Cachalot Anchorages West Coast Vancouver Island

Cachalot Anchorages West Coast Vancouver Island.  Cachalot, the site of a former industrial whaling center, makes an interesting lunch stop or afternoon exploration.  Locate it by finding the abandoned pilings between Cachalot Inlet to the east and Cachalot Creek to the west.  Although pronounced locally as “Catch a lot,” the name means sperm whale in French.   The whaling center operated between 1907 – and 1926, then served as a pilchard reduction plant unit in the 1940s.

Anchor off the old pilings in 30 to 60 feet of water and take the dinghy ashore.  You’ll find old whale bones, crockery, miscellaneous hardware on the beach, and rusty equipment in the forest.  Next to the creek, a ferrocement statue of a sperm whale serves as a memorial to the whales that were processed at this site.  The statue was placed there by Vancouver Island artist Wayne Adams in the 1970s   Hulsizer gives the history of the site in her book Voyages to Windward.

When anchoring, avoid the drying shoal on the north end of the site near the river and be sure to anchor in at least 30 feet of water to avoid your anchor being entangled in kelp.

For more information visit our partner site Waggoner Cruising Guide.   For all your yacht provisioning call our concierge desk at 778-432-0477.   If you’re looking for a superyacht marina we accept 65′ to 180′ vessels.  Phone or book online to reserve your slip or book the ultimate yacht Rendezvous.