Mount
Baker rises above Gulf Island sailboats |
Few cruising grounds
in the world can match British Columbia's coastline for stunning scenery:
majestic fjords, half-hidden inlets, and hundreds of islands. And
to complete this perfect picture, a temperate climate!
Offshore, boaters
can explore the sheltered waterways and the popular marine parks
nestled amongst the 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 Provincial Marine 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.
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.
South Vancouver
Island
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.
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.
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 Provincial Marine Park on Sidney Island or Princess
Margaret Provincial Marine 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.
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 Provincial Marine 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.
The
Gulf Islands and Discovery Islands
Some of
the more popular and easier-to-reach parks in the Southern
Gulf Islands include Montague Harbour Provincial Marine Park
and Dionisio Provincial Park on Galiano Island, and Beaumont Provincial
Marine Park on the Pender Islands, as well as Winter Cove Provincial
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 Provincial Marine 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 Provincial Marine 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 Provincial Marine 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.
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.
| 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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