A hauntingly beautiful ghost cannery on Princess Royal Island where a thundering waterfall tumbles straight into Fraser Reach, Butedale is one of the most evocative stops on the entire Inside Passage.
Butedale is the long-abandoned salmon cannery at the head of a small embayment on the northeast side of Princess Royal Island, on the south shore of Fraser Reach. Founded in 1911, the village once held a summertime population of more than 400 before the cannery shut down in the 1970s. What remains is a striking collection of deteriorating bunkhouses, workshops, wharves, and a powerhouse, slowly being reclaimed by the rainforest yet still drawing nearly every northbound cruiser to its dock.
The site's defining feature is Butedale Falls, which drains Butedale Lake roughly 300 feet above and cascades into the sea just north of the townsite; the roar of running water is constant. A caretaker has long lived on site presiding over the ruins, and restoration efforts under the Butedale Bay development have aimed to revive the hydro plant and docks.
A small, rustic float built largely of driftwood and old log timbers offers moorage for roughly five or six boats, with newer dock sections added during restoration. Anchoring is possible but tricky: the water is extremely deep and steep-to, and the bottom near the cannery may be foul with collapsed infrastructure.
Approach notes, hazards to watch for, and what's available once you're tied up.
Butedale lies on Fraser Reach, the steep-walled channel where Graham Reach bends around Work Island. The approach itself is straightforward in good visibility, but the surrounding water is profoundly deep and steep-to: depths plunge from around 6 fathoms close to shore to 70-80 fathoms within a very short distance, leaving almost no shelf to anchor on. This makes the cannery float the practical reason most boats stop here.
If anchoring, expect to set the hook in 40-50+ feet, often on short scope or with a stern tie to shore, and be wary of foul bottom near the tumbled-down cannery structures. The driftwood float is rickety and should be approached and secured carefully; large tidal swings (15+ ft) are typical for the region.
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 Butedale with approach photos, depth notes, and points of interest — written by members who have been here recently.
Real first-hand reports and questions answered by members who have actually been here.
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Cruising-distance picks near this anchorage.
