Refuge Cove, B.C., is a year-round community in the heart of the Desolation Sound area of the Inside Passage.  It serves as a centrally located supply stop for boaters travelling in or near Desolation Sound, offering a wide range of services including moorage, fuel, groceries, ice, showers, laundry, espresso, and other  supplies.

Most of the services are seasonal, operating from June through September.  During the rest of the year, the general store and fuel docks are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.

Refuge Cove is home to about twenty families during the warm summer months.  Hundreds of boaters stop here daily during the summer, relaxing and provisioning for their Desolation Sound adventures.  During the colder seasons, the population hovers around 12 residents.

Refuge Cove has the only fuel dock in Desolation Sound.

For information on dining, moorage, fuel, and other services, visit the Services page of this site.

Upcoast Summers espresso bar, bistro, and gift shop.

The General Store, with the laundry and shower facilities in foreground.

Refuge Cove on a quiet winter morning.

Refuge Cove is located about 150 kilometers northwest of Vancouver, between Vancouver Island and the mainland.  Click here to view maps of the general area.

The two ways to arrive directly in Refuge Cove are by boat and by float plane.  It is possible to get within thirteen miles of Refuge Cove by car, travelling the rest of the way on a private boat or water taxi.

Travelling by boat:

Most boaters arrive from the Seattle, Vancouver, or Victoria areas, cruising northward through the Strait of Georgia.  Desolation Sound is at the northern end of the strait, and Refuge Cove is located there on West Redonda Island.  Government docks provide plenty of moorage, and there are plenty of sheltered anchorage sites throughout the bay.

Travelling by air:

Kenmore Air and Air Rainbow both provide daily passenger air service directly into Refuge Cove daily during the summer months, and Monday-Wednesday-Friday year-round.  Float planes land right at the docks in the cove.  For schedules, fares, and other information visit:

www.kenmoreair.com

www.corilair.com

Travelling by car:  

Visitors travelling by car can take BC Ferries from Vancouver or Victoria to Powell River, and drive the short distance northward to Lund.  From there, a private boat or the Lund Water Taxi can take visitors the rest of the way to Refuge Cove, about 13 miles.