Pruth Bay. Hakai Institute

Nestled at the end of a 7 miles long inlet is a great anchorage close to the docks of the Hakai Institute. The institute is housed in a former luxury lodge bought out by the government and offers a solid dock for dinghies. Best of all they have opened trails through the island. An easy trail, just behind the lodge takes you to West Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen outside of the tropics.

Wonderful West Beach

The dock at Pruth Bay. Not for visitors' boats, but dinghies are welcomed at a special dock

We decided the place was just too beautiful to skip, so we spent a couple of nights anchored a bit further out than the few other boats there, in 50 feet depths.

The unspoiled beauty of West Beach

Beautiful lodge now used by the scientists

A few boats further inshore, and incredible sunset

On the second day we walked to North Beach, a longer trail with a couple of steep climbs. Like the trail to West Beach, this one is also well prepared and maintained. The local forest is so dense that it would be practically impossible to get through otherwise.

In fact this is the only place so far where we have been able to walk in the forest. In all other anchorages we've stayed it has been impossible.

Suddenly the trail ends and the beach appears

View from the pier

Lake on the way to North Beach

A very well maintained trail

Fog rolling in

An outstandingly beautifuil anchorage, easy trails, shore restrooms and more make Pruth Bay a must stop for the slow cruiser

With good weather holding we decided we needed to continue pushing on North, so set sail towards Shearwater. As we exited the sound, Princess who'd been lazing on top of the Portuguese bridge, a place we call "her throne", suddenly alerted me to something happening on our Starboard hip. I quickly checked it out and got to see a whale starting her sounding dive, no more than 2 boat lengths away from us. I saw it round her back before getting vertical with its fin way up in the air.

Like all other whale sightings so far, I would have been way too late to try snapping a photo, so it'll have to remain a memory and no more.

We have a whale alerting dog! Thank you Princess.