Exploring Eucott Hot Springs: A Boater’s Adventure

August 11, 2025

Leaving Bella Coola felt bittersweet. Bitter because it meant strapping Roxy and Ruby — our two Honda Ruckuses — back onto the roof after having way too much fun exploring town. Sweet because it meant getting off the dock.

We don’t love docks Onboard Tangaroa, they feel a little too exposed. No window coverings, lots of glass, and suddenly you’re living inside a fishbowl. So as soon as we slipped lines and headed out under a grey sky, things already felt better.

It didn’t take long before the clouds started to break as we made our way toward Eucott Hot Springs — the biggest and most talked-about hot springs in the area. We’d heard the anchorage was a solid, all-weather spot.

That part came with a bit of suspense.

Shallow Water and a Boat on Its Side

We arrived just above low tide, which meant hugging the right-hand side of the channel and paying close attention. At one point, we had about three feet of water under the keel. On a 78-foot boat that draws five and a half feet, that definitely gets your attention.

As we rounded the corner, we saw a sailboat sitting high and dry on its side. When the tide dropped, there were a handful of twenty-somethings milling around on shore and paddling back and forth, clearly waiting it out. Thankfully, it was all mud — no damage done, just a lesson learned.

Once past that bend, the bay deepened and opened up nicely. I stood on the bow watching the bottom slide past — never my favourite moment — but soon enough we found a great spot. The anchor set beautifully in the mud, and Tangaroa wasn’t going anywhere.

Mud flats and eelgrass surrounded us, and it felt very much like bear country.

Hot Springs Time

We had a few jobs to knock off first. I worked on teak plugs on the foredeck while Blaine poked around the engine room. Then it was time for the real reason we’d come.

We woke Izzie, who’d been up late chatting with friends, and asked if she wanted to come along. She did.

Eucott Hot Springs can reach about 44°C, and back in the Ocean Falls heyday it was a popular weekend destination. People came for the mineral-rich clay, believed to help with arthritis, and there were once bathhouses and other buildings here. Some folks even lived at the springs full time, earning beer money by catching crab and selling it to passing boats..

We spotted the remains of old pilings where a wharf once stood and headed over in Punga, our aluminum dinghy, anchoring her just offshore with our Anchor Buddy.

Almost Too Hot

We waded in through the shallows and seagrass to a well-built, rock-walled tub where the hot water flowed in through a pipe. By this point, the day had turned sunny, and climbing into 44-degree water at four in the afternoon was… intense.

There was a bench inside, a bit of black algae (to be expected), and plenty of room — easily enough space for eight to ten people. Someone had even built a small deck and ladder down into the pool.

It was pretty special sitting there, looking out over the anchorage and seeing Tangaroa right in front of us.

When things got too warm, we cooled off in the creek flowing out of the springs. Cold, but refreshing. We went back and forth a few times before deciding it was time to head back to Tangaroa for a swim.

Empty Crab Traps and an Unexpected Bonus

Earlier in the day, I’d dropped our crab traps when I took Maggie ashore. We’d heard the bay was good for crabbing, and there were already a couple of traps nearby, which felt promising.

Back at the boat, Blaine grabbed the GoPro and hopped in to check things underneath — all good, stabilizers solid and nothing out of place. Then Izzie and I joined him for a family swim, cooling off after the hot springs.

After that, Blaine and I headed back out in the dinghy to check the traps. Just as I suspected: both empty. The bait hadn’t even been touched. The fish heads still had eyes, which usually aren’t there for long if anything’s interested.

But the real reward came on the way back.

Bears on the Shore

Blaine suddenly pointed. On the rocky shoreline was a sow black bear with three cubs.

We cut the engine and drifted, watching them move along the rocks and grass. Maggie desperately wanted to bark — and did — but the bears couldn’t have cared less.

The cubs were endlessly entertaining. One kept falling behind, scrambling to catch up to the others as they climbed over boulders and through the grass. We watched quietly for ten or fifteen minutes, cameras rolling, completely absorbed.

Moments like that don’t feel real until you’re living them.

More Adventure Ahead

We headed back to Tangaroa feeling grateful — for the anchorage, the hot springs, and the unexpected wildlife show. That night ended the best way possible: a movie and an early night.

The next morning, we’d be heading somewhere we’d wanted to visit for a long time.

Ocean Falls.