A small, steep-sided marine-park anchorage tucked behind the Gorges Islands near the north end of Waddington Channel, prized for its quiet beauty and the First Nations pictographs on the surrounding cliffs.
Walsh Cove Marine Provincial Park sits on the northeast shore of West Redonda Island, about a mile from the north end of Waddington Channel in the Desolation Sound area. A cluster of small, finger-shaped rocky islets known as the Gorges Islands screens the cove from boat wash and chop traveling up and down the channel, creating a sheltered pocket with room for roughly 15 to 25 boats.
The setting is classic Desolation Sound: steep granite walls, warm summer water, gently sloping rocks ideal for swimming, and good snorkeling along the shallows. Near the northern entrance to the cove, weathered red-ochre pictographs of fish, human figures, and other symbols can be seen on the rock faces, left by Coast Salish peoples and protected under British Columbia's Heritage Conservation Act, so boaters are asked to look but never touch.
Because the center of the cove is deep and the basin is small, most cruisers anchor close to the western shore and run a stern-tie to the rocks; when the cove fills, stern-ties become essential to keep everyone swinging safely.
Approach notes, hazards to watch for, and what's available once you're tied up.
The recommended approach is from the south, off Waddington Channel, into the steep-sided cove behind the Gorges Islands. The northern entrance, sometimes called False Pass, is littered with rocks and should be avoided except by those with local knowledge at low water when the hazards are visible.
Inside, the middle of the cove runs deep (around 50 feet), so favor the shallower water near the western shore and set the hook with a stern-tie ashore. Watch carefully for rocks and shoals among and around the Gorges Islands on the way in, and remember the cove is open to the southeast, where chop can work in during a strong southeasterly.
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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 Walsh Cove 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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