GRACE HARBOUR

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Woke up to beautiful clear skies in Grace Harbour and the temps are already in the 70s. Late morning, Connie and I went on a hike to the lake, which turned out to be just a half mile each way so was a quick one. Along the way there is abandoned logging equipment amongst the beautiful old growth forest. The lake was quite warm and had we been prepared we could have brought our floaties up there and swam. The water is brackish and the shoreline marshy, but no signs of wildlife except the occasional kingfisher – and a snake on the trail. Back at the boat we all decided to go on an adventure to explore the neighboring Lancelot Inlet and Theodosia Inlet so the four of us took off in the whaler for our adventure! Theodosia still has signs of an active logging operation, along with a native community of some sort. Both inlets are really pretty and peaceful and a great place to tuck away from the Desolation Sound crowds. On our way back to Grace Harbour we came upon a pod of Orcas swimming north past Grace Harbour up Malaspina Inlet. We watched for awhile but decided not to continue to follow them, as you’re really not supposed to do that – it is always a thrill to see whales! After our adventure we had just enough time for a quick float behind the boat before it was time for showers and departure to Laughing Oyster for dinner, about a 15 minute run back down Okeover Inlet. We are cruising along about halfway there when all of a sudden we see whale spouts and there they are right in front of us and heading right at us! John cut the power to the boat and we just floated as they steadily approached our boat, surfacing and breathing – about 4 of them – probably the same ones we saw earlier but they had moved farther south in the inlet from where we first saw them. They were so close to us we could see their eyes and almost feel them breath. It was so incredible to be so close. Normally you are supposed to be 1000 yards away from them, but if they surface right in front of you all you can do is shut down the engine and wait for them to pass. Lucky us! Dinner at the Laughing Oyster is always a fun outing, the views are unmatched. We sat outside at a great table with a view up Okeover Inlet and very slow service but a nice meal, great ambience. We motored back at sunset and tried to play Hearts but we were all tired and only made it through 4 hands before calling it quits.