Okeover & Malaspina Inlets

At the top of the Sunshine Coast & the gateway to Desolation Sound

Explore the protected waterways of Okeover, Malaspina, Lancelot & Theodosia Inlets as part of your Desolation Sound adventure

From Powell River Sea Kayak’s private, historic launch site at Penrose Bay on Okeover Inlet, the Inlets of Desolation Sound Marine Park are the perfect introduction to the Desolation Sound area and the west coast in general.

More protected than the Strait of Georgia or Desolation Sound itself, the inlets of Okeover, Malaspina, Lancelot and Theodosia offer incredible opportunities for day trips or longer periods of deeper exploration.

Okeover Inlet

North of our waterfront launch site in Penrose Bay, the common route into Desolation Sound follows the eastern shore of Coode Peninsula, entering Malaspina Inlet and continuing north. However, great day paddles exist in this area known as Okeover Inlet that should not be overlooked!

A cluster of islets at the northern tip of the peninsula offer an enticing place to stop, and is a great spot to view intertidal creatures from sea stars, sea cucumbers, and huge spiky red sea urchins! A trip to these islands and back to Penrose Bay with a short stop for rest or lunch takes the average kayaker about three hours.

Across Okeover Inlet from the Isbister Islets is the long, narrow bay once known by its native inhabitants as KaKaeKae, but now known as Grace Harbour. Once the site of an expansive Tla’amin village, the bay is well protected from all winds and has great marine wildlife to explore by kayak. Camping is available deeper in Grace Harbour, as well as opportunities for hiking and swimming at a freshwater lake.

A kayaker in calm Okeover Inlet
Two kayakers paddling on glassy calm water in Okeover Inlet in Desolation Sound

Lancelot & Theodosia Inlets

Lancelot and Theodosia Inlets do not provide access to Desolation Sound itself, but are intriguing destinations for day trips from Penrose Bay or as side-trip on longer multi-day expeditions into the Sound. The western shore of Lancelot Inlet is a seldom travelled part of the Desolation Sound Marine Park, and has a number of protected bays, coves and islets that are perfect to pull into and stretch your legs or have a bite to eat with the Coast Mountains as a scenic backdrop. Isabel Bay in particular is a wonderful, shallow bay with warm water, fantastic for swimming after a morning of paddling.

As you head deeper into Lancelot you notice less signs of human habitation.

A narrow passage, easily overlooked, on the eastern shore of Lancelot provides access to Theodosia Inlet. This short inlet provides a true feeling of remoteness as you paddle north-east toward the very feet of the Coast Mountains. The Theodosia River used to support a salmon run of 200 000 fish a year! Recent efforts to reinstate this hugely important ecological migration have been slowly but surely returning spawning salmon to Theodosia.

The expansive estuary delta at the head of the inlet – as well as the valley behind it – supports bears, deer, elk, wolves, cougars and countless other terrestrial wildlife.

Malaspina Inlet

Leaving Grace Harbour and heading north towards Desolation Sound you leave Okeover Inlet. Dotted with islands and islets, protected bays and coves, Malaspina Inlet is the perfect introduction to Desolation Sound.

On the western shore, Cochrane Bay is sheltered by picturesque islands and provides access to a scenic portion of the Sunshine Coast trail, which leads to the south to refreshing and picturesque Wednesday Lake.

Continuing north, on the eastern shore, the islands and bays provide more fantastic swimming and snorkeling opportunities. The currents in the area provide ample nutrients to scores of stars, urchins, anemones, nudibranchs and other wonderful and colourful marine life, which is particular prolific in a particular area that PRSK guides have dubbed ‘The Aquarium’. Camping exists towards the mouth of the inlet at beautiful Hare Point, the perfect launching pad for forays into Desolation Sound, or as the first stop of a deeper exploration.

From here, it’s just a short paddle to the mouth of Malaspina Inlet and Desolation Sound. Further camping exists just outside the inlet on the western side at Feather Cove, another access point for the Sunshine Coast Trail and a great hike up to a wide viewpoint of the entire Sound.

An aerial shot of Malaspina and Okeover Inlet

Powell River Sea Kayak offers a couple of ways to explore these protected inlets via kayak:

  • Join one of our multi-day Desolation Sound Kayak Tours, which all pass through Okeover and Malaspina Inlets on their way to and from Desolation Sound and beyond.
  • Book a package at Cabana Desolation Eco Resort. Kayaking guests will pass through these inlets at a slow and immersive pace, while those that take our motor vessel transport option also pass through these protected waters on their way out to the resort.
Refuge Cove

Redonda Islands