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Zeballos by Sea? An Overnight adventure on Vancouver Island By Andy MacDougall

Admit it. Every traveler, armchair or otherwise, fantasizes about shipping out on a tramp steamer in the Pacific, island hopping to undiscovered places. Relaxing with the rhythm of the waves and experiencing firsthand the real life around the docks of small seacoast communities. Escaping crowded cruise ship routes and boats the size of Cleveland for a nautical path less traveled.

I was lucky enough to go along on just such a trip, but instead of flying to some far-distant port to get onboard, I drove to Gold River, just west of Campbell River on Vancouver Island. There I joined a small group of fellow adventurers and the crew of the MV Uchuck III as we sailed on the inaugural overnight run to the historic gold mining town of Zeballos.

The MV Uchuck III is one of a rare breed in North America. She's a sturdy converted WWII minesweeper that still plies the inlets and islets of Nootka Sound, hauling freight and passengers into some of the wildest spots on Canada's Pacific Coast, many only accessible by boat. Our visit marked the first time in 12 years she's called on Zeballos, after they lost their deep-sea dock to a fire in 1989. This effectively cut the community off from the ships that used to regularly sail to this former gold and iron-mining centre on the north portion of Vancouver Island.

The community of Zeballos is interesting for a number of reasons. It was a classic western gold rush town, filled with over 3500 miners in the 30's who went there to find work during the depression. The buildings that sprang up had fallen on hard times by the 1970's as the town dwindled in population, cut off from the outside world. The gold and iron mines closed, the fisheries and canneries shut down, and logging went into decline. The good folks of Zeballos never gave up, and in the 1980's they started on an ambitious plan to turn the fortunes of their town around. The old buildings were spruced up, a prime example being the old hospital. Abandoned since the 50's, it has been completely rebuilt into Mason's Motor Lodge, and I can assure readers the fare from their restaurant bears no relationship to classic hospital food! Hosts Mason and Anna might not be doctors, but they sure know how to put the hospital‚ into hospitality!

The compact and easily walkable townsite straddles a river that teems with salmon and trout, and just above town is an incredible canyon and waterfalls carved over the centuries by the rushing river. We took a quick side trip to the old Privateer gold mine, which has been recently reactivated on a small scale, and continues to give up tantalizing veins of gold. The museum has a great collection of artifacts and interesting items that date from the boomtown mining days. In reality, the whole town is an historic site, from the Zeballos Hotel built in the 1930's to the Community Centre, which got lifted and turned by a tidal wave from the Alaskan Earthquake in 1964. Instead of arguing with nature, the townsfolk rebuilt the hall where it landed.

Zeballos has now become a major jumping-off point for adventure tourists, as kayakers and hikers make it their access portal to wilderness experiences that are literally around every corner. On a quick tour around town the night we arrived, a bear gave us a surprised look and dove into the underbrush as we rounded a curve, and an awe-struck passenger from Portland, Oregon commented, the bald eagles are as plentiful as sparrows. The beauty of taking the Uchuck trip into this special part of the Canadian wilderness is passengers don't need to be in top physical shape. Sure, we had well-muscled twentysomethings with 50 lb. backpacks and kayaks and outfits that looked like they were part of the space program, but we also had 80 year-old men and women along who still had a twinkle in their eye and a desire to see something new and different. The Uchuck is comfortably outfitted for all, with a crew that's never too busy to help every one of their passengers enjoy the trip.

The main thing which sets the MV Uchuck III apart from a typical tour boat ride is her other job: freight hauling. From food to fuel, trucks to tons of gravel, first mate Sean Mather and his deck hands load and unload an amazing range of cargo at stops on the way. Passengers were transfixed as Capt. Fred Mather gently guided the 136 ft vessel into a secluded cove against a small dock at a remote fish or logging camp, and the crew used the derrick crane to pick up and place tons of supplies in just a few moments. These stops provided an interesting diversion during the voyage, and in many cases put us in close (but safe) proximity to bears, sea lions, and other wildlife on the shoreline.

The Uchuck III departs Gold River at 9am Mondays for the overnight trip, returning Tuesday afternoon. A maximum of 40-50 passengers are met at the Zeballos dock by their hosts when they arrive at approximately 5pm, and delivered to either Mason's Motor Lodge, or the Iris Lodge. Both feature clean modern rooms and excellent restaurants. A hearty logger breakfast is included in the excursion price - this isn't a stale bun and coffee continental special, they know how to eat in Zeballos!

If you would like to discover Zeballos or find out about other scheduled trips aboard the MV Uchuck III check out their website at www.mvuchuck.com or give them a call at 1-250-283-2515.

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Suggested photo captions:
kayaka.jpg (CMYK) or kayakb (B/W) Kayakers exploring the "undiscovered" Nootka Sound

kayakc.jpg (CMYK) or kayakd (B/W) Kayakers can wet launch anywhere in Nootka or Kyuquot Sound from the MV Uchuck III

loadinga.jpg (CMYK) or loadingb (B/W) Travelers aboard the MV Uchuck III are fascinated by the daily routine of loading and unloading freight from the MV Uchuck III at remote settlements and fish camps in Nootka Sound

minea.jpg (CMYK) or mineb (B/W) Zeballos was once a prosperous gold and iron mining village.

minec.jpg (CMYK) or mined (B/W) Artifacts of historic Zeballos‚ mining heritage are seen at the mine sites and in the museum.

towna.jpg (CMYK) or townb (B/W) Historic Zeballos offers visitors friendly hospitality, great food and spectacular scenery.

uchucka.jpg (CMYK) or uchuckb (B/W) The MV Uchuck III carries passengers and freight to remote locations in Nootka and Kyuquot Sounds along Vancouver island‚s rugged northwest coast.

uchuckc.jpg (CMYK) or uchuckd (B/W) The MV Uchuck III takes passengers on day trips to historic Friendly Cove (the birthplace of British Columbia) Wednesdays and Saturdays July through September.

uchucke.jpg (CMYK) or uchuckf (B/W) Guests aboard the MV Uchuck III keep a watchful eye out for black bear, sea otters, seals, sea lions, bald eagles and spectacular coastal scenery on their way to Zeballos.