A Floating Garden Home

The Colorful Floating Gardens and Home of Wayne and Catherine

Today we explored Quait Bay by dinghy and the surrounding area.  Entering the smaller coves to the east, we found the floating garden home of Wayne Adams and Catherine King, who always welcome visitors. 

Garden Entrance

They have gained wide notoriety through interviews and articles written about them over the years regarding their unique home and island life style.  Wayne is a scientist, artist, carver, toy maker, and all-round handy-man.  Catherine is an artist, painter, chef and writer. 

Floats and Structures are made from recycled materials

Together, they have created an ideal home setting, using recycled materials in unique ways.  The metal grating foundation, on which the house, work shop, art studio, and four hot houses rest, is re-purposed fish farm docks; the large tubs holding plants and trees are also re-used fish farm equipment; even the stained-glass windows in their art studio were found at a local recycle shop.  The gardens are laid out in an artistic fashion with pathways meandering around the decks between works of art; they even created their own sandy beach on one of the floats with large plants and beach chairs.  Their garden and hot houses provide all the fresh ingredients needed for a special meal —  strawberry plants and apple trees; and all sorts of vegetables including broccoli, carrots and peas. 

A Cozy Home with Lovely Views

Their belief that young people should have a skill that can carry them through life has provided Wayne and Catherine the opportunity to host children in their home and share these life skills through hands-on projects.  They admit that their life style is a lot of hard work and upkeep, but it's also fascinating and rewarding.  We are delighted that they enjoy sharing their work and special skills with others.

Wayne enjoys showing visitors the gardens

After returning to our boat in Quait Bay, we continued our journey, making passage through Matlset Narrows, which separates mainland Vancouver Island and the northeastern end of Meares Island; we made the passage on an ebb current that was running at 3 knots. 

A Fish Farm along Fortune Channel

Turning south, we followed Fortune Channel, the site of several fish farms and then rounded Plover Point, entering the large bay of Mosquito Harbour (with no mosquitoes in sight) and found lots of room to anchor.  Once again, we were surprised to see that we had the entire area to ourselves, no other boats were in sight.

All alone in the calm anchorage of Mosquito Bay