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

46

KEATS ISLA~O ANO GIBSONS

Howe Sound is a popular sailing area, not only because of its protected

waters but also because of its proximity to Vancouver. With its many islands

and anchorages and considerable water-borne traffic, it is 1ess deve10ped than

one would expect. It is a short day's run out of Vancouver, as a first step in

the trip up the coast. Occasional1y it is used to avoid rough seas in the

Strait of Georgia. Although there are several anchorages in Howe Sound on1y

the one at P1umper Cove Marine Park on Ke'ats Island will be described.

Located at the southwestern entrance to Ho~e Sound, Shoal Channel lies

between Gibsons and Keats Island. The bar that gives the channel its name has

on1y lO feet of water at low tide. Opposing wind and currents cause short

steep seas in this channel which is often filled ~ith small sportsfishing boats

"mooching" for salmon. Oepending on the draft of one's vessel the channel is

normal1y passable on rising tides --a mid-channel course is best.

Plumper Cove Marine Park is on the western shore of Keats Is1and, with

Shelter Islands to the southwest providing a lee. The islands are joined by a

drying 1edge. Six or seven mooring buoys are in the cove. There is a smaii

dock ~hich a few sma1l vesse1s can use. Beyond the grave 1 beaches is a

campground. 5fLft... ,f~ \

Gibsons is a small town on the Seche:lt shore of Howe Sound. A breakwater

protects the harbor which has a marina apd government dock. Though crowded in

summer, transient vessels can sometimes ~queeze in. Fuel, water, and provis-

ions can be obtained here. The highway ~hich commences at the Ferry TerminaI

at Langdale (about 2 miles north aiong the shore) passes through Gibsons on its

way up the Sechelt Peninsula to Powell/River. A 10cal ferry connects Langdale

to Vancouver from this terminaI. ~

Steep Bluff is the easily recognizabie point at the southern end of
Gibsons. Some drying rocks extend roughly northeast from the foot of the bluff
into Shoal Channel.

Other anchorages in Howe Sound include:

Center Bay is a small cove in the western side of Gambier Island midway

into the long bay. Good anchorage can be taken here.

Halkett Bay is the small, easternmost bay on Gambier Island. It is a good

anchorage although care must be taken to avoid a rock near the center of the

bay at its head.

Fishermans Cove located in West Vancouver has no anchorage as it is filied

with floats of the West Vancouver Yacht'Club and Thunderbird Marina. One may

sometimes find space at these docks. Enter as sho~n on the sketch, to the

north of Eagle Island.

Point Atkinson Lighthouse is a prominent landmark south of Fishermans Cove.

It is the datum for many tidai caIculations along this coast, and marks the

entrance to Vancouver Harbour.