Charles and Margo Wood - Charlie\'s Charts North to Alaska

66

OTTER COVE

This cave lies at the north end of Discovery Passage, ~here the channel

turns almost at right angles to become Johr.~to~e Strait. Al the point of the

turn there are lighthouse keeper's huts on Chatham Point, but the light itself

is erected on Beaver Rock almost 1,000 feet north of Chatham Point. The light

is on a white painted steel tank on top of a ~hite polygon-shaped concrete

base. The foghorn of this station sounds every :0 seconds in fog, from a small

building on the rocky point to the west of the light. This separation of

light, houses, and foghorn is notable because jf one is approaching the turn in

fog and is without radar, it is important to plSS to the north and east of the

light. It 1s dangerous to hold close !O the shore in fog since rocks off the

point prevent passage between it and tMe light. Swirls occur around the light

on the flood.

Immediately south of Chatham Point

across it to moor the keeper's boats.

the south side af Chatham Point. They

and have other ledges extending around

th~re is 3 tiny cave ~ith a cable strung

l~o snall islands, Rocky lslets, lie off

are connected by a drying rocky ledge

their s:des.

Otter Cave can be entered when south of the Rockv lslets, between them and

Limestone Island which lies in the mouth of th~ cave. The island is rocky and

about 60 feet high with shrubs and some tre03. South of Limestone Island,

between it and Slab Point (the southern point of Otter Cove entrance) there are

shoal areas with kelp. Do not enter Otter Cove through this southern passage.

Anchorage can be found in the cove well in towards the head, in 5 to 8

fathomst mud and rock. Though strong current~ and swirls aceur in Discovery

Passage just outside the entrance, the anchorage is relatively unaffected.

This cove is a convenient base either to wait for slack water when travelling

south down Discovery Passage, or to wait for quiet conditions in Johnstone

Strait when proceeding up the coast. The cove offers good protection from the

westerly winds of summer.

Several other anchorages in this locality are:

• Turo Island, across Johnstone Strait from Chat~3m Point hilS an anclorage hehind
  it in a cave on Thurlow Island. Take care on entry from the east tO avo id
  reefs occurring on both sides. A logging camp ~as Iocated here.


• Rock Bay, on Vancouver Island and south of Turn Island is not an anchorage.
  The government pier has no float, and currents s"-'eep t he bay.


• Chameleon Harbour and Thurston Ba)' are around the corner in t-iodales Channe1,
  and offer several anchoring location5. A Forest Ranger Station i5 at the
  north end of Thurston Bay.

STRAIT I 7JoDALE5 C~AI\.IUEL

1> I .5 C. O Il t: e. y PAs,s A c;. E