Desolation Sound via Lund or Campbell River?

J

Jazzmanic

New member
Hi all. I need your opinions as Caryn and I are planning to take a trip up to Desolation Sound in a couple of weeks. I'm torn between taking the ferry from Tswassen to Nanaimo and driving up island to Campbell River and crossing over OR driving up past Vancouver to the Sunshine Coast via two ferries and launching at Lund, which is virtually around the corner from DS. The biggest question for me is boat ramp and truck/trailer storage.

I did get information from George Hone regarding Discovery Harbour and he said he made arrangements to park behind the Super Store. I also just called the boat launch and was told there is parking there as well. Not secured but told that no problems with break-ins. I was also told that the launch is not tide-sensitive and I see pictures that show it being pretty good with a float next to it.

I called a couple of lots at Lund and one of them, Mill Parking did have secured parking for a relatively cheap price which sounded good. There's another lot called Dave's Custom Parking which was not secure. Anyone have any experience with either one of these? How is the boat launch there, is there a float next to the ramp? Is it tide-sensitive? I've been told that the drive up is really scenic but we would have to tow through Vancouver which doesn't sound fun.

So please share your experiences as I need to make reservations very soon. Thanks in advance.
 
Well, I received a couple of PM's from my fellow C-Brats and spent a lot of time doing more research. I'm 99% sure I've decided on trailering to Salmon Point Resort. If all goes right, we can be in Desolation Sound for sundowners.

Thanks for the quick responses and for all the great information on this site, especially from the epic 2005 C-Brats trip, I'm still sorry we missed that one. If anyone has anything to add regarding my decision to launch out of Salmon Point, please feel free to speak up.

Peter
 
Salmon Point Resort has an adequate ramp, but it is quite steep, does not have a dock beside the ramp and you would want to select a mid tide or high tide, however it is very sheltered and it is a great starting off point.

Pacific Playgrounds is in the same area, the ramp is also quite steep, but it is does have a dock beside it and you still need to check the tides.

I don't think that Pacific Playgrounds charges for parking, but I believe Salmon Point Resort does, so you may want to consider how long you will be gone to know if that is an issue.

Both of these are sheltered and you shouldn't have a problem launching from either one as long as the tide isn't too low. They are both great starting points for Desolation Sound and you don't have any currents to worry about.

BC Ferries has great rates if you go to Vancouver Island on Wednesday or Saturday evening or early Sunday morning. I don't think you would get that same discount by going through the Sunshine Coast.

Lund is a nice place to stop and visit and should take about an hour to get to from either of those ramps.
 
Salmon Point Resort has an adequate ramp, but it is quite steep, does not have a dock beside the ramp and you would want to select a mid tide or high tide, however it is very sheltered and it is a great starting off point.

Pacific Playgrounds is in the same area, the ramp is also quite steep, but it is does have a dock beside it and you still need to check the tides.

I don't think that Pacific Playgrounds charges for parking, but I believe Salmon Point Resort does, so you may want to consider how long you will be gone to know if that is an issue.

Both of these are sheltered and you shouldn't have a problem launching from either one as long as the tide isn't too low. They are both great starting points for Desolation Sound and you don't have any currents to worry about.

BC Ferries has great rates if you go to Vancouver Island on Wednesday or Saturday evening or early Sunday morning. I don't think you would get that same discount by going through the Sunshine Coast.

Lund is a nice place to stop and visit and should take about an hour to get to from either of those ramps.
 
Thanks for the tips about both ramps. Very valuable information. No dock is kind of a game changer. I'll have to look at Pacific Playgrounds.

Peter
 
Just returned from our Desolation Sound trip yesterday. We launched and parked at the First Nations ramp right behind the Super Store. The truck sat in their lot for a week with no problems.We returned on a sunny Sunday afternoon and noticed it was busier , with fewer parking options than when we went out.
 
My wife Irene, I, and two gks just got back from Desolation Sound. We launched at Skyline Marina in Anacortes, went through Canadian customs at Bedwell Harbour on South Pender Island, and then motored to Pender Harbour on the mainland, getting there the evening of Day One.

Then it was an easy cruise to the Desolation Sound area on Day 2. We stayed for the first two nights on Cortes I. at Gorge Harbour Resort.

On the way back we overnight-anchored at Ballet Bay, on Nelson I. between Lund and Pender Harbour, and the next day went through US Customs at Friday Harbor.

Parking at Skyline Marina is very secure, $7.50/day.

IMO the cruise from Anacortes through the Gulf Is. and then across Georgia Strait is pleasant and scenic. We had some NW winds to deal with crossing the Strait, but the boat did great.

The cost may be more for boat gas from Anacortes than car gas and ferry fees in getting closer to DS, but for me it's less hassle to just get the boat in the water and take off.

Canadian Customs on the boat is just a simple phone call to someone in Toronto - not an in-person phenomenon, at least at Bedwell Harbour (Poets Cove Marina). Canadian Customs has a dedicated land line on the dock.

We fueled at Silva Bay Resort and Lund on the way up, and at Lund and Nanaimo on the return trip.

We typically motored between 3900 - 4500 rpms and the best I can figure re mileage is that we got 2.7 nmpg - for about 550 lbs. of people and lots of gear, ice, coolers, etc. So the gas cost was a lot but the Canadian discount really helped. The total was maybe $500-600 USD.

Byron
 
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