the cottages at shoal bay

Our home in Shoal Bay is located on the northern shore of East Thurlow Island where we have three beautiful rental cottages, we tend a picturesque organic vegetable and flower garden. There is amazingly beautiful handmade pottery available for purchase from resident artist Cynthia Macdonald.  We are passionate about supporting the arts and enjoy hosting creatives, artists, musicians, writers, etc.

Shoal Bay is directly adjacent to one of the finest trophy salmon fishing areas in the world. The very best of local professional fishing guides are available by appointmen and will pick you up at our docks and provide you with an experience of a lifetime. All tackle and required gear will be provided. Boaters can tie up at the government of Canada dock. We collect moorage for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. 

The primary business at Shoal Bay is the rental of three quaint guest cottages that overlook the ocean. the cottages are completely self-contained and are heated for winter rentals. 

Shoal Bay is pet friendly. we allow cottage guests to bring their pets and there is an off-leash dog park area available to both cottage guests and boaters who are moored at the government docks.

We bought the Shoal Bay property in 2000 and started what I thought would be a “resort” business, whatever the hell that is.  

The original lodge building, consisted of 14 guest rooms, each with full bathroom, a commercial kitchen, and a pub room. A cool building but admittedly a bit run down. It took us months and months to barge all of our worldly belongings, boxes and boxes of crap, clothes, computers, tools, books, books, books, electronics, and oh yea, did i mention all of the books,..... all the way up here and then hauling the whole “kit and caboodle” up the dock and into the lodge. Within a week or so of finishing, the place caught fire and burned to the ground.  

I realized that the only underwear that I owned were the ones i was wearing,...... and they had recently become somewhat soiled.  

turns out we didn’t need any of that stuff anyway.  

We have built three cottages, constructed a generator shed/workshop, woodsheds,put in a veggie garden as well as a micro-hydro system and solar panels. We have dug a well and have a new fresh-water system and are now restoring our salmon creek.  What next? ......an art gallery?.....a sauna?... it goes on and on,.... boggles the mind really.  

I am Mark and I can take credit for starting all of this but little else. I am joined by my wonderful, creative partner in life, Cynthia and our guardian dog Tulip.  A very heartfelt thanks to all of those who come out and give us a hand now and then.