Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- Poison oak can be found along steep rock outcroppings in the cove.
- For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
Special notes
- All shell middens are protected under the BC Archaeological and Historic Sites Protection Act. Do not disturb them.
- Park regulations prohibit the discharge of sewage or grey water while moored in Pirates Cove.
- Fires are not permitted in the park or on the beach at any time due to the lack of firefighting equipment available on the island. Be prepared to bring a portable stove for cooking.
- There is no mooring fee in place in Pirates Cove.
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
Getting there
This park is marine accessible only. Adjacent to Pylades Channel on the southeast tip of DeCourcy Island. Beach area on Ruxton Passage is 16km southeast of Nanaimo on south Vancouver Island. It is accessible by boat through Dodd Narrows from Nanaimo up through the Gulf Islands from Victoria and Vancouver boaters would come through the Gabriola Passage. Boaters can reference marine chart #3475 for more information on this area. The closest communities are De Courcy Island, Nanaimo, Gabriola Island and Ladysmith.
Camping
Backcountry areas
Things to do
There are 5km of easy hiking trails that weave around and through the park, passing through mature second-growth Douglas fir as well as, arbutus and Garry oak.
Brother XII Trail: Length 800 metres. Approximate walking time: 15 minutes. This trail is a shortcut of the Darkwoods Trail through the interior of the park leading to the camping area.
Darkwoods Trail: Length 1km. Approximate walking time: 20 minutes. This trail cuts through the middle of the park through a Douglas fir ecosystem with mossy sandstone outcroppings. This trail links up to the Pylades Trail and the camping area.
Pylades Trail: Length 3km. Approximate walking time: One hour. The Pylades trail circumnavigates the shoreline around the park, offering spectacular views of Valdes Island and Pylades Channel.
For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.
There is no designated swimming area at this park, however swimming occurs on the sandy south beach.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Pirates Cove offers a variety of excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Common marine mammals include harbour seals (year-round) and Steller’s and California sea lions (common from late August through the mid-May).
The fortunate may catch glimpses of harbour porpoises or orcas, as well as gray and humpback whales in the summer. River otters also frequent the park and are most easily seen in the early morning. A stroll around the Pylades Trail in the park will likely result in a sighting or two. Watch for areas of flattened grass that otters have used for slides or sun-bathing.
Birdwatchers will find Wilson’s warblers, Pacific-slope flycatchers, black oystercatchers, white crowned sparrows and other species breeding in the park. Bald eagles, great blue herons and scores of others use the park for foraging and resting.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
Facilities
A cold water hand pump is located on the south beach.
This park has a day-use and picnic area, located adjacent to the camping area. Facilities include a cold water hand pump information shelter and pit toilets. Five kilometres of hiking trails are accessible from the day-use area.
About this park
De Courcy Island was named after Michael de Courcy, captain of the HMS Pylades, a vessel that charted these waters from 1859-1861. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, De Courcy was the home of the Aquarian Foundation founded by the infamous Brother XII, a man described as “downright evil”, “The Great Beast” and the “blackest man to have ever lived”. Brother XII (aka Edward A. Wilson, among other names) was able to convince up to 8,000 followers that he was the Twelfth Master of Wisdom - part of a line of divine perfect masters from another world who would teach his faithful the mysteries of ancient Egypt and usher in a new age.
The amount of money donated to the foundation is legendary - people would give their entire life savings in support. The land purchased included De Courcy Island. A settlement was built on the north end of the island, with stories of having gun fortifications and rock shelters. Any excess money was said to have been converted to gold coins and sealed into glass jars and placed into cedar chests. No one knows what happened to this fortune - perhaps visitors to Pirates Cove (called Gospel Cove or The Haven in Brother XII’s time) sail over it every time they arrive! There are many books written about Brother XII - some fact, some fantasy, all intriguing.
In 1966, a 38 hectare portion of the island was acquired for a Provincial Marine Park with the assistance of the Council of British Columbia Yacht Clubs.
This island, like many of the Gulf Islands, contains an interesting mixture of plants – some coastal, and some more typically found in the dry interior of BC. Rocky Mountain Juniper, satin-flower and poison oak are all species that are much more widely-spread in the interior than they are on the coast, yet here, with De Courcy Island’s dry summers, they thrive.
This park protects one of the few coastal populations of Poison Oak. Stay on the trails to avoid brushing against this rash-inducing plant. Particularly impressive in June and early July are the large areas seen from the loop trail that are covered by Pipsissewa - a low-growing evergreen plant with leathery, shiny leaves and pink flowers. The stands on the east side of the park are unmatched elsewhere in the Gulf Islands.
The largest animals that use the island are black-tailed deer, which share the park with river otters, mink and raccoons. River otters are most easily seen in the early morning and a stroll around the Pylades Trail in the park will likely result in a sighting or two. Watch for areas of flattened grass that otters have used for slides or sun-bathing. Common marine mammals include harbour seals (year-round) and Steller’s and California sea lions (common from late August through the mid-May). The fortunate may catch glimpses of harbour porpoises or orcas, as well as Gray and Humpback whales in the summer.
Birdwatchers will find Wilson’s warblers, Pacific-slope flycatchers, Black oystercatchers, White crowned sparrows and other species breeding in the park. Bald eagles, Great blue herons and scores of others use the park for foraging and resting.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.
Contact
This park proudly operated by:
K2 Park Services Ltd.
k2parks@shaw.ca
1 877 559-2115
k2parks.ca