August 18, 2004
Mary Basin, Nuchatlitz Inlet (N 49° 47' W 126° 50')
When we left Rugged Point yesterday bound for Mary Basin we only intended to stay overnight. But when an early afternoon fog chased us into Nuchatlitz Inlet and several sea otters greeted us on the way in we decided to stay an extra day and take in some of the sights in the area.
Nuchatlitz Inlet indents the western side of Nootka Island on the west side of Vancouver Island. In March of 1778, in a small cove near Nootka Island, Captain James Cook, R.N., became the first European to set foot on what later became British Columbia. According to our guide book (Cruising Guide to the West Coast of Vancouver Island by Don Watmough), Cook named Nootka Island after the word the natives chanted as he approached: "noot-ka, noot-ka." Only later was the true meaning of the chant learned: it's an imperative advising the listener to "go around!" We, unlike Cook, decided to follow the advice of the natives and go around the outside of Nootka Island without stopping in the fjords that separate it from Vancouver Island. Mary Basin is our only stop in this area.
Mary Basin is open, quiet, uncrowded, and filled with wildlife. There are several large sandy beaches close by for walking, and the outer cliffs have many sea caves. While exploring in the dinghy this morning we saw a black bear on one of the beaches eating mussels off the rocks at low tide. The small channel separating Nuchatlitz Inlet from Mary Basin is home to five or so sea otters. They come into the basin now and then to sleep quietly, their hind flippers and forepaws held above the surface. They are just too cute for words. We've also identified red throated loons in the basin, which we've not seen before. All in all, this has been a great place to spend a couple of days.
Tomorrow we'll be moving to Clayoquot (CLAY-kit) Sound and the fabled Hot Springs Cove. We had resolved not to go to the springs as they are just too crowded for us (high speed tour boats and float planes make runs from Tofino bringing tourists by the dozens). But it's a convenient waypoint on our way south.
For some strange reason over the last few years I have gotten into the habit of measuring months by the phase of the moon. I think of some date in the future, and instead of thinking, "that's three months from now," I think, "that's three new moons from now." This evening was no different when Linda brought my attention to the setting crescent of the moon. I looked at it and realized it's the first quarter of the new moon, the new moon who's last quarter will shine on Nakia's wake as she makes her way back to her home waters in the Bay Area in September. It's a small reminder that we need to enjoy ourselves while we can because our time here is short.
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