All Aboard the MV Uchuck 111 (May 2026)

As opposed to the east coast of Vancouver Island, the west coast isn't nearly as accessible and the weather is much wilder, but that's what makes it attractive, and places like Tofino and Ucluelet have become famous for the stormwatching, hiking, surfing, and whale watching the west coast offers. But there is another accessible stretch of the west coast, along the shores of Nootka Sound, that offers its own unique experience, and to get there, all you have to do is head up the Island highway to Campbell River and take a left turn on Hwy 28. In less than 1.5 hours, a lovely, gently winding, paved road will take you to the community of Gold River located at the mouth of Muchalat Inlet.

First stop along the way is the Elk River waterfall and suspension bridge. Hanging 60 metres over the canyon floor, and 60 metres long, it is one of the highest pedestrian bridges in the country. Built in 2015, in partnership with BC Hydro and BC Parks with business and community funding, it attracts an average of 2,000 visitors every day.

The road goes through the beautiful Strathcona Provincial Park, the oldest provincial park in B.C. and, measuring 949 square miles, by far the largest on Vancouver Island. A popular destination for hikers, mountain climbers, swimmers, kayakers, camping, and fishing. Buttle Lake is a particularly popular attraction.

Arriving in Gold River the first order of business was replenishing essential bodily fluids at the aptly named Ridge Pub overlooking the town and providing a view of the surrounding countryside.

Gold River was developed in 1967 as a planned logging and pulp & paper community with excellent community facilities including a 25 metre swimming pool, ice skating & curling rink, and a health centre. It was a very prosperous town until 1998 when market conditions forced the pulp mill to close and more than half the population was forced to relocate. Since then the village has tried to reinvent itself through eco-tourism, sport fishing, fish farming, and some logging.

Gold River is also the closest village to the famous Yuquot (meaning where the winds blow in many directions) aka "Friendly Cove" where Captain James Cook first set ashore in 1778 and met Maquinna, the chief of the local Mowachaht band/Nuu-chau-nulth people who had made this place on Nootka Island their summer home. The Spanish explorer Hernandez was the first European to spot Yuquot but Cook was the first European to actually step ashore and it quickly became the centre of a maritime fur trade that developed around the sea otter. In 1789 the Spanish explorer Martinez in 1789 built the first settlement at Yuquot which became a flashpoint between the Spanish and British over rival claims to the land and resulted in the1789 Nootka Crisis that took until 1795 to be ultimately resolved in Britain's favour. As a result, Yuquot or Friendly Cove is sometimes referred to as the Birthplace of British Columbia. It's also the starting point for the famous Nootka Trail, a 35 km 5 day wilderness experience.

However, it took until 1846, with the signing of the Oregon Treaty that settled the international boundary between the U.S. and Canada, before Britain could assert its sovereignty over Nootka Island, and this became the date First Nations in B.C. had to prove they were in occupation of land they wished to claim Aboriginal title for. Coincidentally our visit to Gold River was just after the B.C. Court of Appeal awarded the Nu-chat-laht title for the northern half of Nootka Island, a very historic occasion that capped off years of litigation.

After a good night's sleep we were up early to get on board the MV Uchuck 111, a 136-foot wood hulled converted mine sweeper that went into service in 1955 ferrying passengers and freight on the west coast in Barkley Sound and later in Nootka Sound. Day trips are available for visiting Friendly Cove/Yuquot, but our destination was an overnight cruise to Kyuquot, a coastal village approximately 100 km further north via Tahis and Esperanza Inlets (which go around Nootka Island) and then into the open ocean of Kyuquot Sound. 

Along with misc. supplies, and building materials, the Uchuk's primary purpose is delivering food to the logging camps and fish food and fuel to the fish farms lining the inlets. Each docking offers an opportunity to learn a little more about the fish farming industry and the logistics involved in sustaining these farms. 

One farm in particular claims to be the largest in North America containing over 1 million Atlantic salmon. It takes 18 months to raise an adult salmon and, as they grow, the amount of food required to feed them runs from 10 - 25 tons per day. Each food parcel weighs a ton and the Uchuk can carry up to 75 tons of cargo which, in turn, makes for a busy schedule servicing the half dozen or so farms along its route.

Fish carrier vessels like the Ronja Explorer, that transport the salmon, can handle up to 375 tons of live fish which, at an average weight of 10 lbs. for an adult Atlantic salmon, means it can carry 70,000 - 90,000 fish.

Other than the odd whale or Coast Guard vessel we had the waterways to ourselves and, in spite of the occasionally denuded hillside, the scenery was spectacular.

Of particular delight were the sea otters, who waved at us as we passed them by, happily enjoying the good life eating and suntanning while floating on their backs. Hunted almost to extinction for their valuable fur since Cooks visit in the 18th century, they have started to recover thanks to a 20th century treaty that put a moratorium on harvesting them. Sea otters are a classic example of a keystone species where their presence has a profound impact on the ecosystem. In particular, they keep the population of sea urchins in check which, in turn, allows the kelp forests (that are critical in the support of fish and other marine species) to survive.

Passing out of Esperanza Inlet into the open ocean we passed alongside a treacherous series of rocky islets that guarded the coastline. Woe to any mariner trying to navigate this area, known as the Barrier Islands, without a detailed chart. The west coast of Vancouver Island is home to countless shipwrecks and, as our captain said, "when God created Kyuquot he must have just scattered all the left over material along the edge."

Miraculously our captain was able to thread the needle through the archipelago of rocks, islets, and various channel markers and bring us safely to the Kyuquot dock.

Once ashore we were free to explore the settlement and all its trails through the forest and beaches. Kyuquot is a primarily native community of approximately 200 people with very limited services and the nearest access to a road is via Fair Harbour another small town 30 minutes away by water taxi. However, for marine adventures including wildlife viewing, kayaking, and fishing it's the ideal staging point, and there are also a number of resorts providing seasonal accommodations.

Checked into our funky cottage for a quiet evening with a full moon for company.

On our way back to Gold River the next day we stopped in at one farm to drop off some rope for changing the fish pen nets. As the fish grow bigger they need stronger netting to keep them inside and a wider mesh to allow for more water flow. Somehow the local sea lions seem to know when this is about to take place and they maintain a vigilant patrol for any escapees. 

One of the main scourges of farming salmon is sea lice. These tiny copecods are parasites that feed on the skin and blood of the host fish. They occur naturally in the wild but are attracted to the high density of a fish farm. While adult salmon are generally resistant to sea lice, wild juvenile fish are more susceptible, particularly if their migration route passes by a fish farm. One of the ways of getting rid of sea lice on a fish farm is to give them a bath in either fresh water or disinfect them using hydrogen peroxide. To do this the salmon are pulled into a "well boat" for a high intensity bath which causes the lice to drop off and then later destroyed. Another fascinating process we got to witness on our cruise.

It was fair weather all the way back "home" and before pulling into the dock we got a tour of the engine room. 

Gold River was also home to the famous orca named Luna who became separated from his family pod and ended up living in Nootka Sound. Friendly and curious he became completely habituated to the community where folks would feed and pet him. He also inadvertently damaged boats when he was playing around. Before a plan could be carried out to try and re-unite him with his family, he was inadvertently struck by the 6 foot propeller of an ocean tugboat and killed. A sad but predictable end for such an engaging and sociable creature. The people here still mourn his passing.

At our last night in Gold River we celebrated with burgers and beers at the Pub and congratulated ourselves on experiencing a very informative and beautiful west coast cruise on the MV Uchuck 111.