Site Details
Closest Access Point: Sec Lake (access # 20)
Distance to Access Point: A few hundred meters.
Difficulty of Travel From Access Point: Easy.
Maintenance Level: Regular
Date Visited: November, 2022
This is one of three west-facing sites on Sec’s westernmost island. I’d say it’s a solidly average site. It’s got a decent amount of usable space, is fronted by a nice swimming area and has good views. It’s also very close to site 13, and feels pretty darned exposed in the teeth of an onshore wind.
Terrain: The site occupies the northwest end of a very flat island. There’s a very slight rise up from the water to the site proper, then it’s mostly free and clear of obstructions (apart from the occasional root sticking up from the ground).
Canoe Landing: The island is fronted by a wide, hardpacked strip of sand (don’t know that I can call it a beach, but the underwater terrain would likely argue with that assessment). The approach shallows gradually and clear of obstructions.
Fire Pit: Not the most exciting fire pit I’ve ever come across. Weirdly, for what I would imagine is a very well used site, it didn’t appear to have been used that much. It’s nicely situated with a great view out to the water.
Tent Sites: This picture probably isn’t an ideal tent spot due to its proximity to the fire pit, but it is a good representation of what you’re going to find for tent spots on this site. This is a flat site, with lots of good spots to choose from for a couple of tents.
Swimmability: Reusing a picture because it’s the best I’ve got for the waterfront. Swimming here would be good (not in November though). It’s a gradual beach going out and lots of waterfront to swim from.
Thunderbox: The box is out the back of the site. It’s a nice box. My only concern with it is that it is very visible from the neighbouring site’s box. The trees on this island are all tall, skinny pine, which means not much to get in the way of sightlines.
Accessories: Some backwoods craftsperson has been busy. There’s a decent table and bench. That makes up, somewhat, for the lack of seating around the fire pit (the log benches are much more log than bench).
Views: Great views west. The site is intermittently covered with tall, skinny pine. That makes for semi-obstructed (but not too obstructed) views in most directions, with a nice window out to the west.
Notes: This is a nice site. It would probably be my second choice of the three along this shore, site 14 is the winner in my opinion, but it’s a good option if you’re looking for a nice view towards Sec’s much less populated west end. The only downside is that the site is pretty close to site 13 (which is why I like 12 over 13, at least with 12 you don’t have a neighbour on one side).
Related Trip Report: Sec Lake Exploratory