Emily Carr Inlet to Quigley Creek

Emily Carr Inlet turned out to be one of the pleasant surprises of this year's cruise. We originally planned only a brief stop, but the anchorage quickly won us over. It has an unusually open feeling while still providing excellent protection. Admittedly, a strong southerly would probably change our opinion, but with this season's settled weather it proved to be a wonderful place to linger for a couple of days.

Our next destination is Quigley Creek, a favorite staging anchorage for Meyers Narrows. Many cruisers either spend the night here before making the transit or stop afterward, depending on the timing of the tides.

Its location at the junction of Thistle Passage and Laredo Inlet makes it surprisingly well protected despite being bordered by two large waterways that can become quite rough when the weather turns.

The entrance is straightforward at any stage of the tide. On today's arrival we saw 26 feet beneath the keel on a 13.8-foot tide, almost exactly what the Barnard Harbour tide tables predicted.

The anchorage itself is fairly deep, with our anchor set in about 65 feet of water. Fortunately, there is enough room to swing comfortably when the anchorage is lightly occupied. We have shared it with three other boats in the past, and while everyone fit, it required careful anchoring and thoughtful scope from all involved. This is one of those places where good anchoring etiquette benefits everyone.

quigley creek with lardeo inlet off to the north

look west down laredo inlet after it makes a bend at quigley creek

Like its namesake, Quigley Creek is worth exploring on a high tide. You won't get very far, but it provides a pleasant excuse to launch the dinghy and stretch your legs. At the creek entrance we found 14 feet of water on a 14.5-foot tide at Barnard Harbour. Beyond that, a broad rocky flat carried about four feet of water before the creek narrowed between large boulders and quickly shallowed to less than two feet, marking the practical end of the journey.

quigley creek at low tide

low tide at quigley creek is more of a hike

One feature keeps drawing us back to Quigley Creek, and it has nothing to do with tides or navigation.

The sunsets.

the view toward the east hints at what is about to happen in the western sky

sunset over quigley creek

Over the years we've noticed that certain anchorages seem to have a gift for producing memorable evenings. Whether it's the surrounding mountains, the shape of the horizon, or simply good fortune, they consistently deliver spectacular displays as the sun slips below the horizon.

Quigley Creek is one of those special places.

As the evening light faded, the sky transformed into layers of gold, orange, and crimson reflected across the calm water. It was the perfect ending to another unhurried day on the coast and a fitting prelude to tomorrow's transit through Meyers Narrows.

the sun makes its last peek-a-boo for today