Why Anchor Here

• Sheltered overnight stop within Nanaimo Harbour.
• Direct access to Saysutshun’s beaches, trails, cultural sites and picnic areas.
• Useful staging point for Dodd Narrows, the Gulf Islands or northbound Strait of Georgia passages.
• Downtown provisioning, dining and marine services are accessible by dinghy or passenger ferry.
• Mooring buoys reduce the need to anchor in a potentially obstructed bottom.

Approach and Hazards

• Use current CHS Chart 3447; the harbour contains shoals, drying margins, marine facilities and multiple traffic routes.
• Approach Mark Bay through charted navigable water, not through the drying gap between Newcastle and Protection Islands.
• Maintain a careful lookout for ferries, floatplanes, patrol craft, recreational traffic and floating logs or debris.
• Deep-sea ship anchorages lie east of Newcastle and Protection Islands; remain clear of assigned ships and their approaches.
• Night entry is possible for suitably equipped crews but daylight simplifies identification of buoys, traffic and shallow margins.

Anchoring Setup

• Mark Bay has 43 park mooring buoys, divided between maximum vessel lengths of 30 feet and 40 feet.
• Single-vessel tie only; rafting is prohibited, and vessels over 40 feet must remain outside the park mooring area.
• Pass a line through the buoy eye and secure from the bow; the heavy chain and ring are not intended to be lifted.
• Official park information mentions anchoring at Mark Bay, while local boating sources state anchoring inside the bay is prohibited. Verify locally.
• For anchoring beyond the park boundary, confirm depth, swing room and bottom with the current chart; holding composition is not confirmed.

Protection and Exposure

• Mark Bay is enclosed by Newcastle and Protection Islands and is widely described as well sheltered.
• Local tourism information describes it as an all-weather anchorage, but this should not replace forecast-specific assessment.
• Harbour wakes and locally generated chop may still enter or disturb boats, particularly near traffic routes.
• Strong winds may produce gusting around island terrain and greater loads on crowded moorings.
• Protection by exact wind direction and heavy-weather suitability are not confirmed — verify locally.

Scenic and Shore Value

• Saysutshun offers an extensive network of forest, shoreline and historical trails.
• Beaches, swimming areas, picnic grounds and viewpoints are located near the marine facilities.
• The island has strong Snuneymuxw cultural significance and interpreted industrial history.
• The setting combines a natural marine park with views of downtown Nanaimo and the coastal mountains.
• Wildlife encounters are possible; secure food and scented items against raccoons and otters.

Shore Access

• Park dock and designated developed beach provide practical landing points.
• Overnight kayak and small-vessel pull-out is permitted only near the developed beach at the park’s south end.
• Washrooms and showers are reported near the main marine facilities; verify seasonal availability.
• A seasonal passenger ferry connects Saysutshun with downtown Nanaimo.
• Observe dock restrictions, quiet hours and no-swimming areas around docks.

Nearby Services

• Mark Bay itself has no fuel, power or repair facilities.
• Seasonal food service and basic visitor facilities may operate ashore in the park.
• Downtown Nanaimo offers groceries, restaurants, fuel, marine supplies and repair options.
• The Inner Boat Basin and other Nanaimo marinas provide serviced alternatives when anchorage or buoy space is unsuitable.

Rules and Stewardship

• Mooring and overnight dock fees apply, including during winter; maximum park stay is 14 days per calendar year.
• Moorings are first-come, first-served; no rafting is permitted.
• Use only a buoy marked for the vessel’s length, and anchor outside the park if over 40 feet.
• Generators are prohibited between 21:00 and 09:00; keep noise low and observe posted quiet hours.
• Protect eelgrass and sensitive seabed habitat; the mooring field was installed partly to support eelgrass restoration.

Plan B / Nearby Alternatives

Recent Cruiser Updates

Missing or Uncertain Details

• Exact legal boundary between the park mooring field and permitted free anchoring area.
• Current bottom composition, reliable holding depths and precise safe anchoring positions outside the park.
• Protection and comfort under specific strong-wind directions.
• Current condition and inspection date of individual mooring buoys.
• Seasonal operating dates for showers, concession, ferry and staffed fee collection.

Why Anchor Here

• Sheltered overnight stop within Nanaimo Harbour.
• Direct access to Saysutshun’s beaches, trails, cultural sites and picnic areas.
• Useful staging point for Dodd Narrows, the Gulf Islands or northbound Strait of Georgia passages.
• Downtown provisioning, dining and marine services are accessible by dinghy or passenger ferry.
• Mooring buoys reduce the need to anchor in a potentially obstructed bottom.

Approach and Hazards

• Use current CHS Chart 3447; the harbour contains shoals, drying margins, marine facilities and multiple traffic routes.
• Approach Mark Bay through charted navigable water, not through the drying gap between Newcastle and Protection Islands.
• Maintain a careful lookout for ferries, floatplanes, patrol craft, recreational traffic and floating logs or debris.
• Deep-sea ship anchorages lie east of Newcastle and Protection Islands; remain clear of assigned ships and their approaches.
• Night entry is possible for suitably equipped crews but daylight simplifies identification of buoys, traffic and shallow margins.

Anchoring Setup

• Mark Bay has 43 park mooring buoys, divided between maximum vessel lengths of 30 feet and 40 feet.
• Single-vessel tie only; rafting is prohibited, and vessels over 40 feet must remain outside the park mooring area.
• Pass a line through the buoy eye and secure from the bow; the heavy chain and ring are not intended to be lifted.
• Official park information mentions anchoring at Mark Bay, while local boating sources state anchoring inside the bay is prohibited. Verify locally.
• For anchoring beyond the park boundary, confirm depth, swing room and bottom with the current chart; holding composition is not confirmed.

Protection and Exposure

• Mark Bay is enclosed by Newcastle and Protection Islands and is widely described as well sheltered.
• Local tourism information describes it as an all-weather anchorage, but this should not replace forecast-specific assessment.
• Harbour wakes and locally generated chop may still enter or disturb boats, particularly near traffic routes.
• Strong winds may produce gusting around island terrain and greater loads on crowded moorings.
• Protection by exact wind direction and heavy-weather suitability are not confirmed — verify locally.

Scenic and Shore Value

• Saysutshun offers an extensive network of forest, shoreline and historical trails.
• Beaches, swimming areas, picnic grounds and viewpoints are located near the marine facilities.
• The island has strong Snuneymuxw cultural significance and interpreted industrial history.
• The setting combines a natural marine park with views of downtown Nanaimo and the coastal mountains.
• Wildlife encounters are possible; secure food and scented items against raccoons and otters.

Shore Access

• Park dock and designated developed beach provide practical landing points.
• Overnight kayak and small-vessel pull-out is permitted only near the developed beach at the park’s south end.
• Washrooms and showers are reported near the main marine facilities; verify seasonal availability.
• A seasonal passenger ferry connects Saysutshun with downtown Nanaimo.
• Observe dock restrictions, quiet hours and no-swimming areas around docks.

Nearby Services

• Mark Bay itself has no fuel, power or repair facilities.
• Seasonal food service and basic visitor facilities may operate ashore in the park.
• Downtown Nanaimo offers groceries, restaurants, fuel, marine supplies and repair options.
• The Inner Boat Basin and other Nanaimo marinas provide serviced alternatives when anchorage or buoy space is unsuitable.

Rules and Stewardship

• Mooring and overnight dock fees apply, including during winter; maximum park stay is 14 days per calendar year.
• Moorings are first-come, first-served; no rafting is permitted.
• Use only a buoy marked for the vessel’s length, and anchor outside the park if over 40 feet.
• Generators are prohibited between 21:00 and 09:00; keep noise low and observe posted quiet hours.
• Protect eelgrass and sensitive seabed habitat; the mooring field was installed partly to support eelgrass restoration.

Plan B / Nearby Alternatives

Recent Cruiser Updates

Missing or Uncertain Details

• Exact legal boundary between the park mooring field and permitted free anchoring area.
• Current bottom composition, reliable holding depths and precise safe anchoring positions outside the park.
• Protection and comfort under specific strong-wind directions.
• Current condition and inspection date of individual mooring buoys.
• Seasonal operating dates for showers, concession, ferry and staffed fee collection.