This is Hutt Island which lies a few hundred meters off of Bowen on Galbraith Bay. It's a steep island with hardly anywhere to land. It lies out of the way of most boat traffic and at the end of a small quiet road. This part of Bowen is perhaps the most quintessentially iconic Gulf Island. Beyond Hutt is Gambier island and behind that Mount Wrottersley, which stands further north of us up Howe Sound.
I SUPped out here this afternoon in the grey light and the warm summer air, paddling around Hutt. A little breeze from up the inlet raised some chop and have my arms a good workout. And running downwind I got to drift with the wind and the ebbing tide.
There were tons of seals out there today - several pairs of mothers and pups. One pair followed me almost the whole way around the island surfacing around me and disappearing as fast as they arrived.
It was beautiful and calm and relaxed and untouched. One of the last places on Bowen that has been allowed to return to its natural state. Hutt is all Crown land and at one point was slated to be mined for gravel put that was stopped decades ago. All that remains is some old pilings for a wharf and a half built road ascending into the second growth forest of arbutus, Douglas-fir and cedar.
May it always remain so.
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