Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/52531
finding nimmo Just around the river bend, in the wilds of British Columbia, lies every fly fisherman's dream: Nimmo Bay Lodge, a luxury haven purpose-built for heli-fishing. STORY AND PHOTOS CHRISTINA PFEIFFER THE STEADY WHIR OF THE HELICOPTER'S ROTOR BLADES FADES and I'm cocooned by the voice of Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins singing Flower Duet through my headphones. I open my eyes and drink in the landscape: wavy mountains, lonely islands and isolated bays. The recipe of music and scenery is so seductive I never want the moment to end. My reverie is interrupted as the helicopter flies around a river bend and Nimmo Bay Lodge appears, nestled in a bay at the head of McKenzie Sound with a lush forest backdrop of cedar, spruce, balsam and hemlock trees. If I had to describe heaven, this surely must be it. The location is pure isolation. There are no other inhabitants within 16 kilometres of the Lodge and the only access is by boat or helicopter. Nine two-bedroom cottages are linked by a floating boardwalk to a floating bakery, kitchen and the main lodge, which houses a dining room and lounge. The cottages themselves are luxurious yet cosy with their timber walls and floors, mezzanine bedrooms, comfy sofas and throw rugs. Mine is right on the river, offering a ringside view of British Columbia's wilderness, and judging by the guest list – Richard Branson, George Bush Snr, William Shatner – it has plenty of travel&living 55 OPPOSITE One of the helicopters at Nimmo Bay. The remote location means that helicopters are the main mode of transport around the region. ABOVE The best cabins are right on the water and built on stilts to account for the tide.