Things to Do in Pender Harbour & Egmont Areas
Boating and Tour Boat Cruises
BOAT FUEL DOCKS
Please call before going to fuel docks.
PENDER HARBOUR: John Henry’s Marina 604-883-2336
EGMONT: Bathgate Marina 604-883-2222
Pender Harbour Marine Chart CA570544
Latitude: 49° 35″ 51′ N
Longitude: 124° 2″ 20′ W
Pender Harbour is located on the east side of the Strait of Georgia, north of Secret Cove and south of Nelson Island and Agamemnon Channel.
Egmont (Jervis Inlet / Hotham Sound Malibu Rapids & Princess Louisa Inlet) Marine Chart : CA_CA470095
Latitude: 49° 75″ 00° N
Longitude: 123° 93″ 33° W
Egmont is located on the northeast tip of the Sechelt Peninsula, on both shores of the Skookumchuck Narrows and only a mile north of the rapids where Sechelt Inlet begins. Agamemnon Channel, Jervis Inlet, Hotham Sound and the Royal Reaches all meet on the north end of the Skookumchuck Narrows.
BOATING IN PENDER HARBOUR
Pender Harbour is a popular destination for boatersbecause it’s the best jumping off point to cruise north to Hardy Island, Malaspina Provincial Park and Desolation Sound, west to Lasquite Island and Vancouver Island, as well as northeast to Egmont, Porpoise Bay in Sechelt Inlet, the Harmony Islands in Hotham Sound and the beautiful Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls.
ANCHORING: There are good anchoring grounds pretty much anywhere in Pender Harbour. The most popular anchoring spot is Garden Bay. The most protected spot is in Gunboat Bay, just east of Garden Bay. However, you will need to be mindful of favourable tides to enter and exit Gunboat Bay. To the east of Francis Peninsula is Bargain Harbour offering shelter from northeasterly winds. If you anchor in Bargain Harbour, take the dinghy through Canoe Pass at higher tides only, in order to quickly reach the Madeira Park government dock where you can tie up and walk to the village. You can also take your dinghy to any of the many resorts’ restaurants and pubs that have marinas with dinghy docks. See MOORAGE below. Other popular anchorages in to the south include Smuggler’s Cove and the Thormanby Islands.
MOORAGE: The Harbour Authority of Pender Harbour (Tel: +1 604-883-2234) offers moorage at the government dock in Madeira Park with access the village’s shops and restaurants; the Whiskey Slough government dock on the northeast side of Francis Peninsula, and the Secret Cove government dock across from the Thormanby Islands. In Madeira Park, moorage is also offered at the Sunshine Coast Resort & Marina, the Pender Harbour Hotel and Marina with it’s popular Grasshopper Pub overlooking the harbour.. On the higher end, tie up to the marina at the Painted Boat Resort, with its world-class Spa Garden andLagoon restaurant. Moorage is also available across the harbour at the Pender Harbour Resort and Marina, the Garden Bay Marina & Pub and the John Henry’s Marina and Resort with its General Store, boat fuel dock and seaside Café, Members of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club can make arrangements to dock at the RVYC in Garden Bay.
SAILING: Sailing is popular in the calm waters of Pender Harbour where sailors participate in races every Saturday. Check out Garden Bay Sailing Club for more info about races, including the popular Malaspina Regatta is in July. Great sailing conditions north of Pender Harbour in Agamemnon Channel. Depending on winds and tides, you can sail up Agamemnon Channel in the morning, have lunch at the Backeddy Resort Marina & Pub in Egmont and return to Pender Harbour in the afternoon. Sweet!
BOATER SERVICES IN MADEIRA PARK:
Boat repairs: Madeira Marine next to the government dock.
Boat grid: Located in Gerans Bay / Whiskey Slough government dock. Check with the Harbour Authority of Pender Harbour
Boat fuel: In Hospital Bay at John Henry’s Marina and Resort with its seaside Café and General Store
Madeira Park Government Dock: pump-out station, washrooms, showers, garbage and recycling bins. Use the dinghy dock for free to walk to the village. Larger vessels pay by the hour to moor at the dock. Shop at IGA for groceries and drop off the cart at the dock.
TOUR BOAT CRUISES
EGMONT
The Skookumchuck Boat Tours will take you for a tour to see the Skookumchuck Rapids and any other local areas you want to visit. These boat tours leave from the Egmont government dock.
The West Coast Wilderness Lodge offers great kayak and boat tour packages that includes lunch in their restaurant Inlets with amazing ocean views.
Right next door is the Backeddy Resort & Marina offering boat tour packages, as well as MettaEco Experiences and a great waterfront pub.
Further down the road is the Malibu Yacht Charters, specializing on taking visitors to the Malibu Rapids Christian Youth Camp and Desolation Sound.
Many private boaters who stop in Egmont will join a boat day tour to Chatterbox Falls at the head of Princess Louisa Inlet, because the crossing of the treacherous Malibu Rapids can be tricky and needs to be timed just right.
BOATING IN EGMONT
The tiny village of Egmont is located on both sides of the Skookumchuck Narrows, a popular destination for boaters because it’s the closest jumping off point to cruise north to the Harmony Islands in Hotham Sound and the beautiful Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls, and south into Sechelt Inlet after crossing the Skookumchuck Rapids.
Because it takes a whole day trip for most sailors to get to Princess Louisa Inlet, including timing the crossing of the treacherous Malibu Rapids, many boaters join other visitors in adventure boat tours for an unforgettable day trip. For the best views, take a float plane tour to see the huge waterfalls from the air!
BEWARE OF STRONG CURRENTS IN THE SKOOKUMCHUCK NARROWS!!!
ANCHORING: Unless you are cruising in a very large vessel, do not attempt to anchor in the Skookumchuck Narrows off Egmont. Once you cross the Skookumchuck Rapids (1 mile south of Egmont) and enter Sechelt Inlet, you will find the only sheltered anchoring in Storm Bay. If you are heading up to Princess Louisa Inlet, remember there are no anchorages up the Royal Reaches. After crossing the Malibu Rapids into Princess Louisa, you can anchor in front of Chatterbox Falls or behind the small islands on the north side of the inlet. There is also a mooring dock by the falls.
MOORAGE: The Egmont Harbour Authority runs the government dock with power and water available. The Bathgate Resort & Marina offers limited moorage, but make sure to fuel the boat and fill up water and propane tanks, while you pick up supplies and liquor at the well-stocked general store, or use the showers and laundromat with the best view in the West Coast! The Backeddy Resort & Marina has lots of dock space for transient boats and also offers a laundromat and scuba tank filling station, And enjoy the waterfront pub! From the Backeddy, you can easily walk next door to the West Coast Wilderness Lodge for ab unforgettable breakfast, lunch and dinner in their restaurant Inlets with magnificent views.
MOTORBOAT RENTALS
Pender Harbour Resort and Marina rents motorboats in Pender Harbour.
TOUR BOAT CRUISES
PENDER HARBOUR
At the Madeira Park government dock, take a fully-narrated 90 minute harbour cruise on the Slocat Pender Harbour Tours for best viewing of the whole harbour. You are guaranteed to spot eagles and seals!
At the Madeira Park government dock, rent a kayak or take a kayak tour with Alpha Adventures.
Kayak rentals also available at the Painted Boat Resort and the Sunshine Coast Resort in Madeira Park. In Garden Bay, the Pender Harbour Resort and Marina also rent kayaks.
Call OTB Charters for wildlife viewing and other boating experiences.
WATER SKIING
Go water skiing in the calm and protected waters of Pender Harbour, or Ruby Lake and Sakinaw Lake where motorized boats are allowed.