Lady Rose Marine Services - Daytrips, Kayaking And Lodging

Once it became apparent that the Lady Rose and Frances Barkley would no longer be allowed to use the customary drop-off point at Gibraltar Island in the Broken Group Islands to let off and pick up their passengers who wished to camp and kayak within the Pacific Rim Park, Brooke scanned the area for an appropriate piece of property that would accommodate this activity. He found and decided on Sechart, the beautiful and sheltered site which had from 1905 to 1917 supported a whaling station of which only a few pilings, some fruit trees and shrubs remained.

The Building....

With an ideal property procured, a wharf in place, and kayakers and canoeists coming and going, it was just a matter of time before Brooke would deem it necessary to have some sort of facility to enhance the visit of his passengers and house his kayak-rental staff. Enter MacMillan Bloedel's soon-to-be-replaced 9,000 square-foot Office Building sitting a mere 35 nautical miles away! Like the Sechart site itself, on which Brooke and his wife Karen could envision the building sitting, this structure also had an interesting history and was already accustomed to being moved. It was built in 1945 at the site of M&B's Port Alberni pulp and paper mill on the west side of the highway and later moved to the east side -- a mini rehearsal for its future move to Sechart in April of 1995.

The Move....

Once M&B had agreed to sell us their former office building, arrangements were made with Nickel Brothers House Movers to move the structure onto a barge so that it could be towed down the Alberni Inlet and over to Sechart and then driven onto its newly built foundation. First, the building had to be divided into two parts consisting of a 114 foot long by 34 foot wide two-storey section and a 40 foot long single-storey section. Starting with the two-storey section, two steel I-beams, each 150 feet long, were pushed lengthwise underneath the structure so that it could be jacked off of its foundations. Also prior to moving, it was necessary to jackhammer out a 30 ton payroll safe from a corner of the building. Once everything was ready we waited beside the river for almost two weeks for Mother Nature to provide the high tide which would put the barge at the right height for receiving its load. It took two hours to manoeuvre the 114-foot building and the 30-foot assist truck onto the 150-foot barge! The only really critical point in the entire move was 203 tonnes of building making contact with the barge.

After an uneventful tow down the inlet to the sheltered waters between Canoe Island and Sechart the barge was, after once again waiting for high tide, secured to two pilings which had been installed specifically for this purpose at the high tide line. When the tide fell, the barge was left high and dry against the pilings and the truck was able to drive the building ashore to its new home. It sounds so simple, but one can be sure there are probably a few more grey hairs around today as a result of that day in April, 1995!

The Lodge....

Our guest rooms are decorated in colour schemes which are as restful to the spirit as they are to the eye and include beds and bedding, washbasins and daily housekeeping. A short walk down the hall will take you to the fresh and clean washrooms and shower rooms.

Enjoy home cooked meals in the dining room from where you can enjoy a superb view of ocean and islands. After a day of paddling, walking or relaxation and fresh air, we encourage you to join in with your fellow guests in the sharing of good food and conversation. Wine and beer are available for purchase with your meal at the lodge.

Sechart Lodge is open year-round subject to availability. The lodge is not located in Port Alberni but is situated in Barkley Sound about a mile north of the Pacific Rim National Park Boundary in Sechart Channel adjacent to Canoe Island. For enquiries or to make a reservation and transportation arrangements, please go to the Contact Us page for further details. If you wish you may also reach us by e-mail at ladyrosemarine@telus.net.