Today we woke to a beautiful sunrise over the Canadian Rockies and cruised the Strait of Georgia to De Courcy Island. As we entered this beautiful archipelago just Southeast of Nanaimo, British Colombia, we saw harbor seals and gulls fishing among the intricate coastlines.
De Courcy Island itself holds a bit of drama in recent history. In the late 1920’s and 1930’s the island was home to the Aquarian Foundation, a religious group led by Brother XXII. Brother XII believed himself to be the Twelfth Master of Wisdom who would usher in a new age. He convinced 8,000 followers to hand over everything they owned and join him on the island. In 1933 the group disbanded and facing financial charges, Brother XII fled the island with an unknown amount of gold coins. He and the groups’ fortune were neither seen nor heard from again.
Currently, the island is broken into private lots and a popular marine park named Pirates Cove. After setting our anchor, guests enjoyed naturalist led hiking tours of the island’s trails, sea-kayaking, exploring, and Zodiac tours of the coastline. We even spotted some playful river otters amongst the craggy shoreline.
This lovely park and its rolling trails with incredible views was a special treat to enjoy. We took a lot of photos with the island’s Pacific madrone trees. These twisty species are known for their thin red bark that peels and colors the surrounding forest floor a dark maroon. Everyone embraced the cool breezes, blue skies, and sunshine.
