Santiago Creek on Tahsis Inlet is in the traditional territory of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation and a little north of an important historical village site, Tsusnit on the Tsowwin River. According to Chief Jerry Jack, the area was an important travel route, connecting communities throughout Tahsis Inlet and onward to Yuquot, the historic center of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation. This place reflects our long-standing presence and our ongoing responsibility to care for these lands and waters.
As one of the only campsites along the inlets surrounding Nootka Island, Santiago Creek on Tahsis Inlet is a crucial stopping point for safe passage in a circumnavigation of Nootka Island, or an inside waters route.
The site may not be the most popular in the Nootka Sound area, it is a key safety stop for anyone circumnavigating Nootka Island and is a welcome break if the winds and tides are against you.
In 2025, BC Marine Trails Katja Walther, First Nations Engagement Liason and Paul Grey, Trails Development Committee Chair visited the area with the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation and saw the site was in need of repair. Dead trees were leaning over the tent area, a large fire pit was on the upland, the picnic tables were decaying and the pit toilet enclosure was rotting away
BC Marine Trails (BCMT) prepared a plan for review by the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation and Recreation Sites and Trails BC. Once approved, BCMT made a budget and started a fund raising campaign for $1500 to cover the estimated costs of materials, travel and equipment. Our supporters answered immediately and the project was fully funded in 48 hours!
Tent Area Before
Tent Area After
The spirit of stewardship, teamwork, and ingenuity was on full display recently as five dedicated volunteers from BC Marine Trails travelled to Santiago Creek Recreation Site to complete a significant site maintenance and improvement project.
With permission and support from the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations and Recreation Sites and Trails BC, the volunteer crew spent several days working to enhance the site for future paddlers, boaters, and campers who visit this beautiful stretch of the West Coast.
What made the project particularly impressive was not only the amount of work completed, but the enthusiasm and resourcefulness of the team.
Shorebird Expeditions generously jumped on board to offer transportation including the very expensive fuel. They picked up the picnic table, tools, extra materials and the BCMT volunteer crew, Guy Pollard, Nick Heath and Paul Grey. Gina Gotch opted to paddle the 2 hours down the inlet.
The team jumped off the boat, met up with Peter Guzman, BCMT member and volunteer who had paddled from cougar creek and got to work, after the important safety briefing. From sunrise to late evening, the volunteers worked tirelessly, ultimately completing the entire project a full day ahead of schedule.
Major Site Improvements
Over the course of the project, the team completed a wide range of improvements, including:
- Removal of 38 hazardous trees that posed risks to campers and site infrastructure. Most were smaller deciduous trees at risk of falling directly into the campsite or knocking larger trees into the site as they fell.
- Removal of a severely deteriorated picnic table.
- Installation of a new yellow cedar picnic table to provide durable seating for visitors.
- Refurbishment of an existing picnic table using reclaimed lumber found on site.
- Replacement of rotting base components and lower wall sections of the pit toilet.
- Removal of invasive vines and overgrown vegetation throughout the main camping area.
- Clearing of fallen trees, branches, and undergrowth to create three additional tent sites nestled among the trees.
- Installation of a new bear-resistant food cache to help visitors store food safely and responsibly.
- Installation of new site signage and a visitor logbook.
Ingenuity and Sustainability in Action
One of the highlights of the project was the team’s commitment to making use of available resources wherever possible.
Boards salvaged from the beach and usable lumber recovered from the old picnic table were carefully repurposed into repairs and improvements around the site. Volunteers even straightened and reused nails whenever practical, demonstrating the creativity and determination that often defines successful stewardship projects in remote coastal locations.
These efforts not only reduced waste but also reflected the long-standing tradition of making the most of available resources in the backcountry.
More Than Just Hard Work
While the project involved plenty of heavy lifting, chainsaw work, carpentry, and brush clearing, it was also a memorable experience shared among a great group of people who care deeply about protecting and improving coastal recreation sites.
Long days were balanced with laughter, shared meals, and the satisfaction of seeing tangible improvements take shape. By the end of the trip, the campsite was safer, more welcoming, and better equipped to serve visitors for years to come.
Thank You
We would like to thank the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations and Recreation Sites and Trails BC for their support and permission to undertake this important work and Shorebird Expeditions for transportation.
BC Marine Trails would like to extend a special thank you to Shorebird Expeditions. Their contribution was instrumental to the success of the project and exemplifies the community partnerships that help make stewardship initiatives possible.
Projects like this are only possible because of dedicated volunteers who are willing to give their time, energy, and expertise to care for the places we all enjoy. Santiago Creek Recreation Site is now safer, more functional, and better prepared to welcome the next generation of coastal adventurers. Thank you Guy, Peter, Paul, Nick, Gina.
Thank you to the donors, Guy, Mike, Heather, Lori, Robert, Jayne, Peter, Chris, Gus, Bruce, Jonathan, Charles, Tatjana and others who preferred to remain anonymous. Those over $100 are commemorated on a plaque attached to the picnic table.
Thank you to everyone involved for another successful stewardship project on British Columbia’s incredible coastline.
