cortes bay seattle yacht club

• Desolation Sound

Circumnavigating Cortes

by Jim Burgoyne · August 12, 2019

And it has a magnetic pull on cruisers who have been visiting nearby Desolation Sound, unplugged refugees who crave a smidgen of civilization. Of course, there are also the sailors who arrive and never leave, making a home on Cortez and blending into the colourfully eccentric community.

Got two weeks? Maybe three; a circumnavigation of Cortes Island can kill that and even longer with ease.

Let’s start at Cortes Bay on the island’s southeast. The bay opens its arms to arrivals from Desolation Sound. Many have anchored here, as we have, without problem, but the bay does have a reputation for iffy holding in strong east and southeast winds. If the forecast is for unsettled weather, use lots of scope, which is generally not a problem in the moderate depths and ensure your anchor is well set.

The bay is home to outstations for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Seattle Yacht Club. For most of the rest of us, there is the public dock, which offers a good dinghy tie for going ashore.

From the public dock, walk west along Bartholomew Road past the many blackberry bushes, turning right on Cortes Bay Road. Walk along the road, mostly uphill, for about 15 minutes, coming to a spot where Katimavik Trail crosses the road. Walking right takes you up to Easter Bluff for some lovely views into Desolation Sound; taking the trail to the left, takes you down to Gunflint Lake, surrounded by the Linnaea Farm, an organic land trust and school that teaches sustainable land stewardship. Here you can often buy fresh produce and tour the small, welcoming community.

Walk southwest along a path between Gunflint and Hague lakes into an area of dramatic rolling hills and a network of trails which eventually lead to Mansons Landing.

By water, from Cortes Bay going counterclockwise around the island, it is about six nautical miles to the public dock at Squirrel Cove, where boats can tie up in settled conditions, short-term or overnight, or anchor off if the dock is full as it often is during summer. Ashore is a general store, restaurant, coin-op laundry and showers.

Nearby is Squirrel Cove proper, a well-protected bay with many options for swing anchoring or stern tying. Here there is much to explore, including the tidal rapids into Squirrel Cove Lagoon and trails which lead aross island to Von Donop Inlet.

Next stop, over the top of the island is Von Donop Inlet in Ha’thayim Marine Park. This picturesque waterway cuts deeply into the island, almost slicing it in two. There are many spots to anchor here and many more coves and lagoons to explore by dinghy or kayak. As well, there are trails to explore the inlet’s shores or walk across island for lunch near the Squirrel Cove public dock.

Almost two miles south of the entrance to Von Donop Inlet is tiny Quartz Bay where excellent protection can be found in the bay’s western fork. Ashore is mostly private homes, but if you have a project that needs attention this might be the perfect place.

Farther south is Carrington Bay, where cover from prevailing summer winds is found behind Jane and Little Jane islets. South from the head of the bay is a large lagoon that is ripe for exploration, as is a network of regional district park trails nearby. The park has hosted various “rave” music festivals over the years attended by young campers willing to rough it.

Moving south boaters pass Coulter Bay, another tiny bay that might be filled with boats on resident mooring buoys. If there is room, it’s a nice anchorage with lots of shoreline to explore at low tide.

Then cruisers come to Uganda Passage, a narrow pass between Cortes and Marina islands. There are lovely anchorages with splendid views on either side of sandy Shark Spit which extends north from Marina Island. Daytime boat traffic tends to be without wake as vessels slowly navigate the twisting passage.

Nearby is the entrance into Gorge Harbour, the large, all weather bay on Cortes Island’s southwest. Inside there are several good spots to anchor and a great marina with a general store, restaurant, pool, fuel and laundry.

About 2km west by road is the ferry terminal at Whaletown, linking Cortes to Quadra Island and Campbell River on Vancouver Island, making Gorge Harbour a good spot to pick up or drop off crew, or temporarily leave the boat if necessary.

Continuing the circuit of Cortes, about two miles east is Mansons Landing, an anchorage or public dock where space to tie up is often available. Nearby is Hague Lake, a popular freshwater swimming spot, and trails which lead back to Cortes Bay, completing the circumnavigation if only by foot.

By road about 1km south of Mansons Landing is Cortes Island’s commercial district which amounts to two grocery stores, post office, museum and a few other shops and cafes.

There is a lot to explore on Cortes Island, with anchorages that feel remote, others that offer opportunities to provision or fuel up. And for many of us, getting off the boat to stretch your legs is important, and Cortes offers a smorgasbord of hiking opportunities.

The anchorages, marinas and docks on Cortes Island are covered in Salish Sea Pilot’s cruising guide to Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands.

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Cortes Currents

A Message for Luxury Yachts Appears at Cortes Bay

Three new signs have recently been greeting boaters arriving in Cortes Bay.

They say: 

• “200 gal/740 l diesel = 2 tons CO2”
• “<2 tons CO2 per person per year = safe fair share”
• “luxury emissions wipe out life”

While many people on Cortes live simple lives with a relatively small carbon footprint, summer brings wealthy tourists with different values and ways of being. And wealth, it seems, frequently goes hand in hand with massive energy consumption.

Is wealth equivalent to climate destruction? 

No. Wealth is a resource that could be used to support a planet-wide transition toward an ongoing liveable world.

But the evidence against wealth holders, in general, is pretty damning. The Stockholm Environment Institute conducted a study in 2019 to assess consumption emissions based on income level. Using their findings, Oxfam International published a report and call to action in 2023 called “Climate Equality: A Planet for the 99%”. 1 Their report included the following alarming statistics:

• The wealthiest 1%—the 77 million richest people in the world—were responsible for 16% of global consumption emissions in 2019.
• These outsized emissions by the super-rich in 2019 alone will cause 1.3 million excess deaths due to heat. Most of these deaths will occur between 2020 and 2030.
• While people with income in the lowest 50% reduced their emissions by more than a fifth over the past 30 years, those in the top 1% have not reduced their average emissions at all.
• If they aren’t curbed, the carbon emissions of richest 1% alone will be 22 times greater than the level compatible with a 1.5°C temperature increase by 2030—the goal of the Paris Agreement.

Am I super-wealthy?

Just in case you’re wondering if you’re one of the top 1%, the finance and investing website DQYDJ (Don’t Quit Your Day Job) says probably not: there are roughly 1,313,064 households in the wealthiest 1% in the US (where these statistics were generated) and their net worth starts at $13,666,778. 2 In Canada, according to The KickAss Entrepreneur, entry into the top percentile for wealth requires a net value of just over $10,000,000. 3

Nevertheless, the climate crisis is all of ours. It helps to remember that every ton of CO2 not released into the atmosphere contributes to a less unliveable future… avoiding unnecessary emissions of any size is an act of love.

How damaging are yachts?

Large yachts are among the most expensive—and most polluting—assets people with excess wealth own. Yet most yachts, even the largest, are exempt from emissions rules implemented by the International Maritime Organization. 4 One report that analyzed the climate-damaging emissions of 20 billionaires found two-thirds were related to their yachts. 5 

While super-, mega-, and giga-yachts (loosely defined as ≥80 ft/24 m, ≥200 ft/60 m, and ≥300 ft/90 m, respectively) are not in abundance in the waters around Cortes, we certainly have our share of more modest luxury yachts passing by and visiting the marinas of Cortes. Instead of being symbols of wealth and prestige, to some locals they are symbols of egregious disregard for the well-being of life on Earth. 

What kinds of boats do come to Cortes?

Jenny Hartwick has been the manager of the Harbour Authority of Cortes Island (HACI) for nine years. The mandate of the HACI is to maintain the docks and other infrastructure in support of commercial working boats, but they also accommodate recreational boats when they’re able. Hartwick said recreational boat traffic to Cortes has generally increased over the years, with 2022 being the busiest year on record and 2023 being a close second, though this year the numbers are down somewhat. 

And, her observation is, they’re getting bigger. “I’d say about once to twice a week we get a request [to dock] from a recreational boat that is 60 feet or longer,” she said. “The largest request this year was from a 135-foot boat. But the answer is no, we simply do not have the infrastructure to support boats that large.” Instead, she said, “The size of most recreational boats at HACI docks is between 28 and 50 feet. Anything bigger is hard to raft up to.” She speculated there might be more capacity for large yachts at the two yacht club outposts—Seattle Yacht Club and Vancouver Yacht Club—in Cortes Bay. “But most people on Cortes won’t see the really big boats. They’re out there, but they’re just passing by.”

[ ed. note: neither Seattle nor Vancouver Yacht Clubs responded to requests for comments for this article. ]

When asked if any of the recreational yachts she sees are powered by renewable energy like solar, Hartwick said no. But, she pointed out that people with commercial aquaculture boats on Cortes are keenly following improvements in technology that will lead to more sustainability in their industry. Their livelihoods are going to be impacted by climate change, and she thinks they will be early adopters of cleaner ways to run their boats.

What can be done besides putting up signs?

In September of 2022, Canada implemented a tax on certain luxury items, including luxury cars (notably, RVs and camper vans are exempt), private aircraft, and recreational boats or yachts. The tax rate is 10% of the total price paid or 20% of the difference between the price and a set threshold ($100,000 for cars and planes, $250,000 for boats and yachts), whichever is less. 6 But clearly this will do little to dissuade wealthy yachters from making their purchases and polluting the planet.

Another approach that could be taken is to criminalize “ecocide”. The term ecocide was coined in the 1970s to describe the willful destruction of nature, and efforts are underway to make it an international crime. That would put ecocide in the same category as genocide, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, and war crimes. 7 In February of 2024, Belgium became the first European Union (EU) nation to codify ecocide as a both a domestic and international crime. 8 Just days later, European Union lawmakers voted to criminalize cases of environmental damage “comparable to ecocide”, marking the “end of impunity for environmental criminals”. 9 Whether or not using superyachts could constitute a crime under these laws is still untested.

Taxes and legal actions are punitive measures that may or may not be effective. Meanwhile, is there more to be done to change the hearts of luxury boat users? To inspire them to appreciate their connection to the fragile fleeting beauty around them take their responsibility for the effects of their lifestyles seriously? If you have the answer, please let me know.

• Oxfam International. “Climate Equity: A Planet for the 99%” https://issuu.com/oxfamca/docs/climate_equality_report_oxfam   Nov. 20, 2023
• DQYDJ. “Who Are the One Percent in the United States by Income and Net Worth?” https://dqydj.com/top-one-percent-united-states/  
• The KickAss Entrepreneur. “Net Worth By Age Percentile Calculator For Canada By 2025 – UPDATED [February 2024]” https://thekickassentrepreneur.com/net-worth-by-age-percentile-calculator-for-canada/ Feb. 19, 2024.
• Lloyd’s Register. “A Greener Future for the Superyacht Industry” https://www.lr.org/en/knowledge/insights-articles/a-greener-future-for-the-superyacht-industry/ Sept. 20, 2023.
• Burga, Solcyre. “From Private Jets to Superyachts, Here’s the Climate Impact of the Rich and Famous”  Time https://time.com/6208632/celebrities-climate-impact-private-jets-yachts/ Aug. 25, 2022. 
• Canada Revenue Agency. Subject Vessels Under the Select Luxury Items Tax Act https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/publications/ltn3/subject-vessels-select-luxury-items-tax-act.html#_Toc112155925 Jan. 2023.
• Stop Ecocide International. “Making Ecocide a Crime” https://www.stopecocide.earth/making-ecocide-a-crime Accessed Aug. 20, 2024.
• Chini, Maithe. “Belgium becomes first in EU to recognise ecocide as international crime” The Brussels Times https://www.brusselstimes.com/937229/belgium-becomes-first-in-eu-to-recognise-ecocide-as-international-crime-tbtb Feb. 23,2024.
• Younes, Lylla. “A new EU ecocide law ‘marks the end of impunity for environmental criminals’” Grist https://grist.org/regulation/eu-ecocide-law-environmental-crime-international/ Mar. 6, 2024.

One thought on “A Message for Luxury Yachts Appears at Cortes Bay”

Yes yes and yes! Thank you for this article and thank you to whoever put the signs up. This should be printed and left on every yacht that appears here!

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As Broadcast over CKTZ, Whats Current on Cortes and Beyond

Seattle Yacht Club

Many Seattle Yacht Club members cruise the waters of the Pacific Northwest in powerboats.  Whether touring the Club’s 10 Outstations, located from Gig Harbor in the south to Cortes Bay in the north, or exploring the fresh water lakes, our members tend to enjoy their time on the water. SYC has a number of interesting and exciting events for members with powerboats. These include formal events with fun interactive themes, local and long-range cruises from Puget Sound to the Canadian Gulf Islands, and monthly dinners with exciting and informative speakers. Our monthly club dinners include topics about boating in the Northwest and adventures from around the world. These dinner are also a fun way to meet with fellow Club members and share boating experiences.

Seattle Yacht Club also hosts Navigational Rallies (aka Predicted Log Racing) around Puget Sound. These navigational contests are a great opportunity for members to improve their knowledge of their boat and skills of predicting the boat’s performance around a designated course.

Seattle Yacht Club Sailing

2019 syc race book, youth summer sailing school, adult sailing lessons, junior race team, high school sailing, opti green fleet program, junior race team, race team vision.

SYC is recognized among the leading yacht clubs of the world with a renowned comprehensive junior sailing program, in which the Junior Race Team is an integral part.  Our Junior Race Team draws upon a broad base of young sailors (open to the public) primarily from the SYC Summer Sailing School, SYC’s Northwest Interscholastic High School Sailing Team (HS Sailing), and community outreach programs.  The SYC Junior Race Team and HS Sailing provide youths, from ages 8 to 18, the opportunity to reach for competitive success at all levels while developing athletic skills, leadership, sportsmanship and a lifelong love for boating.  SYC has given rise to numerous generations of successful Pacific Northwest sailors, including multiple Olympic champions.  The SYC Race Team continues the Club’s legacy of achievement, representing SYC in local, regional, national and international competitions.

Race Team Mission

Progress juniors from participation to development to the highest levels of youth racing achievement.

• Provide a fun and supportive environment for junior racers of all abilities
• Provide coaches exceptional in their sailing accomplishments and their abilities to train and inspire our racers
• Maintain facilities and equipment equal or superior to leading yacht clubs around the world
• Promote interest and participation in sailing and racing with an active, adaptive outreach program
• Prepare racers for Collegiate Sailing providing an opportunity to leverage individual racers’ sailing skills and racing achievements in the college application process
• Develop  a lifelong interest and appreciation of sailing and racing in all Race Team members while promoting SYC junior membership in a family oriented, supportive environment

JOIN THE TEAM 

Race team schedule, race team coach: cameron hoard.

Cameron has been the SYC Jr Race Team coach since 2011. Originally from Upstate NY, Cam has lived on both coasts, but has come to call the NW home.

Cam has been a sailing coach for the better part of 20 years. He has worked for various yacht clubs and sailing programs in New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle. 

The SYC Jr Race Team does most of its year-round training on Shilshole Bay (Puget Sound), however Cam and the team travel all over the country competing in over 25 regattas every year. A busy training and regatta schedule is what makes the SYC Jr sailors the best in the North West!

The team has found lots of success under Coach Cam with SYC sailors winning national championships, qualifying for international regattas, and dominating the NW Youth Racing Circuit. It’s exciting and fun to work with such committed, talented, and hard working Jr sailors representing the club. 

2017 was a big year for the team and the sailing department! They were honored to receive the Captain Joe Prosser Award, from US Sailing, for excellence in sailing instruction. The Jr sailors list of accomplishments is far too long to list here, so please stop Cam in the hallway or on the dock to hear about it all! Or join them at the SYC Jr sailing awards held every January, to meet the team, celebrate an amazing year, and help them kick off the successful season ahead. Go SYC!

Contact Coach Cameron Hoard.

Joining SYC

Seattle Yacht Club welcomes applications for membership from Northwest boaters ages 10+ who would like to join our active community.

Members of the Club are entitled to use our Portage Bay Clubhouse with casual and fine dining restaurants, banquet and meeting facilities, guest moorage, and permanent moorage (subject to availability).  Members are also encouraged to participate in a wide range of regattas and cruises, and enjoy activities and dining events at the Club.  Membership with SYC offers use of our Elliott Bay clubhouse facilities and discounted Elliott Bay moorage (subject to availability), use of nine Outstations (listed below), and reciprocal privileges to more than 225 other yacht clubs around the world.  

SYC OUTSTATIONS

• Cortes Bay – Desolation Sound, B.C. 
• Eagle Harbor – Bainbridge Island 
• Elliott Bay – Seattle 
• Friday Harbor – San Juan Islands 
• Ganges – Saltspring Island, Gulf Islands, B.C. 
• Garden Bay – Pender Harbor, B.C. 
• Gig Harbor – South Puget Sound 
• Henry Island – Roche Harbor, San Juan Islands 
• Ovens Island – Dunsmuir Islands, Gulf Islands, B.C. 
• Port Madison – Bainbridge Island 

Several levels of membership are available based on the age and marital status of the candidate.  For an individual membership, the initiation fee is determined by the age of the new member on the date the application is completed.  Monthly dues adjust throughout the life of a membership as it advances from one class to another.  We encourage married couples to apply for joint membership.  There is one initiation fee, which is determined by the age of the older spouse on the date the application is completed.  The monthly dues are determined using the birthdate of the older spouse.  To request a chart of the current fees and dues, contact SYC's Membership Director.

Each membership application needs one primary sponsor and three other members to serve as recommenders (all must be voting or Surviving members of SYC).  The application process begins when a voting member of SYC checks out an application packet and becomes the applicant’s sponsor. 

Interested In Learning More?

If you are interested in exploring membership and receiving an invitation to SYC's next Open House (date TBD), please complete and submit a Prospective Member Interest Form . 

Membership Brochure & Benefits Of Membership Video

For an overview of the Club, download SYC's Membership Brochure . Enjoy the video below about the benefits of membership with SYC featuring the Club, our Outstations, activities, and some of the people who make the Club special.

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Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation

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Description, other marinas you may be interested in.

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Royal Vancouver Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation

About marina region

Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation

Address: 2601 West Marina Place Seattle, WA 98199

Website: http://www.seattleyachtclub.org/

Phone: (206) 325-1000

About Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation

Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation is located at 2601 West Marina Place Seattle, WA 98199. They can be contacted via phone at (206) 325-1000 for pricing, directions, reservations and more.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

What is the phone number for seattle yacht club cortes bay outstation.

The phone number for Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation is (206) 325-1000.

Where is Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation located?

Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation is located at 2601 West Marina Place , Seattle, WA 98199

What is the internet address for Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation?

The website (URL) for Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation is http://www.seattleyachtclub.org/

What is the latitude and longitude of Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation?

You can use Latitude: 47.63039210 Longitude: -122.39068460 coordinates in your GPS.

Is there a key contact at Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation?

You can contact Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation at (206) 325-1000.

Seattle Yacht Club Cortes Bay Outstation Reviews

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Cortes Island Marinas

Cortes Island has four public docks: Whaletown, Squirrel Cove, Mansons Landing Provincial Park and Cortes Bay. Cortes Bay also hosts private outstations for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Seattle Yacht Club.

Cortes Island Public Boat Launches

Cortes Island Public Boat Launches can be found at Blind Creek on Cortes Bay, Gorge Harbour Marina, and in Squirrel Cove.

Cortes Island Small Craft Launches

Small crafts including kayaks and rowboats can be launched at Smelt Bay Provincial Park , Mansons Landing Provincial Park , and Hollyhock Beach .

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Cortes Bay Anchorage

Cortes Bay. Cortes Bay is well protected, but in some places, the soft mud bottom doesn’t hold well.   Use Chart 3538 when approaching Several charted rocks and reefs near the entrance have claimed the inattentive.  These include Central Rock, north of Twin Islands, several rocks around Three Islets, and rock off the headland midway between Mary Point and the entrance to Cortes Bay.  To be safe, we always pass south of Three Islets.

Pay close attention to the beacon in the middle of the narrow entry to Cortes Bay.  This beacon, with its red triangle day board,  marks the south end of a nasty reef.   leave the beacon to the starboard (Red, Right, Returning) as you enter.  If you doubt the existence of this reef, one look at low tide will convince you.  A small public wharf is at the head of Cortes Bay.  It is usually full during the summer.  Rafting is required.

Seattle Yacht Club has an outstation on the south shore of Cortes Bay, at the location of a former marina.  Royal Vancouver Yacht Club has an outstation on the north shore.  No reciprocals at either outstation.

Local knowledge says the good holding ground is east o the Royal Van outstation, off the mouth of a small drying cove.  During a 30 – 40-knot southeasterly blow, we saw several boats anchored successfully off the SYC outstation as well.

Cortes Bay. (Cortes Island) Charts 3538, 3312, 3513; 2.9 miles W of Sarah Pt; 3.8 miles SW of Gorge Harbour.  Entrance: 50°03.48’N, 124°55.12’W   Public Float: 50°03.78’N, 124°55.95’W  Anchor: 50°03.85’N, 124°56.06’W

For more information visit our partner site Waggoner Cruising Guide .   For all your yacht provisioning call our concierge desk at 778-432-0477.   If you’re looking for a  superyacht marina we accept 65′ to 220′ vessels.  Phone or book online to reserve your slip or book the ultimate yacht Rendezvous .

Victoria International Marina 1 Cooperage Place, Victoria, BC V9A 7J9 Ph. + 1 778 432 0477 Email. [email protected]

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• Destinations: Circumnavigating Cortes Island

Here’s our latest installment from  Three Sheets Northwest  guest columnist Jim Burgoyne of  SalishSeaPilot.com …

Cortes Island offers much to mariners, from idyllic, protected anchorages to enchanted forest walks within its vast network of trails.

And it has a magnetic pull on cruisers who have been visiting nearby Desolation Sound, unplugged refugees who crave a smidgen of civilization. Of course, there are also the sailors who arrive and never leave, making a home on Cortez and blending into the colourfully eccentric community.

Got two weeks? Maybe three; a circumnavigation of Cortes Island can kill that and even longer with ease.

Let’s start at Cortes Bay on the island’s southeast. The bay opens its arms to arrivals from Desolation Sound. Many have anchored here, as we have, without problem, but the bay does have a reputation for iffy holding in strong east and southeast winds. If the forecast is for unsettled weather, use lots of scope, which is generally not a problem in the moderate depths and ensure your anchor is well set.

The bay is home to outstations for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Seattle Yacht Club. For most of the rest of us, there is the public dock, which offers a good dinghy tie for going ashore.

From the public dock, walk west along Bartholomew Road past the many blackberry bushes, turning right on Cortes Bay Road. Walk along the road, mostly uphill, for about 15 minutes, coming to a spot where Katimavik Trail crosses the road. Walking right takes you up to Easter Bluff for some lovely views into Desolation Sound; taking the trail to the left, takes you down to Gunflint Lake, surrounded by the Linnaea Farm, an organic land trust and school that teaches sustainable land stewardship. Here you can often buy fresh produce and tour the small, welcoming community.

Walk southwest along a path between Gunflint and Hague lakes into an area of dramatic rolling hills and a network of trails which eventually lead to Mansons Landing.

By water, from Cortes Bay going counterclockwise around the island, it is about six nautical miles to the public dock at Squirrel Cove, where boats can tie up in settled conditions, short-term or overnight, or anchor off if the dock is full as it often is during summer. Ashore is a general store, restaurant, coin-op laundry and showers.

Nearby is Squirrel Cove proper, a well-protected bay with many options for swing anchoring or stern tying. Here there is much to explore, including the tidal rapids into Squirrel Cove Lagoon and trails which lead aross island to Von Donop Inlet.

Next stop, over the top of the island is Von Donop Inlet in Ha’thayim Marine Park. This picturesque waterway cuts deeply into the island, almost slicing it in two. There are many spots to anchor here and many more coves and lagoons to explore by dinghy or kayak. As well, there are trails to explore the inlet’s shores or walk across island for lunch near the Squirrel Cove public dock.

Almost two miles south of the entrance to Von Donop Inlet is tiny Quartz Bay where excellent protection can be found in the bay’s western fork. Ashore is mostly private homes, but if you have a project that needs attention this might be the perfect place.

Farther south is Carrington Bay, where cover from prevailing summer winds is found behind Jane and Little Jane islets. South from the head of the bay is a large lagoon that is ripe for exploration, as is a network of regional district park trails nearby. The park has hosted various “rave” music festivals over the years attended by young campers willing to rough it.

Moving south boaters pass Coulter Bay, another tiny bay that might be filled with boats on resident mooring buoys. If there is room, it’s a nice anchorage with lots of shoreline to explore at low tide.

Then cruisers come to Uganda Passage, a narrow pass between Cortes and Marina islands. There are lovely anchorages with splendid views on either side of sandy Shark Spit which extends north from Marina Island. Daytime boat traffic tends to be without wake as vessels slowly navigate the twisting passage.

Nearby is the entrance into Gorge Harbour, the large, all weather bay on Cortes Island’s southwest. Inside there are several good spots to anchor and a great marina with a general store, restaurant, pool, fuel and laundry.

About 2km west by road is the ferry terminal at Whaletown, linking Cortes to Quadra Island and Campbell River on Vancouver Island, making Gorge Harbour a good spot to pick up or drop off crew, or temporarily leave the boat if necessary.

Continuing the circuit of Cortes, about two miles east is Mansons Landing, an anchorage or public dock where space to tie up is often available. Nearby is Hague Lake, a popular freshwater swimming spot, and trails which lead back to Cortes Bay, completing the circumnavigation if only by foot.

By road about 1km south of Mansons Landing is Cortes Island’s commercial district which amounts to two grocery stores, post office, museum and a few other shops and cafes.

There is a lot to explore on Cortes Island, with anchorages that feel remote, others that offer opportunities to provision or fuel up. And for many of us, getting off the boat to stretch your legs is important, and Cortes offers a smorgasbord of hiking opportunities.

The anchorages, marinas and docks on Cortes Island are covered in Salish Sea Pilot’s cruising guide to Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands.

Jim Burgoyne

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The Boater’s Connection for flights to Cortes Bay BC from Seattle.

Northwest Seaplanes offers summer scheduled flights and charter flights from Seattle to and from Cortes Bay, BC Government Dock and the Seattle Yacht Club outpost in Cortes Bay .

Seattle to Cortes Bay Flight Schedule

Northwest Seaplanes is conveniently located on the shores of South Lake Washington on the Renton Airport.  We are just minutes from downtown Seattle,  Bellevue and the Seattle (Sea-Tac) Airport and offer a complimentary shuttle to the Seattle Airport on your arrival into Seattle.  Free parking is also available for those driving.  For reservations and information, please call.  Please visit our Passenger Information page for information regarding our flights.

• www.marinas.com
• www.seattleyachtclub.org
• www.corteisland.com

South Lake Washington departures and arrivals

Complimentary parking

Complimentary 15 minute shuttle TO Sea-Tac Airport

Cortes And Shoal Bay

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Seattle Yacht Club Outstation - Cortes Bay

Region: Canada (3232) , British Columbia (942) , Strathcona (142) , Mansons Landing (7) and Cortes Bay (3)

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Yacht Clubs

Seattle Yacht Club

Founded in 1892, Seattle Yacht Club is one of our country’s most active and long-established yacht clubs. With facilities ranging from the historic main station on Portage Bay, to ten outstations located along the shores of Washington and British Columbia, the club offers an outstanding group of properties for use by its more than 2,500 members.

From the Commodore:

It gives me great pleasure to confirm the commitment of the Seattle Yacht Club Board of Trustees and its members to the goals and mission of the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Our Fleet Captain Sail, Dave Ferguson and his committee, and Past Commodore, Chris Otorowski, will be working together on the member matching fund program that I expect will exceed the Founding Club level.

We look forward to watching the progress of the NSHOF and its home in Annapolis.

The Pacific Northwest waters, aristocratic pines and views of Mt. Rainier, Baker and the Olympics provided inspiration for Chief Sealth’s (Seattle) native peoples and SYC respects this heritage while developing its own traditions and stewardship. In the 1880s Puget Sound’s Budlong’s Boat House was the locale of the first gathering place of SYC yachtsmen followed in 1882 by the moorage on Battery Street at Brighton’s Boat House. The first Clubhouses built for a formally organized Seattle Yacht Club were in 1892 and 1909 in West Seattle.  Presently the Portage Bay clubhouse (1919) between Lakes Union and Washington offers a colonial style with classical elegance and uncovered and covered moorages. It has been on the National Register of Historical Places since 2006. In addition, there are ten beautiful outstations extending from south Puget Sound through Canadian waters. They are Gig Harbor, Elliott Bay, Port Madison and Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, Henry Island and Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands, and Ganges, Ovens Island, Garden Bay and Cortes Bay in Canada. The marine environment is protected by SYC’s Code of Ethics and negotiations with the City of Seattle. Reciprocity with U.S. and international yacht clubs exists.

Since 1928 SYC has participated in powerboat predicted log racing’s annual International Cruiser Race, the Capital to Capitol Race. Hosted by SYC in 1936, the attendance was the highest of any U.S. cruising event to that date. In the 1940s the IPBA made it a family event. Today SYC hosts the IPBA Stimson Cup and participates in other IPBA and local races.

The belief that “everyone who wants to be on the water should be” underlies programs for the community such as the 1935 Shut In Cruise when 50 SYC boats took patients in wheelchairs and on stretchers for a Lake Washington cruise. World War II veterans were taken on similar cruises. Today’s Annual Special People’s Cruise was inspired by SYC women who arranged Christmas cruises for the Fircrest clients. SYC’s Opening Day, modeled in part by the city’s 1911 Potlatch celebration has the largest boating parade and international crew races in the world. SYC sponsors the largest fund raising event in boating, the Leukemia Cup Regatta and the SYC Foundation provides funding for Youth Sailing classes and community boating projects.

Protection of maritime waters and racing abound. SYC formed the first Pacific coastal squadron to teach motorboat navigation and to cooperate with the U.S. government in 1916. During World War II SYC’s Flotilla 24, the largest civilian squadron in the U.S., patrolled Pacific inland waters with private small and large luxury yachts. Pleasure boating was dormant but racing continued. The hydroplane races with SYC’s Slo-Mo IV and V won the Gold Cup 1950-1954 and put Seattle and Seafair on the map. The hydroplane era continues with the SYC burgee on winning boats and thousands of spectators watching the races on Lake Washington and on television.

Pleasure boating resumed after World War II. In 1964 SYC was invited to join the Cruising Club of America and continues to host several of their events. The latter’s goal of promoting cruising by amateurs and its interest in seamanship, navigation and handling of small vessel is in keeping with SYC’s philosophy and support of what the juniors call “people who like to mess around in boats”. Boating education at SYC has always been a priority for youth and adult members and non-members. Currently it is provided in Lasers, Vanguard 15’s, and Optimistist dinghies. Pleasure boating for adults, families and the public is provided in Club and private member boats.

Competing in international races in the 1980s again demonstrated SYC’s racing skills. Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals were brought home. The SYC burgee flew on One World in the 2003 America’s Cup Race. SYC women have won world championships in rowing and the Adams Cup for sailing.  World involvement is further demonstrated by hosting of the International Council of Yacht Clubs Forum in 2011. This is the first time it was held in the United States and 14 countries were represented by numerous delegates.

To insure “the most fun for the most of us” the SYC committee system allows for diversified interest groups and activities for all members. The Men’s and Women’s groups have luncheons with speakers and programs to educate and entertain. Parties, balls, dinner dances and children’s events occur regularly. The annual Commodore’s Ball with the Grand Fourteen Yacht Clubs in the area is a gala event. Potlatch, a weekend of water games, races and feasting at Port Madison, is an example of the family centered events for juniors, intermediates and regular members.

Seattle Yacht Club has a tradition of pride in its members who come from every socioeconomic level. Many have made significant contributions to navigational science and member volunteerism is basic to the Club. The 1937 Board of Trustees stated: the club should cater to the average class of gentlemen yachtsman” attempting to please the aristocrats and also the members with small boats regardless of financial position. SYC also has pride in its clubhouse and the city it is named after. The beacon light on top of the Portage Bay clubhouse was installed by SYC members and the Coast Guard and its spire is shown on nautical charts as a private stationary aid to navigation. It beckons you to join the fun of a cultural icon and continue to make history.

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