Level: Challenging

Distance: 49 km

Time: 2-3 days

Warning: High Winds

Marine Chart: 3589/3512

Tide Table: Porpoise Bay

Access: If you aren’t hooked on sea kayaking yet, after this trip you will be. The Sechelt Peninsula is just beyond Howe Sound and is easily reached by bus or air from downtown Vancouver. Malaspina Coach Lines has twice daily service from Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station adjacent to the Main Street Skytrain Station. If you are travelling light you can also catch the bus as it makes its way along West Georgia Street. Wait for the bus at the usual city bus stops near the northwest corner of Granville, Burrard, Thurlow, Bute or Denman Streets and be prepared to flag it down before it passes. The destination written on the front of the bus will be Powell River. Carry on baggage only is allowed at these stops. See Getting to the Sunshine Coast for more information.

Twilight Paddle: Hugging the shore for safety, two kayakers set out at dusk for a paddle illuminated by ambient light.

The bus will board the Horseshoe Bay – Langdale ferry and, after a brief 55 minute crossing, will continue for another 40 minutes or so to the small community of Sechelt. Grab a cab from the bus depot here and tell the driver you want to go to the Tillicum Bay Marina. Presumably you made reservations and someone from <http://www.pedalspaddles.com/>Peddles & Paddles will be expecting you. If not, worry not. Use the pay phone at the marina to let them know you have indeed arrived and in a few short minutes someone should show up to outfit you.

If you are carpooling, after disembarking from the ferry follow Highway 101 northward for about 35 km until you hit the first light in Sechelt. Turn right on Wharf Road and follow the blue signs to Porpoise Bay Provincial Park. Continue past the park on East Porpoise Bay Road until you reach Naylor Road. Turn left here and find appropriate parking at the marina mentioned above.

Chances are you took the 8:30 AM bus and arrived in Sechelt at 11:00 AM. By the time you find the launching point, take care of business and load up the boats it will already be nearing 1:00 PM. If you are lucky enough to set off on an ebbing tide you could probably reach Tzoonie Narrows Provincial Marine Park easily during the long evenings of summer but what’s the rush?

If you have no need to hurry, head across the inlet for Piper Point, keeping an eye out for a pod of porpoises that make this waterway their home. From Piper Point begin making your way northward, stopping to check out each marine park until reaching the Halfway Provincial Marine Park 7 km away.

Sechelt Inlet and its two arms, Salmon Inlet and Narrows Inlet, are well-protected from the open seas of Georgia Strait. A narrow isthmus at the southern end separates the calm from the chaos while the Sechelt Peninsula itself forms a formidable barrier to the elements beyond. Only at the northern end are the seas connected once again. And what a connection it is! Skookumchuck Narrows is perhaps the most dangerous stretch of water on the entire British Columbia coast. Meaning literally “Big Waters” in Chinook Jargon, Skookumchuck can only be navigated during slack tide, a 20 to 30 minute period that occurs between the tides twice daily and, even then, should never be attempted by any but the most experienced paddlers. Rapids at Skookumchuck can reach beyond 12 knots per hour creating whirlpools capable of sucking a large log underwater and holding it there. You do not want to be here in a kayak. The good news is you have no need to even come close.

The other hazard of Sechelt Inlet, common to most coastal fjords, is high winds. As hot air from the adjacent land rises in the summer sun, cooler offshore air rushes in to replace it. The venturi effect of the narrow, steep-sided fjords funnel the wind to high speed. These squamish winds typically reach their peak in the late afternoon. 23 km long Salmon Inlet is particularly prone to these winds so paddlers crossing at the mouth can expect to be buffeted broadside. For this reason following the west side of the inlet to Halfway Provincial Marine Park is recommended. By hugging the shoreline at least some of the wind will be sheared by the landforms up and away from the surface.

Halfway Marine Park is endowed with an excellent water supply. If this is one of the finest campgrounds on the coast it’s primarily because of the lovely pea gravel beach that looks directly up the length of Salmon Inlet. I recall fondly sitting around a driftwood fire with friends, sipping Italian red, as an osprey dove into the dusk-lit sea immediately in front of us and emerged victorious, a salmon in its clutches. Within seconds, however, a menacing bald eagle had challenged it. A midair battle ensued before our very eyes. Encumbered with the heavy fish the osprey was hopelessly out manoeuvred by the bullying eagle and, after a courageous effort, dropped the salmon back, plop, into the salt chuck. The eagle swooped down and scooped up its prize while the osprey flew off to continue the hunt once more.

Roadkill: The author bags another one, posing here with one of Detroit’s finest, abandoned on the beach of Sechelt Inlet by oyster farmers gone broke. Seaside ruins and trash are a common sight hereabouts, an ironic memorial to mariculture’s early promise.

Continuing north you’ll soon come to a large deserted fish farm, a pioneering aquaculture attempt that faltered. Deserted rearing ponds, docks and shore buildings attest to a fortune lost.

The campsite at Kunechin Point is nicely situated and certainly worth an exploratory visit though a lack of fresh water, exposure to unrelenting sun and frequent high winds makes this a somewhat less than perfect place to pitch a tent. Be sure to watch for seals around the islands here. They’ll certainly be watching for you. The beach immediately to the north is encrusted with oysters but never consume them during the hottest months of summer unless you have first checked with the Red Tide Alert Hotline.. Red tide can be deadly and the toxins tend to accumulate in many shellfish during June, July, August and September.

Salmon Inlet is, frankly speaking, pretty ugly. Gigantic logging clearcuts and massive power transmission lines mar the landscape for its entire length. Paddle instead towards aptly-named Narrows Inlet which itself has suffered the lack of human foresight but is not nearly so devastated. As you pass under the transmission lines and round the corner into Storm Bay you’ll note the current has shifted. If you were following a receding tide you’ll suddenly begin bucking it or, vice versa, if you had been fighting the oncoming current you’ll now enjoy a reprieve. Either way take some time to enjoy poking around the bay and its tiny islands. There are numerous cabins in the bay dating from the get-away-from-it-all sixties. Please respect this private property.

Continuing up the inlet you’ll soon notice the private campsite and cabins on the east bank operated by Tzoonie Outdoor Adventures. A full service operation that boasts hot showers, a hot tub and fully-equipped kitchen, Tzoonie Outdoor Adventures operates a shuttle service for their customers and their gear including canoes or kayaks. Guests can also borrow crabbing or fishing equipment.

Continue onward to Tzoonie Narrows campsite and onetime logging operation. Rusted, abandoned equipment and apple and cherry trees attest to this bygone era. Stay alert, keeping in mind that bears love fruit. The campsite is top notch with sunny, open grassy lawns for erecting your tent. The water supply too is splendid though a bit far from the main camping area. A collapsible water jug comes in handy here.

Across the inlet a rustic cabin, built for communal use in the spirit of the counter-culture, and much to the chagrin of forest managers in the area, makes interesting exploring. Though some people still put up here it is old, beginning to rot and infested with mice. Just try getting a good night’s sleep here. Not recommended.

Further up the inlet you’ll encounter the narrows themselves: a mere 25 metres wide. Though not considered dangerous, the waters here can race up to four knots. Sheer, 1000 metre cliffs on the north side yield an awesome sense of nature’s power.

If time allows spend an extra night at Tzoonie Narrows and continue exploring at a leisurely pace to the head of the inlet where the Tzoonie River empties.

Bowen Island Circumnavigation <<->> Skookumchuck Introduction

Level: Challenging

Distance: 49 km

Time: 2-3 days

Warning: Marine Traffic

Marine Chart: 3526

Tide Table: Squamish

While Bowen Island is without suitable camping, Gambier Island is well-appointed with beaches and should form a key element to any multi-day paddle in the Howe Sound area. Launch your kayak from Tunstall Bay on the west side of Bowen Island and then head directly west through the Paisley Group of islands towards Plumper Cove on the far side of Keats Island. Since the campground on Keats is relatively close at hand spend some time poking around the Paisley Group.

At Plumper Cove you’ll find 20 walk-in campsites, pit toilets and many larger boats moored off shore. Click here for a full description of Keats Island.

Risky Business

An alternative route takes you directly north from Tunstall Bay along the western shore of Bowen Island towards Hope Point 10 km away on Gambier Island. The final 2 km cuts across open water, use caution and avoid dallying as you cross the ferry lane here. Unlike the busy Horseshoe Bay – Nanaimo route, ferries pass through this waterway only about once an hour. Never, however, attempt such a crossing under foggy conditions or when visibility is limited.

From Hope Point you can explore Port Graves, Centre Bay and West Bay or dash directly across the harbour mouth for the distant Grace Islands 5 km away.

Whichever route you choose follow the Gambier Island coast northwards towards Woolridge Island. To your left you’ll notice the communities of Langdale where the ferry docks, Williamsons Landing, Twin Creeks, Port Mellon and Longview stretched out along the shore of the Sechelt Peninsula. With the exception of the small community of New Brighton, the shore of Gambier Island to the east is largely uninhabited.

In spite of the proximity of the pulp mill at Port Mellon, the waters of Thornbrough Channel are reputed to be excellent for salmon fishing. Try trolling at slow speed as you make your way northward. Bottom feeding fish may contain toxins generated at the pulp mills nearby. Pulp manufacturing is a known source of deadly dioxin and furan pollution.

As you round the northern shore of Gambier Island cut across the channel towards the long stretch of beach at McNab Creek. With plenty of potable water, driftwood for fire making, open beach for tenting and few vestiges of civilization this is about as perfect a camping spot as you’ll find in the Howe Sound area. An Indian pictograph can even be found on rocks to the east of the creek itself. The future of the McNab Creek area is somewhat uncertain as industrial development in the form of a liquid natural gas plant has been proposed for the area.

Hiking Side Trip

Next morning, invigorated by a good night’s sleep, paddle 3 km back across Thornbrough Channel to Ekins Point on Gambier Island and find the hiking route to Gambier Lake behind the yacht club outstation. Taking a mere 1½ hours round trip, this hike, though a bit steep, is most definitely worth it.

From Ekins Point follow the shore east then south and within 4 km you’ll note a number of small but suitable camping beaches. Plan to linger here over night at least as this is the closest you’ll get to wilderness in Howe Sound.

Rather than set up camp so early you may wish to cut across Ramillies Channel and circumnavigate fortress-like Anvil Island. The steep cliffs of Anvil Island make landing or camping here virtually impossible.

Journey’s End

As day three breaks keep in mind that journey’s end is still 18 km away. There are, however, a number of worthy points of interest on the way. Christie Island is a rookery for seagulls and cormorants while Pam Rock is a favourite basking place for a colony of harbour seals. Refrain from approaching too closely in both places to avoid startling the wildlife.

From Halkett Bay at the southwestern corner of Gambier Island a six hour return hike to the summit of 614 metre Mount Artaban can be undertaken by the truly adventuresome. The hike is detailed here. Be sure to leave plenty of time to scoot back across the sea lanes to Bowen Island.

Halkett Bay Provincial Marine Park has a few rustic campsites on shore as well as a dock and pit toilets if time is running short and you decide to spend one final night in the out of doors. The minimum time necessary to circumnavigate Gambier Island is two full days of paddling.

For kayak rentals contact: Bowen Island Sea Kayaking

Howe Sound Introduction <<->> Bowen Island Circumnavigation

Level: Moderate

Distance: 32 km

Time: 6 hr

Warning: Marine Traffic

Marine Chart: 3526

Tide Table: Squamish

Starting from either of Bowen Island Sea Kayaking’s two locations at Snug Cove or Tunstall Bay will do if you decide to paddle around Bowen Island itself. Let wind and current direction dictate whether you take the Island in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Allow plenty of time if you plan to circle the whole island. Two alternate routes are possible. The northern route from Snug Cove to Tunstall Bay is 18 km while the southern route is a mere 14 km. You may wish to spend a few extra hours exploring the group of small islands [Paisley, Hermit, Mickey, etc.] off the southwestern tip of Bowen.

Stay close to shore in the busy Queen Charlotte Channel and be prepared to encounter frequent large wakes from passing BC Ferries south from Snug Cove as far west as Collingwood Channel. Moreover the southern end of Bowen faces on the open Georgia Strait and is sometimes subject to heavy northerly seas. Steep cliffs and a sparsity of beaches further complicate the southern passage during inclement weather.

The northern and western shores are exposed to the aforementioned squamish winds as well as the infrequent wakes of ferries plying the Sechelt-Horseshoe Bay route. Luckily numerous small rocky beaches provides a modicum of shelter in the event of heavy swells. There are no beaches suited to camping on Bowen Island.

If lacking confidence at the approach of large boat wakes turn to take the waves head on and you’ll easily ride out their passage. As your experience grows you’ll discover that sea kayaks are extremely seaworthy craft capable of handling just about anything the sea can throw at them. Technology is not the problem. Paddlers’ ability and confidence are more important factors in determining what kind of weather conditions to attempt. The key to safe kayaking is to know your limits and never exceed them.

Howe Sound Exploration <<->> Sechelt Inlet

To keep building your skills locally try taking on the more open waters of Howe Sound. Though less protected than Indian Arm the numerous islands and islets of this nearby waterway offers a degree of shelter during all but the worst of conditions. One local anomaly, known as a squamish, is a high wind born in the mountains behind the community of Squamish that bears its name. The Coast Salish name means literally “mother of the wind.” Though resulting in some of the best wind surfing conditions around, when a squamish hits the mouth of the sound it can churn up seas that the inexperienced may find threatening.

The many islands which comprise Howe Sound provide a labyrinth of channels and coves, beaches and banks to explore over many days. Two possible routes are outlined below but bear in mind that detours are possible depending on your schedule and time constraints.

Bowen Island Sea Kayaking has two locations to put in from. Rent your kayak at their main office on the dock at Snug Cove then, depending on your destination launch there or take advantage of their shuttle to Tunstall Bay to gain immediate access to Howe Sound.

Like Indian Arm, Howe Sound is not wilderness by any means. It is sparsely populated however and the further north you go the less signs of civilization you will encounter. One disappointment is a pulp mill at Port Mellon and another one at Woodfibre at the head of the sound. On windless days, when kayaking is at its best, the whole sound can fill with noxious haze that puts the lie to any notions of untamed wilderness. Yum!

Indian Arm <<->> Howe Sound Exploration

Level: Easy

Distance: 36 km

Time: 6 hr

Tide Table: Vancouver

Red Tide Administrative Unit: Area 28

Marine Chart: 3495

Warning: Heavy Marine Traffic

Access: The #211 Seymour bus provides a direct connection between Burrard Station in Downtown Vancouver and Deep Cove where the paddling begins. Alternately the #210 Upper Lynn Valley and the #212 Deep Cove buses follow essentially the same route with a single transfer at Phibbs Exchange in North Vancouver. Visit TransLink for exact scheduling.

Protected waters and plenty of marine traffic make this local inlet an excellent place from which to embark on your maiden voyage. Indian Arm is the perfect place for a full day of exploring or, better yet, an easy overnighter. Rent your kayaks at Deep Cove Canoe & Kayak  then, once you’ve balanced your supplies in the front and rear compartments, head north out of Deep Cove.

Weekend Warriors: A quickie lesson in how not to bivouac for the night. Live trees were cut to frame a lean-to and used for firewood. Of course they didn’t burn. Garbage was left littering the campsite. Let’s hope the mosquitoes ate them alive. Indian Arm is in the background.

While heavy marine traffic is handy in the event of an emergency, recreational boaters are the primary hazard in the inlet. Since no license is required to operate a motorboat in British Columbia the level of care taken by many boaters is appalling indeed. For this reason kayakers must make themselves especially visible by wearing bright clothing. Moreover it is wise to hug the shoreline and avoid allowing your group to become scattered. A tight group is much easier to see and avoid than a succession of single craft spread out all over the sea-lanes. Only cross the sea-lanes when it is absolutely necessary to do so and don’t dawdle in the middle. For the sake of this excursion it is advised that you hug the western shore on the outbound leg and the eastern shore on the way back. Descriptions in this book, however, will address main features on either side as they appear.

As you head north you’ll soon leave the beachfront homes of Deep Cove and Woodlands behind. On your right you’ll notice Raccoon Island then Twin Islands, which, taken together, make up the Indian Arm Provincial Marine Park. Camping is permitted on the Twin Islands though only a few rustic sites exist and water is limited to a small spring on the north island.

Continuing northwards you’ll pass a number of small recreational communities. Interspersed between these small beaches are stretches of steep, rocky bluffs that dive straight down into the inlet, giving Indian Arm that typical fjord-like appearance found throughout the coast of British Columbia. In fact Indian Arm is the southernmost such inlet on the west coast of North America.

Some 8 km into the paddle you’ll notice two old-fashioned looking concrete structures on the eastern shore. Built in 1903 and expanded in 1914 these power generating stations were Vancouver’s first hydroelectric facilities. Drawing water from Buntzen Lake high on the bluffs above, these two small power plants still provide significant power to the city, together producing 76,700 kW. A service road from the second power facility to Buntzen Lake itself provides a pleasant half hour stroll and a chance to stretch the kayak cramps out of the legs.

From the power stations on you’ll leave civilization largely behind. After 4 more kilometres attractive Silver Falls can be seen pouring off cliffs on the western shore. Watch for large spawning jellyfish in the water in front of the falls. A further 2½ km will bring you to Bishop’s Creek Provincial Marine Park opposite Croker Island whose steep sides forbid landing or camping.

Adjacent to the north end of the island, on the eastern shore is spectacular Granite Falls a popular destination since the late 1800s when the Union Steamship Company began offering weekend excursions for curious Vancouver residents.

North of Granite Falls a short trail leads to a viewpoint with vistas of the head of the inlet and beyond. Note Wigwam Inn to the left of the Indian River estuary. Built in 1910 as a luxury resort for the international rich and spoiled, the Wigwam Inn is now an outport for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. Plan to visit the Spray of Pearl Falls a few minutes on foot by trail from the lodge. Camping sites can be found across the head of Indian Arm at deserted logging or mining sites. Though not the prettiest sites the price is certainly right and exploring the abandoned equipment will prove interesting. A word of warning however: wear thick-soled shoes to avoid cutting your feet on jagged metal and rusted cables left behind once the rape of the land was completed.

The Indian River estuary at high tide makes a great place for further explorations. If you thought to bring a hand line or crab trap you may want to try flounder, cod or crab for dinner. Be sure you have a valid Salt Water Fishing License. Avoid shellfish in Indian Arm as pollution and red tide tends to become concentrated in these filter feeders.

Sea Kayaking Introduction <<->> Howe Sound Introduction

Kayak camping is the ultimate way to explore the British Columbia coast. Gliding noiselessly along the shore you’ll be inspected by curious harbour seals, playful otters and, on rare occasions, even dolphins and orcas may move in close to check you out. Along the beaches you’ll encounter foraging bears and wolves and see, close at hand, eagles surveying their domain from craggy snags above.

Originally invented by the Inuit for seal and whale hunting, modern sea kayaks have been lengthened and strengthened, replacing such materials as seal and caribou hides with fibreglass and plastic. Virtually anywhere on the coast of British Columbia is open to these versatile and sturdy craft. There are, however, a number of spots that are particularly suited to bluewater paddling.

Aging backcountry boomers, cursed with hiker’s knee may eventually find the demands of backpacking too much. Rather than hanging up the old boots, trading them in for a paddle can be a great way to extend an outback-bent lifestyle.

Pining for the Fjords

The fjords of coastal British Columbia where much of kayaking is undertaken are subject to a predictable weather pattern. Especially during the warm days of summer local winds typically pick up each day during mid-morning. As the land masses warm up the air begins to rise. The resulting vacuum sucks cooler air along the fjord from more open waters such as Georgia Strait. As the day progresses the water and land temperatures equalize and the wind subsides until the advent of evening. The twilight hours bring the rapid cooling of land masses. Water temperatures drop at a much slower rate upsetting the equilibrium once again. Warm air rises off the water throughout the early evening causing cooler air to pour off the mountains and out through the conduit of the inlet. Plying the waters of coastal inlets often demands that kayakers set off at first light planning on a long, seaside siesta at midday, then continuing on throughout the afternoon and early evening.

Back Eddies to the Future

Whenever bucking the tides, particularly in constricted passages where the current is magnified, hug the shoreline where you can often pick up a back eddy or two to propel you on your way. Conversely, to benefit from a following tide move away from the shore to avoid those nasty back eddies.

Stuff It, Buddy

Dry Bags, the plasticized canvas kind favoured by yachters, are ideal for stowing gear in the front and rear compartments of kayaks. They are, however, expensive, Since some water inevitably gets below decks, cutting costs by using just plastic bags can be risky. One solution is to purchase nylon stuff sacks from an outdoor store such as the Mountain Equipment Co-op and line them with heavy-duty, see-through garbage bags. The nylon is enough to protect the plastic from rips and tears which in turn waterproofs all of your camping essentials. Colour code the stuff sacks to help keep things organized.

Bear Proofing

The usual bear proofing precautions, hanging food, making noise and what not, still apply to kayak camping. Though bears can swim well they usually have no need to visit offshore islands. Kayakers can take an extra precaution by camping, whenever feasible, on the abundant islands found along the coast of British Columbia. Incidentally, stowing food in kayak compartments is not bear proof, it’s just a great way to get a kayak trashed.

Learning How

Once is certainly not enough for this captivating activity. In order to bring your skills up to the point where you may “do-it-yourself” a certain level of competence must be attained. In fact many kayak rental firms will no longer rent to inexperienced individuals: the liability risks are just too great.

Ecomarine Ocean Kayaking Centre offers lessons at Jericho Beach, English Bay and in the False Creek area adjacent to Granville Island. Though convenient, exceptionally busy sea lanes and a noisy, industrial setting make this latter locale a less than satisfactory place to build the skills necessary to paddle safely. To take lessons in a less urban setting look no further than Deep Cove or Bowen Island.

Check out the excellent video Sea Kayaking: Getting Started which is available from the Vancouver Public Library [Call Number 797.1224 S43a.] While a video is a good place to start there is no substitute for competent instruction.

Horsetails <<->> Indian Arm