Staying at Annie Bay Cottage
The story of Annie Bay
Welcome to Annie Bay school house, located on the shared territories of Tl’a’min and Shíshálh Nations in the qathet Regional District community of Stillwater. In the Tla’ amin and Sechelt languages Stillwater is called qʷoqʷnɛs which means Little Whale. qathet means ‘coming together’ and comprises the Saltery Bay to Lund, including the City of Powell River, and Texada, Lasqueti and Savary Islands.
Annie Bay School was named after Annie Frolander, a settler who came to Stillwater in the early 20th Century and donated land in 1922 for the school to be built on what is now Frolander Bay. The company that owned the local mill was based in Stillwater Minnesota. The population of the second Stillwater grew into a stumping (logging) community and up to 36 children could squeeze into the one room schoolhouse, finally outgrowing it in 1936 when a new school was built a kilometer away. The schoolhouse was moved from the corner of the bay to its current location in 1999.
Cottage Amenities
Annie Bay has a fully equipped kitchen, fridge and gas stove, a stove top espresso maker, and filter coffee machine. You will find coffee, tea, sugar, fresh milk, salt and pepper and some basic spices, a shower and dresser for your belongings (sorry now built in closet!). You have a front deck with a BBQ and are steps from the beach.
Bedding and towels are provided.
The closest shop for basic supplies is a 5 minute drive in Lang Bay. With enough notice, we are happy to do a basic grocery run if you are coming in by kayak or off the Sunshine Coast Trail. Lifts to the trails available with prior notice and a fee.
Parking for one vehicle.
Kayak storage beside the cottage.
Living in Frolander Bay
·We live with the ocean and so are mindful of what goes in the water. Nothing goes down the drains except human waste, toilet paper and biodegradable liquid soap. Please use the screens in the kitchen sink.
Please do not leave food or waste outside. We have no waste pick up, but we do have wildlife! Recycling info will be available.
Please no beach fires when bans are in effect (usually after May).
We have many winged, finned and four-legged neighbours who have been known to visit, some more regularly than others: Sealions, otters, seals, porpoise, whales, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, gulls, eagles, herons, ravens, crows, osprey, oyster catchers, buzzards, owls, loons, ducks, swans, bats, frogs, and all number of songbirds live in or visit the bay depending on the seasons. Bears, wolves are cougars are also present but rarely encountered. We recommend always bringing bear spray when hiking.
If you are hearing a persistent groaning and grunting, it is likely the raft of stellar sea lions whose home is the McRea Islets across from the house. They often come into the bay in the evenings to play and fish. They are goofy and curious, busy eating most of the time, but as with all wildlife we don’t approach them, and especially do not kayak close to the islets as they are territorial on their home turf.
Things to do in qathet
This is a kayaking, canoeing, hiking, fishing and foodie paradise. Start or end your day with an ocean swim. If you prefer fresh water, Eagle River is a 5 minute drive with pools to bask in and cliffs to jump, and Inland Lake, Mowat Bay and Haywire Bay are within 30 minutes. Check out the fresh produce and eggs on the farms on Zillinsky Road, and the weekend farmers markets. Marine Drive in town has excellent cafe’s, restaurants, and artisan shops, including a microbrewery (Persephone) and a bowling alley. A bit further up the 101 toward Lund is Townsite, where you will find the restored Patricia Theatre, Townsite Brewery, and more artisan shops. Continue on to Shinglemill pub, Blueberry Commons farm and the Sly Cafe on Tla’ amin Nation (amazing bannack) and all the way to Lund! We are a 15 minute drive to one of the Sunshine Coast Trail entry points (at Lois Lake).