock in front makes this a fun, convenient stop but should be accessed only at higher tides. 

Departing Squirrel Cove Anchorage

Another option is to bring your main vessel to the Public Wharf and spend the night rather than anchoring out.  While the scenery is beautiful, the floats at the Wharf are in need of repair due to some sagging and decay.  After our purchase of pastries and fresh fruit from the store, we headed back to our anchorage and prepared to leave for the short 2-hour trip to Desolation Sound Marine Park.  

Entering Desolation Sound Marine Park at Prideaux Haven

There are three major anchorages in this beautiful Marine Park:  Grace Harbour, Tenedos Bay, and Prideaux Haven which includes Melanie Cove and Laura Cove.  Dotted with small islands and little coves, the park is an excellent location for exploring by kayak or dinghy and provides access to the small island peninsulas for walk-abouts.  During the summer months the water is relatively warm so the park has become a popular swimming hole – we noticed a rope swing hanging from a tree over the water as we motored into Prideaux Haven.  

Lovely Madrone Trees in the Park

We also noticed that there were numerous boats anchored and stern-tied in the bay(s) even at this late date in the season – we counted nearly 25 boats in the Prideaux area; in the summers, the Marine Park will fill with nearly 100 boats.  

Boats Stern-tied in Melanie Cove at Prideaux Haven

Clearly the park is a popular destination with lovely coves backed by a forested mountain range rising 4,500 feet.  Due to its popularity, seven new stern-tie bolts have been installed this year along the rocky shore on the north side of Melanie Cove.  

Boats Stern-tied in Melanie Cove at Prideaux Haven

These new stern-ties are in addition to the thirteen stern-ties along the south side of Eveleigh Island and the older three stern-ties along the southeast side of Scobell Island – a total of 23 stern-tie installations for the Prideaux Haven area.  

Stern-tie Bolt and Chain

Boats of course can also create their own stern-tie by wrapping a line around a tree on shore.  

A Boat's Stern-line through the Shore Chain Installation

Bolt System for Shore Stern-tie

Stern-ties allow boats to remain perpendicular to the shore with use of a bow anchor and stern-tie to the shore creating room for more boats to fill the bay(s).  

Map of Prideaux Haven Shore-tie Locations

Long before Europeans came to Desolation Sound, this area was home to the First Nations of the Sliammon, Hamalco, and Klahoose.  

Medrones in Prideaux Haven

The Native village at Squirrel Cove is of the Klahoose tribe who had used the cove for summer harvesting as well as the surrounding areas of Desolation Sound; their winter home had been at the head of Toba Inlet, where a small band still remains today with the village name of Klahoose.  The values of the Klahoose are based on the holistic practice in all things – health, community, and environment.