Consolation Prize




Passage between Gow, Piddington, and Campbell Islands

We said our goodbye’s to Ocean Falls and departed Cousins Inlet, turning west through Gunboat Pass and continuing once again towards sea via Seaforth Channel.  Turning south through Raymond Passage, we entered the outer islands of the ‘Spider Anchorage’ Area.  This group of islands and islets encompasses the waters between Queens Sound and Kildidt Sound and is part of the Hakai Conservancy Area.  The area is exposed to the ocean (Queen charlotte) but has several well-protected anchorages tucked in among the islands – Hunter Island, Spitfire Island, Hurricane Island, and Manley Island to name a few.  

Pictograph Passage

Exiting Raymond Passage, we skirted between Gow, Piddington, and Campbell Islands into Pictograph Passage, aptly named for the interesting pictograph found about halfway along the eastern shore on Campbell Island.  

Petroglyph along the eastern shore of Petroglyph Passage, Campbell Island

Our interpretation of the painting is a row of individuals wearing head-dresses with a hand held high, as if asking the procession to stop; what else might this pictograph be telling us?  

Looking southwest from Cultus Sound

From Pictograph Passage we entered Queens Sound with 2-foot seas, passed the McNaughton Group, and then entered Cultus Sound with 2-3 foot swells at 9 seconds.  

Spider Channel

Ducking into Spider Channel, between Spider Island and Spitfire Island, we peered through the binoculars to see if we could find any remains of the ‘plank road’ on the northeast side of Spider Island.  The road was made from logs and wood planks which led from a dock (now gone) and extended across the island to the southwest side, the site of a Radar Station established by the Canadian military in WWII, complete with barracks and other buildings.  The wood plank road, which covered a boggy terrain, unfortunately has all but rotted away.  

Bonsai-type Trees in Spider Channel 

We would have to be content with having seen this beautiful area, our consolation prize being the pictograph and the numerous pretty islets.  Some of the islets have stunted trees that look like bonsai, creating an intricate water-way, garden-like setting.  

Hurricane Anchorage

Maneuvering around these islets, we entered ‘Hurricane Anchorage’ located on the peninsula of southwest Hurricane Island and spent a very quiet evening in this isolated area.