Nestled at the entrance to the enchanting Desolation Sound, tranquil and friendly Cortes Island is one of the most impressive of the Discovery Islands, with its placid lakes, beaches, and rugged gorges.
The south western corner of the island offers glacial deposits in the form of fine white sand at Hague Lake.
The Salish name for Hague Lake is Kw'as Oyela which means 'hot water (lake)'. This is very appropriate as Hague Lake is flat bottomed and shallow (35-50 ft.) and warms up quickly in the summer as well as freezes first in a cold spell.
