Kevin Klein’s Destination Sound Adventure Part I

An 85’ Ocean Alexander and a 33’ Grady White. Not a bad combo and accommodation’s to explore and enjoy Desolation Sound.

In mid July, I had the good fortune to voyage to Desolation Sound, British Columbia, from Friday Harbor. This turned out to be a de facto honeymoon for my wife Vicki and I. We were married in April, and with a lot going on at work, I just couldn’t get away until summer.
With great anticipation, we planned to leave on July 9^th, Vicki’s birthday. We would cruise up to Desolation, a first for both of us, and then fly back to San Juan Island on July 19^th by float plane on Kenmore Air. We got the invite from our friend Russ to join him and his significant first mate Amy, Bill and Rose Shaw, and their family and friend, and everybody’s favorite deckhand, Dustin. Russ’s vessel, the ’85 Ocean Alexander Pres Du Soleil, would be our transport, towing his 33’ Grady White fishing boat. An enviable parade to be sure.
We’d heard the raves about Desolation for years. The phenomenon of warm water, up to 80 degrees, that occurs in the summers there due to lack of tidal movement sounded particularly appealing.

. Breakfast…or is that brunch, is served. Having Chef Bill Shaw of Roche Harbor onboard as part of our tight knit crew meant we ate the best of the best. I found myself exclaiming at every meal: “This is the best(fill in the blank)I’ve ever had!

The first day, we left in the afternoon, and made it to Ganges Harbor on Saltspring Island. We had a fun evening of dining and listening to some funky live music at the Treehouse Café. The next day, we woke up to a pretty stiff breeze blowing up the harbor. After some tricky maneuvering to get the big boat off the dock with the Grady on her hip, it was Northbound and down…or up, as the chart says.

Vicki Klein on the stand up paddleboard. No worries about falling in when the water is 75 degrees. It’s just incredibly relaxing to be swimming in warm water, and that kind of setting.

We stopped overnight in Nanaimo. I guess I was picturing a logging camp, but was surprised to find a good sized, bustling city of around 100,000. We walked around the nice downtown area, and stocked up on provisions for the trip. We had reservations at a Greek restaurant that our Captain had promised was really good.
Well, understatement of the trip. The eatery is called Asteras Taverna, and the experience there was probably the best I’ve had in any restaurant. The excellent Greek food, service, and atmosphere make it a must stop if you’re anywhere around Nanaimo. Make reservations early, as the line out the door as we were leaving was down the sidewalk. One word, “Moussaka”…alright, another…Ouzo! Pleasant evenings, relaxing in good company, and the promise of fair weather ahead.