A snug, sandstone-rimmed pocket on the southeast end of De Courcy Island, Pirates Cove is one of the most popular and most photographed anchorages in the southern Gulf Islands, ringed by a provincial marine park and a wall of stern-tie rings.
Tucked into the southeast corner of De Courcy Island between Dodd Narrows and Gabriola Passage, Pirates Cove Marine Provincial Park protects a small, near-landlocked basin surrounded by warm sandstone bluffs and second-growth forest. It is a quintessential Gulf Islands stop: easy shore access, well-kept trails, and a summer-season buzz of boats rafted and stern-tied along the walls.
The cove is compact and fills quickly on warm weekends, so most cruisers anchor and run a line ashore rather than swing on the hook. Twenty-four mooring rings are set into the sandstone cliffs encircling the bay, with two dinghy docks for getting ashore to the park.
Holding is the catch. The bottom is sticky mud over rock - reportedly only 10-12 inches of mud over a hard substrate - so anchors can drag, especially when a northerly or northwesterly blows through. Stern-tying to the rings is strongly preferred and keeps the crowded basin orderly.
Approach notes, hazards to watch for, and what's available once you're tied up.
The entrance is narrow, shallow, and genuinely tricky. A reef extends parallel to the shoreline and is guarded by a concrete beacon that must be left to port on the way in. A drying spit extends a considerable distance to the northwest, and unwary boaters regularly hit the rocks here.
A range marks the safe line: align the white X on a tree above the white-painted arrow on the ground and proceed slowly until just past the concrete beacon to port; a red spar buoy (U38) also marks the channel. The controlling depth at the entrance is only about 1.6 m (roughly 5 ft) at low water, so deep-draft vessels should consult the tide tables and time their transit for adequate water. Kelp can mark surrounding rocks.
Wind protection summary and tide planning at a glance. Full per-direction and 7-day detail with Plus.
Live readings from the nearest OpenWeather station and WorldTides; refreshed every few minutes.
Source: OpenWeather One Call API + WorldTides.
A curated photo + map walkthrough showing approach, mooring options, and points of interest.
A guided walkthrough of Pirates Cove with approach photos, depth notes, and points of interest — written by members who have been here recently.
Member-uploaded images of this anchorage.
Real first-hand reports and questions answered by members who have actually been here.
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