Pirates Cove Marine Park Anchorage
Pirates Cove Marine Park. Pirates Cove is open all year, campsites, pit toilets, hand pump water (boil before use) on the south beach, no other facilities. It’s a lovely little harbour, protected from seas but not all winds, with room for many boats (on a short scope). 24 mooring rings for stern-ties are set into the sandstone cliffs that encircle the bay. Do not use trees for stern tie. Two dinghy docks are for shore access, one on the northeast and the other on the southwest side of the cove. Dinghies may go ashore at the south end beach. The small marina on the right as you enter is private.
Pirates Cove Marine Park
Most of the land is a marvellous provincial park. The cove is surrounded by a forest of Douglas fir, Garry oak and arbutus (madrona). Well-maintained trails lead through the forest and along the rocky shoreline with its sculpted sandstone formations and tide pools. Be sure to stay on designated trails to avoid brushing against poison oak, a rash-causing plant species protected by the Provincial Marine Park. Pirates Cove has only a fair holding bottom of sticky mud. if the wind comes up during the night, you can expect a fire drill as boats drag anchor. It’s best to stern-tie. When departure time arrives, be prepared to spend extra time cleaning the anchor as it comes aboard.
Reef Danger: The entrance to Pirates Cove is guarded by a reef that extends parallel to the shoreline to a point a little beyond a concrete beacon. When entering, you must leave this beacon to port. A range, consisting of a white-painted arrow on the ground and a white X on the tree above, shows where to make your approach. Align the X on the tree above the arrow on the ground and proceed slowly until just past the concrete beacon to port. Turn sharply to port and leave the red Spar Buoy U38 to starboard. The entry is shallow At lower tides deep-draft boats should be especially cautious.
Pirates Cove Marine Park. (De Courcy Island) Charts 3475, 3443, 3343, 3313 4.1 miles SE of Dodd Narrows; 1.85 miles SW of Gabriola Passage. Entrance: 49°06.08’N, 123°43.91’W Anchorage: 49°05.87’N, 123°43.83’W
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