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Can you launch from Boat Harbour between Cedar and Ladysmith

cougarmeat

Paddler
Joined
Sep 17, 2012
Messages
1,195
Location
Bend OR USA
Reading my 2004 Snowden Gulf Island book (NSA - relax, she's a different Snowden) two launches to Pirate's Cove are mentioned - one at Blue Heron Park and one at the end of Fawcett Rd. According to Google Earth, between those two points - and closer to my destination - is Boat Harbour. So I'm wondering if I could park the Jeep at Boat Harbour for about 4 days and paddle off.

That said, Fawcett Rd. is supposed to have a public boat ramp at it's terminus. But I don't see anything there (GoogleEarth photo 8/18/16) that looks anything like a public boat ramp. So I'm wondering if the author meant Boat Harbour instead?

An aside - the Silva Bay Restaurant burned down and the new one won't be open this summer (they will be updating their web page that erroneously says summer 2019). They will have a food truck with Vegetarian and Vegan options - for those who care.
 
A closer look did show a ramp at the end of Nelson Road (not Fawcett). But still, Boat Harbour is closer if parking for a few days and launching is allowed.
 
We launched from the end of Nelson Road. Note that for courtesy, pull you car way up the street to park on the side of the road. The locations closer to the ramp itself are for day trips. A second courtesy is to load your kayak/gear from the beach next to the ramp itself, but it is more of a carry.

What I learned: it is better to load the boat closer to the water with an incoming tide - and pull it back when necessary - than it is to load it higher above the waterline and sit there waiting for the tide to reach/float the boat (and pray it will reach the boat) while others are out in the water.
 
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