After leaving the dog show in Nanaimo, we pointed the boat south and made our way to Pirates Cove on De Courcy Island, BC. We settled in for a two-night stay, dropping the anchor and securing a stern tie to shore. It turned out to be the perfect amount of time to explore the area and enjoy the peaceful surroundings without feeling rushed.
During our stay, we spent time hiking the island’s trails, taking in the quiet forest and rugged coastline. One of the highlights was actually going for a swim. We chose to swim outside of Pirates Cove itself, as we’d heard enough comments over the years about the water quality inside the protected harbor that we decided not to test it ourselves. Outside the cove, however, the water was clean, refreshing, and well worth the dip.
The weather cooperated nicely, making it easy to relax on the boat, enjoy the scenery, and appreciate just how beautiful this part of the Gulf Islands can be. The calm evenings at anchor were especially enjoyable, with very little boat traffic and plenty of opportunities to simply sit back and soak in the surroundings.
I can easily imagine Pirates Cove becoming much busier during the peak boating season in late July and August, when every available anchorage is often filled with cruising boats. Visiting in mid-June, though, was ideal. There were enough other boaters around to make it feel welcoming, but it was far from crowded, allowing everyone plenty of room to anchor comfortably and enjoy the harbor. Overall, it was a relaxing stop that we’d happily visit again during the early part of the cruising season.
Here is a short video and song that I put together while we were on anchor at Pirates Cove.