This park has 2 pit toilets, located at the LOCATION north and the south end of the park near the camping and day-use areas. Pirates Cove Marine Park is found on the south east corner of De Courcy Island, part of the De Campfires are not permitted in this Courcy Group, 16 kilometres south east of park. Bring a stove for cooking. on Island. It is accessible by boat through Dodd Narrows from Nanaimo, up through There are 5 km of easy hiking trails that weave the from Victoria, and Vancouver around the park, passing through mature boaters would come through Gabriola Passage. second-growth Douglas fir as well as arbutus and Garry Oak. For your safety and the Be cautious when entering Pirates Cove. The preservation of the park, obey posted signs porthand marker is placed shoreward of the reef. If and keep to designated trails. you are heading north west along the north shore of Shortcutting destroys plants and soil structure. the park, continue north well past the black marker Brother XII Trail: Length 800 metres. then turn southwest to enter the cove. Align the Approximate walking time: 15 minutes. This white arrow on the rocks with the white cross on the trail is a shortcut of the Darkwoods Trail trees and proceed shoreward until you are able to through the interior of the park leading to the navigate between the two markers. There are two camping area. day use dinghy docks, one on either side of the Darkwoods Trail: Length 1 km or 20 cove. These are for tenders and are not to be used minutes. This trail cuts through the middle of to moor vessels larger than 5 metres. There are the park through a Douglas fir ecosystem with some bright yellow eye-bolt rings to be used for mossy sandstone outcroppings. It links up to stern-lines on the northwest and east shores of the the Pylades Trail and the camping area. main cove. Do not tie up your boats to the trees in Pylades Trail: Length 3 km or 1 hour. The the park. Pylades trail circumnavigates the shoreline around the park, offering spectacular views of The Cove is very small and receives very little tidal and Pylades Channel. exchange. DO NOT DISCHARGE SEWAGE OR There is no designated swimming area at this GREY WATER WHILE MOORED HERE - it is park, however swimming occurs on the sandy against park regulations. south beach. There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW This park is a popular destination for kayakers, There are designated campsites with tent who use Pirates Cove as a destination area or pads in Pirates Cove, located just above the a rest stop prior to travelling further north or south beach. Some of these sites have ocean south through the Gulf Islands. The sheltered views. Pirates Cove is accessible year round. waters around the Gulf Islands make it a good A self registration fee vault is located near the spot for paddlers of all abilities. water pump. This park does not have a boat launch. The Backcountry Camping Fee: nearest one is at Boat Harbour in Cedar, $5.00/person/night and applies to everyone approximately 12 km south of Nanaimo. 6 years of age and older. Pirates Cove is a very popular anchorage.

This park has a day use picnic area, located Mooring rings for stern tying vessels are adjacent to the camping area. Facilities located along the shoreline in the cove. Two include information shelters located near the dinghy docks are located in Pirates Cove - one hand pump and south dinghy dock. on the north side and one on the south side. These docks allow access to the park’s day- A cold water hand pump is located near the use and camping areas. There is no overnight south beach (this water should be boiled, tie-up to the dinghy docks. Dinghies may go filtered or treated prior to consumption). ashore at the south end beach. CULTURAL HERITAGE Perhaps visitors to Pirates Cove (which was WILDLIFE 1000 brochures called Gospel Cove or The Haven in Bro. Xll's time) sail over it every time they arrive! There are several middens in the park that The largest animals that use the island are indicate native use of the island. The largest Black-tailed Deer. Other animals, such as .05 per side Brother XII had a cohort for several years, of these shell refuse heaps underlies the River Otters, Mink, and Raccoons are fairly dubbed Madame "Zee", a cruel woman who Pirates black ink on white campground. Please do not disturb these common. River Otters are most easily seen in sites - stay on trails to minimize erosion. All helped rule the island with an iron fist and the early morning and a stroll around the loop shell middens are protected under the B.C. bullwhip. In 1933 the pair were to be brought to trail on the island will likely result in a sighting Cove Archaeological and Historic Sites Protection trial in Nanaimo on charges of misuse of funds, or two. Watch for areas of flattened grass that $55 set up Act do not disturb them. adultery and attempted murder through otters have used for slides or sun-bathing. witchcraft. Before the judgement was brought Please do not feed the racoons; they may MARINE PROVINCIAL PARK De Courcy Island was named after Michael down they disappeared on the colony's boat become dependent on human hand outs. de Courcy, captain of the H.M.S. Pylades, a never to be seen again in these parts. vessel that charted these waters from Common marine mammals include Harbour 1859 - 1861. There are many books on Brother XII, some Seals (year-round) and Steller's and fact some fantasy, - all intriguing - read some California Sealions (most common from late While enjoying the beauty and serenity of and decide for yourself! August through the middle of May). The Pirates Cove take a moment to think about fortunate may catch a glimpse of Harbour the drama that was played out on this In 1966 a 38 hectare portion of the island was Porpoise, Killer Whale or something even island in the late 20's and early 30's. acquired for a Provincial Marine Park with the rarer! De Courcy was the home of the Aquarian assistance of the Council of Foundation founded by the infamous Yacht Clubs. Birders will find species such as Wilson's Brother XII, a man described as "downright Warblers, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Black evil", "The Great Beast" and the "blackest CONSERVATION Oystercatchers, and White-crowned Sparrows man to have ever lived". and other species breeding in the park, while De Courcy Island, like many of the Gulf Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons and scores of others use the park for foraging and Brother XII (also known as Edward A. Islands, contains an interesting mixture of resting. Wilson among other names) was able to plants - some coastal, and some more typically convince up to 8000 followers that he was found in the dry interior of B.C. Rocky the Twelfth Master of Wisdom, part of a line Mountain Juniper, Satin-flower and Poison Oak For More Information of divine perfect masters from another are all species that are much more widely spread in the interior than they are on the world who would teach his faithful the BC Parks mysteries of ancient Egypt and usher in a coast - yet here, with De Courcy Island's dry www.bcparks.ca new age. The amount of money donated to summers, they thrive. the foundation is legendary, people would Pirates Cove Provincial Marine Park protects K2 Park Services one of the few coastal populations of Poison give their entire life savings 1n support. The 1 877 559 2115 “I am the Messenger of the Fire, the land purchased included De Courcy Island. Oak. Stay on the trails to avoid brushing www.k2parks.ca Messenger of the Whirlwind, the Messenger A settlement was built on the north end of against this rash-causing plant. Particularly [email protected] of the Day of Adjustment. The fire burneth, impressive in June and early July are the large but dross, that the silver and the gold may the island, with stories of it having gun remain. By the wind ye shall mount to the fortifications and rock shelters. Any excess areas seen from the loop trail that are covered THIS IS A PACK-IN, PACK-OUT PARK, THERE ARE NO DISPOSAL FACILITIES. heavens - if ye be the children of money was said to have been converted to by Pipsissewa - a low growing evergreen plant discernment.” gold coins and sealed into glass jars and with leathery shiny leaves and pink flowers PLEASE DO NOT PLACE ANY GARBAGE placed into cedar chests - no one knows The stands on the east side of the park are INTO THE COMPOSTING & PIT TOILETS. what happened to this fortune. unmatched anywhere else in the Gulf Islands. North Gulf Islands