Mount
Baker rises above BC Gulf Island sailboats |
Few cruising grounds
in the world can match British Columbia's coastline for stunning scenery,
majestic fjords, half-hidden inlets, hundreds of islands, abundant
wildlife, and, to complete this picture-perfect wonderland, a temperate
climate as well!
Offshore, mariners
can explore the sheltered waterways and the popular marine parks
nestled amongst the BC Gulf Islands - a dazzling playground for
kayakers and pleasure boats, both large and small.
Government
wharves, safe anchorages and quaint coves all contribute to memorable
boating vacations. Captain your own ship or join a skippered charter
as you share our calm, clear waters with porpoises, whales and swooping
eagles. The coastal waters around Vancouver Island, and the provincial
marine parks that dot the BC coastline, offer recreational boaters
great places to anchor for a few hours, or overnight. These marine
parks provide essential facilities for boaters while maintaining
the natural surroundings of the area.
Vancouver
Island
North Vancouver
Island
Port
Hardy is located at the northern tip of Vancouver Island, and
serves as the gateway to some truly wilderness cruising grounds,
while also the southern terminus of the BC Ferries' Inside Passage
and Discovery Coast routes. Port hardy has excellent marina and
moorage facilities, and long-term parking for RV's and vehicles.
Telegraph
Cove is one of the last boardwalk communities on eastern Vancouver
Island and definitely worth a visit. Telegraph Cove offers a boat
launch and moorage, fishing licences, tackle and bait, and is the
place to begin exploring Johnstone Strait and Robson Bight. Long-term
parking can be arranged here for those setting out on extended boating
trips in Johnstone Strait.
Broughton Archipelago
Marine Provincial Park offshore from Telegraph Cove is a wilderness
area consisting of a maze of several small islands, numerous islets
and adjacent foreshore at the southern extremity of Queen
Charlotte Strait. Good, safe, all-weather anchorages can be
found at Waddington Bay, Farewell Harbour on Berry Island, Joe Cove
on Eden Island, and the cove on the southeast side of Crease Island.
Marine Parks
in North Vancouver Island:
Central
Vancouver Island
From Parksville or Qualicum
Beach, cruise across the Strait of Georgia to Jedediah Island
Provincial Park or to nearby Lasqueti
Island, which attracts boaters each summer to its sheltered
coves and bays.
Sailing
the Strait of Georgia |
Comox
is a good base from which to charter boats to prime cruising areas…the
Discovery Islands, Tribune Bay, Princess Louisa Inlet or Desolation
Sound. Most yachtsmen regard the Desolation Sound area as the
most beautiful cruising ground in British Columbia, and one of the
premier sailing playgrounds in the world. The sixty miles of breathtaking
coastline, intricate waterways, small islands and numerous attractive
bays and coves will delight even the most demanding of adventurers.
Campbell
River is the gateway to the Discovery Islands, located between
Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. The islands form a picturesque
and pristine archipelago that attracts boaters every year. One must
take time to explore these islands, many of which are situated in
marine parks, as each has its own history, distinctive charm, culture
and colourful characters.
Boat launches
are situated at two locations on slender, steep-sided Buttle Lake
in Strathcona Provincial Park. One is located beside the Auger Point
picnic tables in the Buttle Lake Campground; the other is located
about 15 miles (25 km) south of the campground near the Karst Creek
picnic area. Note: Buttle is a flooded lake, and along the shoreline
submerged deadheads are an ever-present threat. Beware of the sudden
winds and storm conditions that can quickly channel through this
mountainous region. Boaters can head to four wilderness marine campsites
on the western shore of Buttle Lake, as well as a site on Rainbow
Island just offshore from the Buttle Lake campground at the north
end of the lake.
Marine Parks
in Central Vancouver Island:
South Vancouver
Island
Sidney
is a picturesque town that combines the charm of a small port, first
class marinas and the rustic character of a farming community. Sidney
is the gateway to the enchanting Gulf Islands, and is an ideal spot
for cruisers, whether passing through or just taking a day trip. Launch
from either the boat ramp or wharf in Sidney and head across the channel
to Sidney Spit Marine Provincial Park on Sidney Island or Princess
Margaret Marine Provincial Park. To locate the launch, drive to the
east end of Beacon Avenue. James Island shelters the waters of Cordova
Channel in front of Island View Beach Regional Park. A boat ramp is
conveniently located at the entrance to View Beach Regional Park.
A public boat
launch is located beside the federal dock at the north end of Lands
End Road at Swartz Bay. This is a good place to put your boat in
the water and head for any number of nearby islands or to explore
the coastline of the Saanich Peninsula. Those in small craft should
be cautious of the wash from BC Ferries' boats and larger marine
traffic around Swartz Bay.
Sooke Harbour
is separated from the Strait of Juan de Fuca by Whiffen Spit - the
sheltered waters are ideal for a leisurely cruise.
There is a
municipal boat launch in the centre of Ladysmith, the place to begin
exploring the 5-mile (8-km) length of Ladysmith Harbour. Dunsmuir
and Woods Islands on the north side of the harbour are good destinations
in summer.
Known as the
Harbour City, Nanaimo is
second only to Victoria as Vancouver Island's largest and most vibrant
city - famous for its varied landscapes. This city possesses a great
waterfront, and many boaters find Nanaimo to be the ideal centre
for exploring the Gulf Islands to the south, or Desolation Sound
to the north. There's a public boat ramp at Pipers Lagoon Regional
Park. It's one thing to putt-putt around the sheltered lagoon, but
quite another to brave the open water of Horswell Channel on the
east side of the narrow headland that shelters the lagoon.
Marine Parks
in South Vancouver Island:
West Coast
of Vancouver Island and the Pacific Rim
The rugged and remote west coast of Vancouver island features six
main inlets and sounds, listed from south to north: Quatsino Sound,
Kyuquot Sound, Esperanza Inlet, Nootka Sound, Clayoquot Sound, and
Barkley Sound. This coastline is known for it's ocean swells, superb
outer reef systems, and long expanses of pristine and deserted beaches.
Marine wildlife in the area includes killer whales (Orca), migrating
gray whales, seals, porpoises and sea otters.
Many visitors
to the west side of Vancouver Island may never have the chance to
boat in the wind, the rain, and the ever-rolling seas that characterize
the world of the "outside" waters, as the open ocean here
is often called. However, the opportunity exists to do this, aboard
the freighter MV Uchuck III,
which plies the waters between Gold River, Tahsis, Nootka Sound
and Kyuquot Sound. These exciting journeys present unparalleled
views of the rugged and remote wilderness beauty that is the west
coast of beautiful Vancouver Island.
Quatsino
Sound on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island is a huge sound
that leads in from the Pacific Ocean, almost separating the northern
tip of the island from the rest of Vancouver Island. Situated on
or near Quatsino Sound are the small communities of Winter
Harbour, Quatsino,
Coal Harbour and Port
Alice.
Kyuquot Sound is a wilderness area, except for a number of logging
camps and the village of Kyuquot, the northernmost of the 14 Nuu-chah-nulth
First Nation bands. Kyuquot with its homes built into the forest
above the tideline is a welcome sight for boaters turn into a small
bay and find civilization after rocking and roiling for several
hours in the open waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The rugged
and remote Esperanza Inlet
and Nuchatlitz Inlet are
accessed by boat from the nearest towns of Tahsis and Zeballos.
Nootka
Sound is steeped in history and surrounded by the natural beauty
of the west coast of Vancouver Island. Nootka Sound is a paradise
for sport anglers and outdoor adventurers seeking to explore and
enjoy the magnificent wilderness surroundings and weather-beaten
landscape. The community of Tahsis
sits at the head at the head of Tahsis Inlet, a deep fjord that
cuts northwards off Nootka Sound. Tahsis offers complete facilities
for boaters and sport angles, including moorage marine supplies,
boating and fishing gear, fishing licences and bait, fuel, ice,
showers, laundromat, and restaurants. Road access is available from
Tahsis to the east coast of Vancouver Island.
Located in
Nootka Sound is the birthplace of British Columbia; the small community
of Yuquot, also known
as Friendly Cove. Historical Friendly Cove was the site of the first
contact between Europeans and First Nations people in British Columbia.
The sheltered
waters of Muchalat Inlet run inland from Nootka Sound like a long
corridor through steep-sided fjords to the terminal south of Gold
River. Bligh Island Marine Provincial Park (part of the Spanish
Pilot Group) sits at the mouth of Muchalat Inlet. There's much to
explore in this group of six islands, scattered where Muchalat Inlet
converges with two adjacent inlets and their channels. The waters
in this region can get choppy, so small craft must cross with care.
Large Bligh Island is named for a much-maligned British Navy captain
who sailed here with the equally well-known Captain Cook in 1788.
A cairn at Resolute Cove near the small community of Yuquot commemorates
the landing.
North of Barkley
Sound is Clayoquot Sound
and the community of Tofino. Boating in the waters of Clayoquot
Sound is one of the most rewarding ways to experience this environment.
Day trips close to Tofino include Meares, Stubbs, Wickaninnish,
and Vargas Islands, all within sight of the federal dock in Tofino.
Farther afield is Flores Island. The sandy beach on Stubbs Island
makes it an ideal getaway within sight of Tofino. You can land on
the east coast of Vargas Island, 3 miles (5 km) north of Tofino,
and make the one-hour journey across island on foot to Ahous Beach.
If you boat to Ahous rather than hike, be prepared for a stretch
of open ocean as you round the exposed southwest corner of Vargas.
If it's blowing too hard, check out isolated and delightful Medallion
Bay on the south end of the island. Nothing on Vargas, however,
tops Ahous Beach's lengthy expanse, which rivals Long Beach in size.
So vast is its hard-caked, sandy surface that light planes occasionally
land here.
Boating in
the waters off Clayoquot Sound is spectacular. Take a side trip
to Maquinna Provincial Park, accessible only by boat or floatplane.
From here, a pleasant half-hour stroll through lush, dense old-growth
rain forest leads to Hot Springs Cove and it's series of enticing
natural rock pools -perfect for a rejuvenating soak!
Grice Bay
is a sheltered niche of ocean waterway tucked in beside Meares Island
in the backwater of Clayoquot Sound. At low tide, the bay drains
so low that it takes on the appearance of a green marshland. Eelgrass
covers much of the mudflats in Browning Pass, which links Grice
Bay with Tofino to the north. A boat launch is located at the end
of Grice Bay Road, which leads east from Highway 4, almost 9 miles
(14 km) south of Tofino. Grice Bay lies within the northern limits
of the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park.
As intimidating
as the ocean can be at Long
Beach, there are wonderfully long, calm days in summer when
boaters and paddlers can safely enjoy an excursion offshore. A boat
launch is located beside the parking lot at the north end of Long
Beach beside Hwy 4.
Barkley
Sound and the Broken Group Islands comprise one of the three
main recreational components in Pacific Rim National Park, and is
not as exposed as the other sounds. The popularity of these islands
with paddlers and boaters has soared over the past decade, as they
provide a true west coast experience in sheltered water. Barkley
Sound is not normally subject to the extreme ocean conditions farther
west in the open waters around Ucluelet and exposed sections of
the West Coast Trail and the Long Beach Unit, the two other areas
that attract visitors to Pacific Rim National Park.
Sprinkled throughout
Barkley Sound are the Broken
Group Islands - over 100 of them - an intriguing archipelago
forming an intricate network of waterways. Boaters can explore sheltered
coves and uninhabited islands. The exquisite scenery, rugged coastline
and white sand beaches beckon to be explored - cruising among the
Islands will foster unforgettable memories. Ucluelet
and Bamfield are the two
main communities on Barkley Sound, both of wish are commercial fishing
villages and popular tourist destinations.
Marine Parks
on the West Coast and Pacific Rim of Vancouver Island:
The
Gulf Islands and Discovery Islands
Some of the more
popular and easier-to-reach parks in the Southern
Gulf Islands include Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park and
Dionisio Provincial Park on Galiano Island, and Beaumont Marine Park
on the Pender Islands, as well as Winter Cove Marine Park on Saturna
Island . Other marine parks include Cabbage Island, off the northeast
coast of Tumbo Island east of Winter Cove Marine Park, and the large
Princess Margaret Marine Park on Portland Island between Saltspring
Island and the Pender Islands.
In the Northern
Gulf Islands, Jedediah Island, which nearby Lasqueti
Island residents refer to jokingly as Club Jed, stands
apart from other Gulf Islands because of its size (about 600 acres/240
hectares) - one of the largest island parks in the province - and
the fact that visitors are free to camp anywhere on Jedediah. Some
of the best sites are near the shoreline around Long Bay, particularly
as the drumming sounds of diesel-driven marine traffic in Sabine
Channel don't reach this side of the island. Most island parks are
intended as way stations and provide sheltered anchorage for those
travelling in liveaboard boats. Home Bay is semi-sheltered by Mother
Goose Island, which lies just offshore, but it lacks the tranquillity
of Long Bay. Both bays teem with shellfish: when the tide goes out,
the exposed mudflats are ripe for clam raking. For those who journey
past the south end of Lasqueti Island, there's good reason for putting
ashore at Squitty Bay Marine Provincial Park. Not only is there
freshwater from a pump in the park's picnic area, there's also an
interesting adjacent ecological reserve, and great views of Vancouver,
distant Mount Baker in Washington, and the white expanse of the
Comox Glacier in the Comox Valley.
Sandy Island
Marine Provincial Park is located so close to the north end of Denman
Island that at low tide you can wade to the park from the tip of
Longbeak Point. These islands are a holdover from a distant time
when the entire Strait of Georgia was filled with sand. In more
recent geological times, glaciation gouged out the trench that is
now filled with seawater.
Octopus Islands
Marine Provincial Park is both remote and accessible at the same
time. Nestled among the maze of islands through which the waters
of Johnstone Strait funnel into the Strait of Georgia, the Octopus
Islands are most easily reached from Quadra Island. Tidal currents
around Quadra Island are notorious for their strength, particularly
at Surge Narrows on the east and Seymour Narrows on the west, which
should be transitted at slack tide. Boaters should be well versed
in the reading of tidal-current charts to safely explore the fascinating
waters around tightly packed Quadra, Cortes, Maurelle, Read, and
Sonora Islands.
Marine Parks
in the Gulf Islands and Discovery Islands of BC:
Sunshine
Coast
The Sunshine Coast on the BC mainland, between Desolation
Sound to the north and Howe
Sound to the south, is prime exploring and cruising territory.
Desolation Sound is considered amongst the best cruising grounds
in the world. This seaside paradise of the Sunshine Coast offers
something special for everyone, with unspoiled wilderness, marine
life, and a beautiful scenic coastline stretching past Gibsons,
Sechelt, Pender
Harbour and Powell River.
Click here for more information on Boating
on the Sunshine Coast of BC.
Marine Parks
on the Sunshine Coast and Howe Sound of BC:
| Sailing
Season |
 |
January
sees good strong winds out of the southeast |
|
Spring
(March/April) - good blows and great sailing |
|
Summer is flat - great for power boating or running the motor
to charge the batteries! |
|
Fall
(September) - time to hoist sail again |
|
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