Eucott Bay, Quathiaski Cove, and a Thank you

Thank you so much for the Waggoner Guide! We have been happily cruising the Inside Passage for the past seven years in our 50' Mikelson cutter Tenacious, and the Waggoner is by far our favorite resource for figuring out where to head next. We just received our 2009 book and are getting excited about next summer already.

We live in Sarasota, Florida, but Tenacious lives near Vancouver, B.C., so we spend 4-5 months aboard and try to get farther north and explore new places each summer.

This year we enjoyed a gorgeous day in Eucott Bay. Your readers should know, however, that the entrance to the bay has silted up significantly, and is MUCH shallower than charted depths just inside the bay, where it widens out past the large slide on the west side of the entrance. If you haven't been in lately, it worth checking on. Also, the deer flies/horse flies/whatever you call those man-eating winged demons were absolutely vicious. Prepare accordingly! They travel in squadrons and laugh at our puny flyswatters. My husband caught one in his hand and tried to drown it. It continued to try to bite his hand underwater!

In the spirit of sharing new adventures, I had a very pleasant visit to the Nuyumbalees Cultural Center near Cape Mudge at the south end of Quadra Island [web site www.nuyumbalees.com]. The museum was opened in 1979, then closed for renovations and re-opened in 2007. It contains re-patriated potlatch artifacts and regalia, and is organized around the different ceremonial dances of the Kwa'Kwa'Ka' Wa'Kw people. On the lower level one can watch a movie that recreates Kwakiutl life, filmed by famed photographer Edward Curtis. There are a number of petroglyphs on the grounds of the Center and in the near vicinity. One can also make rubbings of petroglyphs next door in the House of Eagles. Adult admission was $15 (seniors $10, children and students, $5, families $30.) They are open seven days a week from 9 to 5 from May through September. Their fall/winter hours are Wed. through Sat. from 11 to 3, and they are closed in December and January.To get there I took the BC Ferry from Campbell River and took a taxi to the museum. The helpful person at the BC Ferry ticket booth kindly offered to call and arrange for the taxi to meet me. A pleasant browse in the darling gift shop at the ferry terminal at Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island rounded out a lovely afternoon.

Once again, Bob, thank you for all you do for the boating community. You and the Guide are "cultural treasures" for the boating community.

Best regards,
Lydia and Patrick McKenzie
S/V Tenacious