Located in the remote northwest reaches of British Columbia’s Drury Inlet, the Muirhead Islands consist of a cluster of small islands and islets that provide boaters with secluded, intimate anchorages. After securing your anchor, you can unwind and enjoy a tranquil boating experience or venture out by tender to explore the surrounding waters.
Navigating Drury Inlet
Drury Inlet is situated on the mainland side of Queen Charlotte Strait, northwest of North Broughton Island. The journey begins by carefully timing your arrival at Stuart Narrows, aiming for slack water to avoid the potentially rapid 7-knot current that rushes through this narrow passage. Slack water typically occurs 15 minutes after high or low slack at Alert Bay on Vancouver Island. After transiting Stuart Narrows, steer your vessel westward into Drury Inlet, taking care to avoid Welde Rock, which is marked at high tide and becomes exposed at around an 8-foot tide. The Muirhead Islands are found approximately six nautical miles northwest, near the upper reaches of the inlet.
Anchorage Options Around the Muirhead Islands
There are four primary areas suitable for anchoring around and among the Muirhead Islands, with additional anchoring opportunities available in nearby Sutherland Bay. One favored spot is a small nook tucked behind an islet at the northeast end of the group, suitable for just one boat. This protected anchorage is surrounded by a cluster of rocks and islets—an ideal place to set the anchor and explore by dinghy. The holding here is dependable, with a depth of about eight meters and a bottom of mixed mud, sand, and gravel, providing the kind of snug and protected anchorage that cruisers seek.
Exploring the Islands
Once you have selected and secured your anchorage, it’s time to launch the tender and explore. The waters around the islands are calm, and there are small shell beaches waiting to be discovered by dinghy or kayak. These features make the Muirhead Islands not only a safe haven, but a delightful destination for boaters seeking peace and adventure.
Relaxing at Anchor
At the end of the day, nothing compares to relaxing on the aft deck, cool drink in hand, as you watch the sunset and bask in the peaceful ambiance of your protected anchorage.
Further Adventures: Actress Passage and Actaeon Sound
For those with more time or a taste for adventure, a dinghy trip to Actress Passage and Actaeon Sound is a rewarding excursion. Actress Passage is narrow and winding, with several drying rocks and strong currents that make for an exciting transit, even by dinghy. The most turbulent currents are found around Dove Island, off Charter Point, and through the islets and rocks between Skeene Point and Skeene Bay.
Once through the passage and clear of the currents, you’ll find yourself in beautiful, sheltered Skeene Bay, which offers a view of Mount Bullock to the northeast.
Exploring Bond Lagoon and Beyond
The next stop is Bond Lagoon, a classic tidal basin. Enter through a shallow channel that opens into the expansive lagoon. Many cruising guides note that there is good anchorage here, but it is essential to enter at high slack water. Be cautious, as a large uncharted rock lies just below the surface to starboard in the channel.
After visiting Bond Lagoon, continue up Actaeon Sound to explore Hand Bay, which offers no anchorage protection, and Creasy Bay, the site of past logging operations. On the north side of the sound, just before England Point, a decomposing barge in a drying cove provides evidence of previous logging activity.
Tsibass Lagoon: The Final Destination
Actaeon Sound concludes at the entrance to Tsibass Lagoon. This is a serious tidal rapid—except for a few minutes at high slack water, the passage into Tsibass Lagoon becomes a turbulent, white-water river, narrow, shallow, and obstructed by large rocks. The outflowing water is so strong that it creates a thick foam across the head of the sound.
Reflections at Day’s End
At the end of a day filled with exploration and adventure, relax once again on the deck, savoring a cool drink, listening to the calls of the loons, and sharing stories of the day’s discoveries.
Spend a few days anchored in this cozy, picturesque setting, taking in the scenery and exploring the many islands and islets that make up the Muirhead Islands.
Looking for the perfect boat for your next adventure?
