Kwatsi Bay, Tribune Channel

We left the Burdwood Group Islets and headed up Tribune Channel to Kwatsi Bay. This is the only marina in an otherwise very deep channel. We had been told by a sailor at Echo Bay that this was a worthy place to visit….somewhat remote, nice owners and beautiful passage. The water on the way up had an inordinate amount of log and deciduous debris. So much debris, in fact, that we had to weave our way around many timbers which were much bigger than Talos IV. We were told by the Kwatsi Bay owners that a major slide had occurred a week prior and this was still debris from that slide up channel.

The run up was indeed beautiful. The shoreline is steep sided. We spotted a gravel flat at the mouth of a creek about half way up channel. On the flats was a huge brown bear. The pictures don’t really do him justice. The rocks he was moving around were the size of a small generator. He lifted and rolled them like they were pillows. He slowly slinked up to him on the downwind at idle. He never caught our scent. He heard the motor and several times stopped to sniff but continued his hunt for sea creatures. The shoreline was so deep; at least 150 ft deep we were able to observe for quite a while.

Next stop was at Lacey Falls just before Kwatsi Bay. The falls flow over a completely smooth rock surface. If it were warmer and the shoreline more accessible this might be a neat place to climb up and slide with the water down slick rock to the sea.

Arrival at Kwatsi found the docks full. We were the last boat they were going to let in. We were lucky as we had no reservation. The marina is very rustic. Everything is floating except the owner’s small home. This is true wilderness. There was a wood stove in the shower room on the dock for heat. We had a nice gathering of people sharing appetizers and conversation at 5 PM. Kwan Yen, another Pacific Seacraft was at the dock. We last saw them in Gorge Harbor.

Paul borrowed the marina skiff and rowed to a trailhead for hiking. He went to explore a waterfall and have an adventure. He also took the air horn for bear scare. Fortunately he did not need to use it. The waterfall pictures looked beautiful.

Black bear along rock beach on the way into Kwatsi Bay.

Lacey Falls just a couple of miles south west
of Kwatsi Bay.

Waterfall up behind Kwatsi Bay Marina.

Kwatsi Bay Marina.

Paul in the marina's skiff looking a bit like a
Venetian gondolier.