Montague Harbour Lay Day

Some cruising days are made for covering miles. Others are made for slowing down and appreciating exactly where you are tied up.

Today was firmly the latter.

With OceanFlyer settled comfortably in Montague Harbour, we launched the dinghy and headed ashore to spend the morning walking through Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park — one of the most thoughtfully maintained marine parks anywhere on the coast.

The trail begins just beyond the park dock, winding through towering trees and shaded forest paths that immediately remind you why this park remains such a favorite among Pacific Northwest cruisers. The campsites are remarkably well kept, each one feeling carefully considered rather than simply placed in the woods. Elevated tent platforms, concrete pads beneath the picnic tables, purpose-built fire pits, plentiful fresh water, and spotless washrooms all speak to a park system that still takes real pride in the details.

nice park docks and facilities and Montague harbour

There is even a large covered pavilion that looks perfectly suited for everything from family gatherings to the sort of rainy-evening potluck that becomes legendary among boaters.

The well-maintained trail eventually leads to the shell beach along the north cove, always one of the highlights of the park. Even in the quieter shoulder season, it is easy to picture the shoreline filled with families and kayaks during the height of summer. We wandered along the beach for a while before picking up the trail again at the northwest corner of the park.

the “north shore” beach on grAY PENNINSULA with montague harbour in the distance

As the path climbed and curved along the shoreline, strategically placed benches invited the sort of pauses that are impossible to resist. A few minutes here. Another few there. The kind of unhurried stops that become the real rhythm of a lay day.

karen stakes her claim at montague harbour provincial park

By the time we completed our leisurely circumnavigation of the park, lunchtime had arrived — which made the next decision very easy.

Back at the Crane & Robin, we settled in for two generously sized salads, each topped with a perfectly grilled salmon fillet. Simple food, done properly, somehow always tastes better after a morning spent walking coastal trails.

yummy lunch at the Crane & Robin

Not every memorable cruising day requires the engines to be running.

mother nature does it again, what show off