Edge of the Great Bear
Introduction
Twenty years have passed since John Kimantas undertook the
Wild Coast project to survey the coast of British Columbia, record landing and
camping sites, and publish the results in three volumes.
Think about this for a minute.
Our coast measures between 27,000 – 29,000 kilometers of
mostly rugged shoreline, almost all of it empty of human occupation. Prior to
John’s books, scant information existed for paddlers: no google satellite and
in some places marine charts based upon dated information that just didn’t
always match with the GPS coordinates. John’s effort opened the world’s best
sea kayaking area to countless paddlers. His research went on to form the basis
of the Marine Trail database, and his map products have guided many a grateful
adventurer.
Quite reasonably, given the size of the project and the
remoteness of the area, John’s guides omitted most of the outer central coast.
A few years after the last of the Wild Coast volumes appeared, some folks from
Nanaimo decided to fill in that gap. Starting in 2011 the west coast of Banks
Island was surveyed. Then following in 2012 and 2013, the west coasts of
Aristazabal, Price, Calvert islands, and about 10 nm proximate to Cape Caution.
The results of these surveys were published online in three guides and made
available on the self-publishing site issuu.com for those who might have
interest. The guides did not overlap the wild coast volumes for several
reasons, including the fact that John advertised their existence and for
several years hosted them on his web site.
But time moves on. Issuu.com changed their policy first to
deny downloading and recently to remove the guides entirely from their site.
John’s books are no longer easily available to purchase.
Many more years of experience have been added to the
territory. If the information we found is to be kept available, suffice it to
say that I am much closer to the end of my paddling career than the beginning. The
time has come to update and refurbish what we hope will be of interest and
entertainment of those original kayak guides.
What follows strives to be more of a field guide and less
the results of a field survey. We have added many more paddling notes and
included less geography. The three original guides have been compressed into
one narrative. The territorial scope has widened in places to include territory
that John Kimantas covered. The new guide adds information gleaned from 15 more
years of central coast paddling.
During the Banks Island survey a hot political issue was a proposal to build an oil terminal at Kitimat. That went away, maybe, and development of new relations with the First Nations means the whole territory is probably in much safer hands. Another goal of the surveys was to have people in kayaks in the territory to learn about it and if need be advocate for it. I think that has happened. When John conducted his research and wrote his guides the outer islands south of Prince Rupert had a fearsome reputation for being inhospitable, devoid of decent camp sites and prone to long stretches of difficult sea states. He cites these views as reasons to not paddle in these areas except for those with exceptional paddling skills. The water classification systems for British Columbia categorize all of the areas we surveyed as class four. That includes exposed rugged coast, strong turbulent currents, large swells and very difficult landings. It turns out the outer coast is generally quite rugged but the rest is possible but generally not the case. In the end all there was to fear, was fear itself. With some basic skills in predicting sea state, good planning, a prudent risk avoiding approach and patience, the risks are all quite within the abilities of those with ordinary paddling technique.
Who should paddle in the area covered by this field
guide?
Paddling out is optional paddling home is not
Those with little interest in risk assessment, risk
avoidance and risk management probably should paddle in places where someone
will come to help them when their situation goes awry. This is not that place.
While the risks of the guide area are not generally more than many other places
on the west coast and less than several other areas, it is remote. If a problem
arises the solution will be to get to shore safely and call for help which
might be a while to arrive. Often there will not be power craft in the area to
help out, and the coast guard resources are limited and spread over a very
large area.
For those with some experience with risk assessment and
making choices based on that assessment, it is prudent to act in a more risk
adverse manner because the isolation. Dial back your comfort zone (those sea
states and conditions where a paddler feels confident in their ability to avoid
unwanted events). Be more rigorous with keeping yourself out of unwanted
situations.
For those wanting to avoid risk that exceeds their comfort
zone, and willing to spend some time in preparation and follow that up with a
prudent and patient approach, ordinary ocean hard paddling skills are
sufficient. The guide area falls into the classification like most of the coast
where paddling is not necessarily dangerous but it is not a place for dangerous
paddlers.
The guide is structured around camping beaches but the goal
is to provide enough information to allow paddlers to get from one place to the
next within their comfort zone. This involves not only the ability to determine
the timing of likely wind speed and direction but also the skill and
disposition to add in the effects of ocean currents, and topography to predict
sea state. Its called seamanship and it brings together the sky, the land and
the sea. For those not wanting to make the effort to keep safe in this way,
this is probably not the place for you. In my view, no amount of hard paddling
skills will keep paddlers safe if they ignore the soft skills and risk
avoidance.
A final thought. The risk of injury on the shore is many
times more likely than while paddling. If a person incapacitates themselves by
falling or otherwise being injured on the shore the consequences could be dire.
Stay with your group if you are in one. Be extra cautious if you are not.
Access
and Communication
B C Ferries offers access to Bella Bella and Klemtu on the
summer day cruise between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert. The ships stop at Bella
Bella three out of every four trips in both directions and at Klemtu one out of every four trips. The
midcoast service between Port Hardy and Bella Coola in the summer also stops at
Bella Bella. The launch at Bella Bella is beside the terminal to the south. It
is a good beach at the top with easy launching down to about half tides and
reasonable launching below that. In Klemtu, the launch at the ferry terminal is
under the loading ramp. It is coarse rip-rap and not a very pleasant
experience, but it is in a good place. Leave extra time to safely avoid
injuring yourself in the launch process. This launch is most easily done on a
flooding tide which also has the benefit of providing push from the terminal up
to Split Head. Be careful about waves from boat wakes as the shape of the beach
at the terminal seems to magnify their effect when they reach the shore. The
currents between the Klemtu terminal and Split Head are very strong along the
more northerly section and paddling against that current might not be an option
for most paddlers. A humpback whale with a calf a couple of years ago lives in
the channel facing Boat Bluff. It has been there for about 15 years that I know
of. It is a pleasant experience to start or end your trip.
It is possible to launch directly from Port Hardy. The BC
Marine trail established a launch site at the boat ramp a few hundred meters
from the ferry terminal.
For those paddling from Prince Rupert, it is possible to
launch from the wharf near to the ferry terminal. My preference, when coming off
the ferry is to arrange for pick up of kayak and gear and get accommodation for
the night. Then starting the next day from Port Edward in the afternoon with a short
paddle to Kitson Island. I like to start from Kitson Island when there is a
high tide at about 3 am. There is a reason behind this. In my mind, the most
interesting route to the north end of Banks island goes via Edye Passage. By
starting from Kitson very early in the morning the ebb tide and effect of the river
will provide substantial push to the south west and it is not difficult to get
to the northwest corner of Porcher Island. From there another early start,
launching near to high tide with help from a morning ebb will get a person to
Goschen fairly easily. Then the same routine the next day will achieve Banks Island
either along the north shore or at the first camp site going south on the west
side. If you paddle this way, take into account the ebb tide running out of
Beaver Passage which will provide push from east to west, whether you want it
or not. The effect of this timing means a trip down the outside of Banks with
high tides in the morning and the benefit of good ebbs. The advantage of being
with the current and not against it on the outside of Banks means travelling at
roughly twice the speed over ground. This is an important factor when making
your daily assessment of likely sea state. Landing along Banks later in the
morning at lower tides can be more challenging but I find it much easier to deal
with a long beach when arriving rather than launching. If you are lazy like I am,
take a long piece of rope and let the tide bring the boat in. There is a caveat
to planning for ebbs in the morning on the west side of Banks Island. With
south wind or wind waves, the effect of current against waves will result in very
difficult sea state.
Cell service is available near to Bella Bella, Klemtu,
Hartley Bay and Kitkatla but not otherwise. VHF radios work well in most of the
guide area but service can be spotty on the west side of Banks with access to
the repeater on Haida Gwaii. I think that even if a person has trouble
receiving radio transmissions, coast guard radio will be able to hear a call
for assistance. In recent years satellite communicators have become more common
and they will work to call for help or otherwise access the outside world. The
best way to get help is probably to call the Rescue Coordination Centre.
Geology
and geography
The route along the outer coast from the northern tip of
Banks Island to Burnett Bay south of Cape Caution stretches approximately 200
nautical miles. This guide focuses mainly on the area north of the south end of
Price Island and south of the north end of Calvert Island. Queens sound is well
looked after by other sources.
Throughout this area there are two dominant factors which
are central to the kayaking experience. The first is low elevation along the
outer coast. The second is the existence of Haida Gwaii.
The area north of Seaforth Channel along the outer coast
forms part of a geological formation called the Milbanke Strandflat. It
encompasses the west side of Banks Island, most of the Estevan Group, the west
side of Aristazabal , west side of Price Island and extends further south to
the Bardswell Group and Queens sound. Major shaping forces were marine and
glacial erosion. There are no high walled inlets, the low elevation mountains
are along the east side of the major islands and the glacial erosion has left
thin soils with vegetation not suitable for commercial logging. The place looks
like it would have looked before European contact. West of the main islands the
flat terrain continues. Between Day Point on the south end of Price Island and
Deadman Point on the north end of Banks Island there are more than 1000 islands
or islets within a few miles of shore and many more rocks and reefs.
Islands and islets have a lee side as do rocks and reefs. As
the guide goes through the terrain it will become clear that this makes for
many areas that are little exposed to open ocean. Further South along Calvert
and around Cape Caution the land remains flat near the shore but there are
fewer protected places.
In the northern section, the other major influence is Haida
Gwaii separated by the relatively shallow Hecate Strait from the mainland
islands. Hecate strait is 100 nautical miles wide at the south end and about 30
nautical miles wide at the north end. When water is pushed through a funnel
(tides flood up the coast) it stacks up and speeds up and that is what happens
along this section. An illustrative example of this effect is the difference
between tide levels at the east and west ends of Skidegate Channel that
separates the two larger islands of Haida Gwaii. A 3.5 meter tide at the west
side will mean an almost 7 meter tide on the east side. The effect on the outer
coast of mainland BC is similar with tide ranges in the 7 meter range from
Prince Rupert south diminishing to 4 meters or so south of Queens Sound. Large
tide changes mean stronger tidal currents and more challenges finding good spots
to land and launch.
Haida Gwaii also stops the offshore swell. Moving South
along the outer islands north of Banks Island, the offshore swell diminishes
and disappears once clear of the north shore of Banks. It appears again around
Clifford Bay on Aristazabal Island but the protective effect of the offshore
islands and reefs and inshore protection means that both Aristazabal and Price
islands are free from offshore swell except for a few short sections. No open
surf beaches exist in this part of the guide area. This is not to say that sea
states are necessarily calm in Hecate Strait. The area is shallow and wind waves
not only cause difficult paddling conditions but they seem to persist after the
wind calms. Some examples of this will be part of the detailed territorial
narrative. Shallow water and strong currents around Cape Caution creates its
own set of issues.
Tides and
Currents.
Two names for the same phenomena. Tidal flows move up the
coast from the SW and ebb back down more or less the same way. Maximum current
values for places like Otter passage, south of Banks Island and Beaver passage
just to the north of it, suggest flow strength in both directions is similar.
This guide deals with the outer coast and that makes matters
fairly straight forward. Current strength and water levels will increase as one
moves north but the timing these events will tend to follow the predictability
of the open ocean. The guide deals with local effects and values for the outer
coast on a district by district basis.
Circumstances change once away from the open water of Queen
Charlotte Sound and Hecate strait. And the further one gets from open water the
more current directions and timing vary from a lineal model. The convoluted
nature of our coastal inlets means that, while all the water pushes north and then
back south, the routes that it follows and the timing of that movement are
anything but obvious.
For inland channels, DFO provides current information as
part of sailing directions. Local influences are more common than a general
picture. Our good fortune is to be on the outside and that means when the tide
is coming in the current floods north and when it is going out it goes south.
Further south the deep inlets affect the timing but the regularity of the
pattern remains.
South of Aristazabal Island tidal currents are less
influential than further north, except around Cape Caution. As one moves north
current rates of 1-2 knots will have a very large impact on progress and time
estimates.
After a few days, I forget about tide heights. They are
regular and are either a bit higher or a bit lower than the day before. Timing
is more important.
Be aware that weather can have a significant effect on tide
heights. When we were doing the Banks survey we were camped on Kirkendale
Island at the entrance to Kingkown inlet. A very protected site and we needed
it as a strong low pressure with strong southerly winds was arriving in the
night. We had camped in this place the previous night so we knew what the high
tide level should be. As the storm passed over us, through the combination of
low pressure and near gales pushing water into the inlet raised the high tide
by over 30 centimeters above what we expected. If not anticipated, this can be an
unhappy situation when camped on the beach. More on this point appears in the
section on Banks Island.
Weather
When sitting about camp listening to the weather report in
the evening we tend to think in terms of wind and maybe rain and visibility.
But, while important, it is not really what we need to know. The question
should be “what will be the sea state where we are paddling and how will it
likely change or develop as the day goes along?” There will be some good
examples of this along the outer coast. If you paddle west out of Hakai Pass
going south on a nice clear day with little wind but on a big ebb with incoming
SW swell, within minutes of clearing the Surf Islands you will desperately be
wishing you were somewhere else. If it is windy, it will be worse. You will be
in very rough water where swell meets current and you will likely not be able
to retreat. There will be a few other examples of this sort of situation
throughout the guide.
While we tend to focus on poorer weather, keep in mind that
most of the time in July and August the weather is fair. Afternoon
northwesterlies are far more common than low pressure systems. Predicting sea
state is more complicated than just timing the wind but it is not hard to get
it close to right most of the time. What is required is the basket of skills
called seamanship. Fortunately the factors, other than wind and visibility that
go into sea state can be sorted out in advance with good preparation. Currents,
the likely effects of land form, and depth are all easily determined before
leaving home. It is hard to be perfect but not so hard to be right enough that
dangerous or overly stressful situations are avoided.
In the field the main chore is predicting the wind where you
are at over the period of time before there is a safe, achievable place to get
off of the water. My experience is that the environment Canada weather forecast
is close to correct for at least 24 hours. As one moves further out the timing
becomes less reliable and more than a few days in advance the energy predicted
in systems might be off. While the forecast applies to weather reporting areas
there are seldom times that the weather is uniform across the whole district.
The Hecate Strait district is about 140 nm from north to
south and up to about 100 nm east to west at its widest. McInnes Island to Pine
Island is 90 nm North to South and 50 or so nm east to west. The skill required
is to predict the developing wind and visibility where you are at when you want
to be paddling. Fortunately it is not that hard. Low pressure systems bringing SE
winds generally move toward the east at about 20 knots. The forecast gives you
strong clues about this if you are aware of where the various reporting
stations and weather districts are at and how far away they are. There is a lot
of information available to help. A row of buoys offshore, North, Middle and
South nomad will record anything coming from the west well before arrival.
Another row, West Dixon, West Moreseby, South Moresby and East Delwood are
closer to landfall but still many hours away from the guide area. Further in
are Central Dixon, North Hecate, South Hecate and West Sea Otter, which are mostly
about 30 nm from shore These buoys are updated each hour and at that time the
information is close to real time.
There are also many land stations west of the guide area.
Rose Spit, Cumshewa Inlet, Sandspit Airport, Bonilla Island, Cape St James and
Sartine Island. These are also updated hourly and at the updates are close to
real time. There are also several manned light stations in the area which
report only every three or four hours and are less helpful for timing the
weather.
So listening to the forecast and accepting that as what will
happen where you are at is not very helpful. The wind values will likely happen
somewhere in the district but not everywhere and not always at the same time.
What works is to listen several times per day and figure out what is happening
over the coast and then use the stations near to you to determine what is
developing where you are at.
An example could be if you were near the north end of
Aristazabal Island and the forecast for Hecate Strait south was increasing SE
wind rising during the morning. That wind would show up first on the mainland
of Haida Gwaii and take 2 or 3 hours to move across Hecate Strait. When the
wind started to rise at the South Hecate Buoy you would have about an hour or
so before it would be affecting the coast. The north end of Aristazabal is
north of the south Hecate buoy and south of the north Hecate buoy. So balancing
the two reported values will guide you toward a good estimate.
To make these sort of timing predictions it is necessary to
know where the various reporting stations are and approximately how far away
they are from where you are at. At first, to do this successfully, some
pre-trip homework is required. And if you use a GPS enter the locations of the
various stations and your device will tell you how far away and in what
direction they are. A chart showing the locations of the various reporting
stations is appended.
Once you have sorted out how the wind is going to change
during the day you can then apply that to the predicted tidal currents and
topographical influences to predict sea state. Weather is a very dynamic system.
Picking safe windows is a fundamental skill for paddlers in the guide area.
The issue of afternoon north westerly winds caused by land
heating will be dealt with on a more local level. Paddlers will spend more days
avoiding the worst of this effect than southerly winds associated with low
pressure systems.
Fauna
While post contact resource usage has had a substantial
impact on the whole area, the trend is toward a more environmentally aware
approach to human usage. In the area covered by this guide there is almost no
human occupation. Nature can be resilient and throughout the area creatures in
the sky, on the land and in the sea are abundant. Keep in mind that while we
might find observing animals to be awe inspiring or breathtaking, they could
not care less what we think. The things that live here are going about their
business in the way that they have done for a very long time and we should be
careful not to interfere with their behaviors.
Birds
Throughout the area are the usual collection of sea birds,
raptors and migratory species. For those visiting Wilby Point in Kitasoo Bay,
they will likely meet a local raven who struts around like it owns the place.
Maybe it does. In many areas in the summer, sandhill cranes are raising their
young and preparing for the trip south. These large birds have a distinctive
call. They can be found in areas where there are mud flats including the west
sides of Aristazabal Island and Banks Island and around the north end of Price
Island. Often, they are not used to people so if you don’t disturb them, they
will tend to ignore you. The opportunity to observe and interact with various
bird species on a daily basis exists throughout the area. Enjoy.
Marine Mammals
Humpback whales, orcas, seals, dolphins, porpoise, sealions,
river otters and sea otters are common throughout the area. I have usually seen
orcas in Milbanke Sound and Seaforth channel. The sea otters that apparently
migrated from the west coast of Vancouver Island to Queen’s Sound many years
ago have spread themselves across the area. There may be rules about being
close to whales. My observations are that they go about their business and it
really doesn’t matter much what you do in a kayak. Sometimes they will come
close sometimes not. I do think they are aware of a kayak’s presence. Several
years ago while paddling on a calm day near Langara Island I and the person
beside me noticed that the water was bulging under my boat. This effect,
sometimes called a footprint, happens just before a large whale surfaces. Both
me and my paddling partner knew what was the happening, but the water subsided
and the whale did not surface under my boat.
Terrestrial Mammals
The area has the usual assortment of coastal fur bearing
animals. By far the dominant species on the outer coast is wolves. They are
everywhere. You will see them, when they want, on the beaches. They will come
around at night to check you out. And sometimes they will just look at you. I
have never had trouble with wolves being aggressive. However in the last two or
three years the family of wolves on the west side of Campania Island has become
aggressive, apparently seeking human food. The likely reason for this new
behaviour is humans feeding them either intentionally or inadvertently. Were these
wolves near to people the result would be their destruction. Campania Island is
remote so nothing will likely be done. Be aware should you want to go to this
place. And please don’t create this problem in other locations.
In the northern section of the guide I have only seen a
black bear on two occasions. Both times on the west side of Price Island.
Wolves are said to eat black bears so this may explain the rarity of sightings.
Brown bears, grizzlies, have been turning up in the area
around Higgins Passage and Kitasoo Bay in recent years. Apparently young males
leave the more inland locations to avoid large males. It may be that banning
hunting of these creatures inland has resulted in more of them surviving and
needing to expand their territory. I am aware of one group who were confronted
by a determined and persistent young brown bear at Monk Bay. They decided to go
to a different camp site. In the area proximate to Cape Caution on the BC
mainland, wolves, brown bears and black bears seem to somehow co-exist in larger
numbers.
I have never seen a cougar or cougar tracks on the outer
coast.
Mice and mink are everywhere.
Fish
I think of fish differently from other animals, mainly
because I like to eat them and they form part of my meals up to half of the
time. Various types of bottom living rock fish exist throughout the area. Ling
cod are common. Midwater species like black rockfish, sometimes called sea bass
are also common. Ling cod and black rockfish are easiest to catch on points
that are exposed to the open ocean. This often means a bumpy ride in the echo
off of the rocks but I find it worth while. There are areas restricted from any
fishing called rock fish conservation areas. This includes part of Calamity Bay,
part of Kitasoo Bay, portions along the west side and Calvert island, the
northern entrance to Smith Sound and other areas. Get it sorted out before you
go where fishing is not allowed. The guide will point out some areas where I
have had success catching dinner.
Coho salmon are often quite common in the summer. Beaches
that include a sand ramp down to below low tide are often good places to spin
cast at higher tides. Trolling or using buzz bombs is also effective.
The entire area is closed permanently to harvesting most
bivalves. The risk is PSP poisoning. The closures are permanent not because the
problem always exists but because no testing is done. If you decide to eat
clams just be careful. Locals might have a small taste and wait to see if
anything happens before eating these creatures. Remember you are isolated and
getting PSP might have a poor outcome.
Any fishing requires a license and compliance with a lot of
regulations. For those planning to fish,
some preparation and research at home before setting out is a good idea.
Anecdotally, fishing is changing, particularly for species other than salmon. In recent years it just seems to take a bit longer to catch something. This may be related to the increase in surface water temperatures and the reaction of various species to this change. This is probably not a good thing.
First
Nations
On Calvert Island, footprints made 13,200 years ago were
once said to be the oldest in North America. Village sites on Triquet island and Gander Island,
consistent with origin stories of people still living in the central coast,
date back 14,000 and 11,000 years old respectively. The historical story
remains incomplete. What is clear is that people have been living in this area
for a very long time and the First Nations people that live here today trace
their lineage back to those early times. In this guide area villages are
located at Kitkatla, Hartley Bay, Klemtu, Bella Bella and Rivers inlet. Those
with time to stop and visit will likely benefit, if they so choose, from the
experience.
Prior to the arrival of Europeans we can fairly assume that
everywhere along the coast was occupied and that a long history of local
relationships had resulted in a stable and sustainable culture. European contact
changed that through the mechanism of new diseases and intentional policy of
the newcomers. The effect was dramatic for the First Nations but they have
persisted and remain determined to have some control over their traditional
territories and maintain the valuable lessons from their cultural history. Canadian
governments accept that First nations have the right to these aspirations. What
is not resolved and may not be resolved any time soon, is the form and
substance this new relationship will take. In the interim, we are all here,
both the original peoples and those who have come from away, and none of us is
going anywhere. And despite strong emotions, we are all people and more alike
than different.
What is also clear is that regardless of the political
arrangements going forward the place needs to be looked after to preserve its
history, its present value and its future. In recent years collaboration
between FN’s and governments works toward incorporating the knowledge of First
Nations people into policies to preserve the environment for the benefit of
those here now and those who will be here in the future. As this is being
written an agreement to protect an area near Banks Island was announced. A refuge
for several species of marine life that are under threat. Climate change will
require even more collaboration and wisdom going forward. Commercial and industrial
development needs to respect local values and environmental risks.
Paddlers who use this guide need to be aware that every
beach they stop on was, at an early time, the home of an ancestor of someone
who lives in this area today. This does not need to mean not being in the area,
but it does mean that evidence of historical usage must be left untouched.
First nations people understand that we are all part of nature. This is neither
good nor bad, but our behavioural choices can be both good or bad. Keep this in
mind as you visit. Take it upon yourself to be an advocate for preserving and
keeping this wonderful place.
A thought
about paddling on the outer coast
Paddlers choose challenging and remote areas for many
reasons. Some want to test their planning and paddling skills. Some come for
the scenery, the wildlife and the photos that they provide. Some come to share
their experience with friends. Some come just to be in the area and absorb it.
I have tried them all over the years moving toward the later choice as time
works its changes. I have learned what is most important is not your motivation
but your attitude. I think the best guide to bringing an appropriate attitude
can be learned from the First Nations. Understand that you are part of nature
and respect all of it. Ensure that your passage is always sustainable. Take
responsibility for stewardship both locally and more broadly with the
environment.
When arriving at the north shore of Banks Island coming from the north, paddlers will have noticed that the offshore swell has pretty much disappeared leaving only the waves generated in Hecate Strait. Local weather predictions should be adequate for predicting sea state. Be aware than on an ebb, a lot of water comes out of Beaver Passage north of McCauley Island which will cause drift to the west. Beaver Passage has a maximum speed of 4 knots, and it is a secondary current station for the purposes of timing.
1. Deadman Inlet
The eastern half of the north shore of Banks Island has several beaches of fine sand all of which are quite flat. This means a very long distance from camp to water when the tide is low. Plan accordingly. The best of the them is the beach near the west entrance to Deadman Inlet. This site has a couple of small streams that drain the lowlands to the south.
2. Banks Island North
Approximately l.2 nm west of Deadman inlet is a westerly
facing gravel beach with a strong stream. This beach is considerably steeper
than the sand beaches to the east making coming and going easier. It is our
choice for the north shore of Banks. Entry is possible from the north between
the rock at higher tides. There is ample beach camping above summer highs.
3. Larsen Island
The channel between Banks Island and Larsen Island is
passable at tides above 4 meters at Griffith Harbour. There is little to choose
between this channel and going around the west end of Larsen as both routes are
well protected from offshore influence. The west facing beach on the south west
shore of Larsen Island is a well protected choice with boulders lower down and
sand at the top. Fortunately a couple of canoe channels have been cleared which
are visible on the google image. Beach camping but no reliable water source.
Once south of Larsen Island strong influence from sea states
and winds from the Northwest diminish substantially.
The easiest way to transit the west side of Banks Island
from north to south to be there with high tides early in the morning and use
the ebb. Padding against a flood will slow progress substantially. An important
caveat to using the ebbs is that with southeast wind and waves paddling can
become very difficult.
The effect of low pressure systems with southerly winds
in Hecate Strait
On my first visit to this area in 2011 we camped at the
Kirkendale site planning to take a day off for the passage of a low pressure
system and rain. On our second night at this place the low passed and the wind
blew from the south. The effect was that the high tide was one foot or thirty
centimetres higher than it would have been with good weather. This site is not
exposed directly to the south, so it was fully protected from the wind. The
next time I was in this area, the day after a low pressure had passed, the
energy in the water flowing north caused a very difficult disorganized sea
state once I emerged from the protection of the Sneath islands. This was the
effect of ebb meeting incoming energy on a day that had little wind. The shallow
water probably was part of the issue but the lesson to be learned is that
Hecate Strait takes a long time to settle down after southerly wind has created
rough seas. I had experience this phenomena further south when returning to
Aristazabal from the west after a strong low had passed. On that occasion no
wind but 6 or 7 nm of very difficult paddling in heavy chop that seemed to lack
structure.
On the first trip we were stopped by this effect at the site
south of KingKown inlet on a day after the wind had calmed and the low pressure
had passed. I should have learned from that first experience when there years
later. The combination of higher tides caused by the combined effects of
southerly winds, low pressure and presumably shallow water can have a
significant effect on the utility of campsites. I have camped twice at the site
east of Kelp Point in good weather and found good beach camping at quite high
tides. Jon Dawkins was there during a low pressure with modest southerly winds and
the beach flooded with a predicted high tide at Griffiths Harbour one foot less
than during our visit. The moral is that the west side of Banks is quite an
easy area to paddle in good weather making good time with the aid of ebbs in
the morning. It can also be a very difficult place to paddle with poor weather
and some of the camps will not be useful. It is probably prudent to have a few
extra days to stay on shore if a low passes and be prepared to wait longer than
usual for the sea to calm.
4. Tombolo
The camp site at the tombolo at the south entrance to an
inlet about 1/2 nm north of Solander point has good beach camping that should
survive high tides and most weather conditions. A very pleasant and protected
spot. This is probably where a person wants to stop with southerly weather
imminent or having recently passed. There appears to be a good creek at the
head of the inlet if you are short of water.
5. Kirkendale Island
The Sneath Islands protect several nice looking sand beaches
some of which are suitable for camping in good weather.
The camp site on Kirkendale Island is a well protected
mostly gravel beach (some mud at the bottom) that appears to have First Nation
history. There is beach camping on gravel for several tents and potential for
upland camping with some light clearing on what appears to be midden. When we
were there most recently, a Saskatoon berry bush was marked as culturally
significant. There is a creek in a small cove about 300 metres to the north
which is most easily accessed at lower tides. This place has been shown to
survive higher tides with southerly wind and low pressure. I had good luck
fishing for black rockfish, a favourite of mine, west of the Antle Islands and
coho north of Kelp Point.
6. Clam Garden
The site approximately 1.85 nm south of the Antle Islands is
in my mind one of the more interesting examples of First Nations technology
along the coast. Entered from the south through a relatively narrow channel one
sees that the southern part of the bay has what appears to be a man made
structural barrier from one side to the other with a narrow channel in the
middle. The google image attached shows this quite clearly. A strong creek
enters from the east. The area encompassed by the barrier is about 16 hectares
or 40 acres. Camping is at the top of the bay on sand in driftwood. When I was there,
in decent weather with settling sea state, adequate tent space above a very
high tide was not a problem. Given what I have learned about the effects of low
pressure and southerly wind, it is quite possible this beach would disappear in
those conditions. The possible conversion of this bay and the inlet immediately
to the north into clam gardens must have provided food for a large number of
people. Additionally, this site would only need a barrier about 10 metres in
length across the entry channel which could be opened and closed to make it a
very large fish trap.
7. Kelp Point
The site 1.7 nm east of Kelp Point is accessed by turning
north along 130* 16’ into a funnel shaped inlet. The camping beach is toward
the head of the inlet is a relatively steep sand/grit/gravel that is accessible
at tides above 1.5 metres. Below that level are rocks. When we stayed there in
2011 we had a 21’ tide at Griffiths Harbour and there was ample room. When Jon
Dawkins stayed there in 2015 they had rain and southerly wind and with a 20’
tide and the place flooded. The difference was the weather and sea state
pushing into this funnel shaped inlet. We are wise to focus on being safe and
having fun, but sometimes keeping a smile requires a bit of extra effort.
Enjoy Jon’s account of his visit to this site.
The predictive trifecta used for forecasting suffering
is fatigue, pain, and anxiety. In my case those elements were wind against
current, heavy rain and a gastrointestinal fairy rumbling in my gut. Looking
forward to what had been described as the best campsite in the area we entered
the tapering bay south of Kelp Point and landed about 1 1⁄2 hour before high
slack. There should have been plenty of room yet the water had already risen to
the heavy driftwood logs, something that shouldn't have happened. We pulled our
boats up onto the logs and set up the parawing to provide some comfort as we
warmed, ate and recouped but rain and rising tide turned the beach into
standing water and quicksand as we perched on top of the logs and watched the
ocean take the beach. Since there was no place large enough to fully set up a
tent we crammed our shelters into tiny areas that would allow half of the
footprint to be deployed. The rain continued until morning. With water running
under and in some cases inside of our tents we spent the night marooned in our
distorted ripstop envelopes on tiny, inflated air mattress islands. Nothing
could get me back out into that rain until morning.........other than the
Gastrointestinal Fairy who came calling during the night.
For the full story, visit Jon’s blog (3meterswell) and read
“The Faces of Type III Fun”
I stayed there a few years ago and found the same roomy
conditions as in 2011. This is the best site in the area with the next good
site over 12nm away in an inlet. For those coming from the north, weather from
the south would make it extremely difficult to get from Kirkendale Island to
the inlet to the south. And in those conditions stopping at the Kelp Point site
might not be a good choice. Plan accordingly.
8. Wreck Islands
The site east of the Wreck islands would be a choice only in case of necessity, but it does have room for a couple of tents if there is not a lot of rain. It is noted because there just aren’t many places along this part of the coast that have a flat spot large enough to pitch a couple of tents above spring tides.
9. South West Inlet
About halfway between Grief and Spearer points is a well-protected bay accessed along 53°14.5 north. Going north from the easterly part of this bay is south facing inlet that is fed by a large stream. The camp site is a difficult place to land at lower tides because of the steep and rocky beach. At higher tides the beach is flatter. There is a kind of boat ramp with what is left of cross logs. I don’t think this inlet dries but if it did, getting out in the creek would be possible. The site has obvious use as a camp or house site and stripped cedars suggest a longer term FN use. Camping high on the beach or in the upland with room for many with some light clearing. There is a small creek at the site that provides good water. At high tide it is possible to paddle into a lake but beware as the route becomes a waterfall as the tide ebbs.
10. Terror Point
This site is behind a second island north of Terror Point
and accessed from the east. There is a sand/clamshell beach on Banks Island
which would likely be fine at moderate tides but perhaps disappear at spring
tides. There is no obvious upland option. Jon Dawkins reports that he was able
to find room in the upland immediately south of this site that, with some
clearing might accommodate two tents. I consider this a secondary site but it
might be useful for those going north not wanting to deal with a northwest wind
after Terror Point.
11. Calamity Bay
The primary site in Calamity Bay is on a small islet, the most northerly in a group of three, in the northeast part of the bay. Landing is on a gravel beach facing Banks Island. There are camping opportunities on the northern end of the islet. There is a strong creek that enters at the top of the bay to the north of the islet.
The area east of Terror Point including all of Calamity Bay is a rock fish conservation where fishing for fin fish is not permitted.
Banks
Island to Rennison Island
In many respects this piece is the most challenging covered in this guide. In the last few years the situation has been made worse by wolves on Campania Island who want into your food and will not take no for an answer. There are three routes all of which have their challenges and all of which will require a longer crossing. My experience is three transits of Langley passage and one from Banks via Otter Passage to Campania. There are not many good campsites regardless of the route chosen and all will require taking into account tides, currents and afternoon winds.
Calamity bay to the camp sites immediately south of the
Jewsbury Peninsula on Campania via Otter Passage.
This choice is about 17.5 nm without an obvious choice for a
break other than a couple of rough beaches. And, when you arrive, you may need
to deal with persistent wolves. I met people who abandoned the more northerly
sites on Campania because of wolves and went to the site toward the south end.
That will add another five nautical miles on to your day and might not avoid
the wolf issue. Hopefully the situation with the wolves resolves.
This route first needs to have a flood tide near the time
when you want to start. Otter passage runs up to 6 knots so starting a couple
of hours before the change to ebb is ideal. Otter Passage current is based upon
Prince Rupert tides and it changes to ebb about one hour forty five minutes
before high tide at Prince Rupert. Otter passage is a secondary current station
based upon Prince Rupert so sort out the timing before you leave home. There is
a tide station at the Block Islands in Otter Passage and that reaches high
water about 25 minutes before high tide at Prince Rupert. There are two
principal weather/sea state issues with this route. The first is outflow winds
in the morning coming from as far away as Kitimat which may meet the incoming
current from Otter Passage. A good estimate of the outflow wind speed can be
gleaned from the readings a Nanakwa shoal. Some of this issue can be avoided by
paddling behind the islands to the north of Trutch Island. The whole problem
can be avoided by waiting for the outflow to ease later in the morning.
The second sea state issue is the likelihood, in good weather, of strong northwesterly winds developing around mid-day that will blow down Principe Channel into Estevan Sound and on down into Laredo Channel. My experience is that these can be very strong and they will be on your beam crossing over to Campania if you wait too long. John Kimantas indicates a camp site on Prior Island near the entrance to Langley Passage. I have stayed there and don’t recommend it unless necessary.
This route to Campania is about one nautical mile further
than via Otter Passage but there may be some advantage. Langley Passage floods
toward the middle from the three main entrances. The optimal situation is to be
about the middle of Langley Passage at high tide. This would mean a flood in
from the west and then the early part of the ebb on the way out to the east.
Currents at the west entrance are manageable when they are against you, the east entrance is not so easy. At low tides the east entrance is shallow and
narrow and not manageable for most paddlers. An advantage of this route is that
it is possible to stop for a break at the old barracks in Ethelda Bay and the
last time I was there several years ago camping was possible if not desirable.
The problems with crossing from the Estevan Group to Campania are the same as
with the Otter Passage route. If you are delayed getting out of Langley Passage
there is the risk of strong afternoon winds in Estevan Sound. Also, once you
get to Campania the wolf problem remains.
12. Hickey Island - Calamity Bay to Campania via Langley
Passage
There is a variation of the Langley Passage route that may
be easier and that is to exit via the channel that enters from the south. I
haven’t been that way but on satellite images it does not look overly constricted
or shallow. John Kimantas does not record a good beach on the Hickey Islands
but there appears to be two good options both on the largest Hickey Island.
Keep in mind that John did not have the benefit of good satellite images when
he did his survey and both options on the Hickey Islands were probably not
visible to him in a kayak. As John noted the best place is a small islet about
one nautical mile west of the Hickey Island, but that is an ecological reserve.
On this variation the distance from Calamity Bay to the Hickey islands is 16.8
nautical miles. Again it would be best to enter from the west on a flood and
exit to the south on an ebb. An advantage of this route is that once into
Langley Passage paddling would be in waters that are very protected. From the
Hickey Island options, it is approximately 10 miles to the camp site on the
north shore of Rennison Island.
13. Oswald Bay - Calamity
Bay to Rennison Island via west side of the Estevan Group.
There is a good camping on Barnard island in Oswald Bay. A
small pocket about 600 metres NNW of the entrance to the channel that separates
Barnard Island from Dewdney Island. The large beach closer to the channel dries
for a very long distance and might only be useful if coming and going on a high
tide. The site has a gravel beach and room in the upland for several tents.
The distance from the Calamity Bay site is about 11nm. The
site was first identified by John Kimantas, and Jon Dawkins, who is helping with
this guide, has been there. From the Oswald Bay site it is possible to paddle
in the channel to the east that runs North of Dewdney Island. Kimantas says
that a tide of 19.5 feet at Prince Rupert is needed to get through as the area
is very shallow. Using this route, it would be about 14nm to the camp site on
Rennison island. Going around the west side of Dewdney Island from Oswald Bay
would be about 18nm and run the risk of mid-day northwest winds even with an
early start.
Crossing to Rennison Island
Regardless of which route is chosen at some point a crossing
to Rennison Island is required. From the Hickey Islands or from the main camp
site on Campania it is about 10 nm. The main issue in this area is strong flood
and ebb currents that enter and exit in the large channel between Rennison
Island and Dewdney island. The flood runs mainly from southwest to northeast
with some of the water turning up into Estevan sound. The ebb is the reverse
with about the same strength. During one crossing from Rennison island to
Campania island I stopped my boat in the water and the GPS recorded a drift
speed of two knots. I think the current timing is fairly close to the tides in
this area. It is important to give full consideration to the effect of these
currents and if possible plan to use them. Not doing this will likely result in
ending up in the wrong place and having to paddle against a strong current to
recover.
Aristazabal and Price Islands
West of Aristazabal island starting from Rennison island in
the north down to Conroy Island, about 9 nautical miles west of the Arriaga
Islands in the south is a line of islands and reefs that largely stop any wave
energy coming from the southwest or west. Combined with the various islands
that provide lee side paddling, this means that there is only about 1.5 nm of
exposure to the open ocean toward the south end of the Island and another 700
metres when leaving the camp in SE Weeteeam Bay before turning behind shelter
for the route around the bottom of the island. The offshore barriers also have
the effect of funnelling flooding tides from nine nm down to about one nm near
the north end of Beauchemin Channel. This probably explains why the islands now
called the Anderson Islands, south of Rennison Island and the other islands
strung out toward the south were called the Rip Tide islands on the Admiralty
charts. So the risk to be avoided is paddling south with northwest wind during
a flood tide. In good weather just starting early in the day to avoid the
afternoon northwest wind usually is sufficient. If you happen to be going south
to north, there will be a good push from flood tides.
14. North Rennison Island
This site sits where is needs to be to act as a landing
place for those coming south and a starting place for those going north. In a
Bay approimately 1/2 nm east of Oswald Point there are three beaches that all
have some sand for landing. We thought the more westerly beach was the best for
beach camping. We learned from experience after the original survey, that at
spring tides, most of the camping opportunities on the beach flood. Jon Dawkins
stayed there in 2015 and they cleared room for two tents in the upland in the
west corner of the more easterly beach. Water is available in a north facing
cove 500 meters to the east.
15. North Anderson Island.
This site along the north shore of the larger most easterly
Anderson Island is the long established camping site for this area. There is an
old cabin accessed near the east end of the beach and recent information
suggests there may be 8 or 9 upland tent sites. We have had success spin
casting for coho from the rocks that boundary the west side of the beach.
The area near the north end of Aristazabal island is
generally good for coho in the summer and supports the North King Fishing lodge
in Borrowman Bay.
16. Kettle Inlet
The camp site on the south side of Kettle Inlet near the
Northwest tip of Aristazabal Island has a good all tide beach of sand/gravel.
There is beach camping for several tents at spring tides and many more at lower
tide levels. There is a good creek across the inlet to the north. An issue with
this site is that at very low tides the
channels between the string of islands to the northwest dry and this adds an
extra nautical mile to your day if you want to go south.
Midnight Musing
We landed in this perfect, protected narrow inlet with a
good sandy beach and a creek.
During the night
the wind started to funnel on to the land through the inlet with strong gusts.
I guess my tent wasn’t well anchored and the weather side started to lift and
woke me up.
Without thinking and half asleep, I got out of the tent
to put some rocks on the corners. It was a warm partially moonlit night. I
looked around to enjoy the night and when I looked back, the tent was gone.
Looking inland, there it was, rolling down the beach with
all my night gear inside getting the clothes dryer treatment. It was an odd
feeling standing there wearing nothing but a toque and perplexed look as your
tent looks for a spot more to its liking.
In good time all but the tent pegs and my dignity were
recovered.
Glenn Lewis
17. Clifford Bay
This site is immediately to the SE of Babbage Island at the northern end of the most northerly Normansell Island has a good sand beach down to almost the bottom. There is upland camping for many tents and beach camping at other than spring tides. The site is well protected from any weather arriving from the south. Water is available in Flux creek at the head of Clifford Bay. Water is also available and more easily accessed at the head of the small cove on Aristazabal Island approximately 1/2 nm to the southeast of the site.
The channels created by the Normansell islands create quite
strong currents on both floods and ebbs. It is possible to stay along the shore
of Aristazabal at tides above 2.6 metres at Beauchemin Channel.
A secondary site on the northeast corner of the most
southerly Normansell Island was suitable when the original survey was done but covered
with kelp when I was there several years later.
Good fishing for ground fish (ling cod and many types of
rock fish) and midwater fish (black rock fish) can be found off the large rock
at the south end of the most southerly Normansell Island. From this spot to the
north end of the Arriaga islands is the longest exposure to the open ocean
along the west side of Aristazabal. The most protected route to the primary
site in SE Weeteeam Bay has paddlers turning west into the islands and islets
before the protection of the Arriaga Islands is lost. The paddle from the Normansell
Islands into Weeteeam Bay would likely be quite difficult with southerly wind
or waves given the exposures and the many rocks and reefs that would add to the
sea state.
18. SE Weeteeam Bay
This site is a former Kayak Bill site that someone chose to
dismantle about 5 or 6 years ago. The site is a fine sand beach with some
upland camping and rooms for many tents. The beach is well protected from swell
but has some exposure to Southerly wind. A secondary site on the north end of
the island immediately to the west might be a better choice to ride out stormy
weather. There is a creek behind a small island about 3/4 nm north of the camp
site that is most easily accessed at medium to low tides. If you can’t like
this place, maybe you should think about a different pass time.
When in this area I fish off the south point of a large rock
approximately 3/4 nm to the SW of the camp site.
The route from this camp site to the east side of
Aristazabal island is all protected by offshore islands except for about 700
metres. Be cautious in this short stretch as the water is shallow and there are
several large boomers. The paddle along the south shore of Aristazabal is
interesting with many islets and channels, all well protected from offshore
energy, that can be used at higher tides. At lower tides a more southerly
course inside the barrier islands but not in the channels closer to the main
island is recommended.
19. SE Aristazabal
This site is a little over a mile south of Lombard Point is
another former Kayak Bill site that he called his receiving camp. It was a
place for him to stop after crossing from Higgins Passage. Like the site in SW Weeteeam Bay,
someone chose to remove the remnants of Bill’s camp. There is room in the
upland for several tents and some beach camping.
For those choosing to cross from this area to Price island
one risk is leaving too late in the day and having to deal with NW wind in the
early afternoon. What I do is check the weather report for McInnes Island light
station at 4 am and if there is outflow from the east (Seaforth Channel) that
means that the NW wind will likely be held in check until at least noon. I have
been preparing to cross when winds at the light station were close to 20 knots
none of which made it to the south end of Aristazabal. The highlands on the
east side of Price island stop the outflow from coming directly across Laredo Sound.
This is probably not a good crossing to attempt with southerly weather
especially if the tide is on an ebb. The tidal currents seem to be quite strong
on the Aristazabal side and ease as one moves toward the east. Leaving the camp
on Aristazabal, aim at Kitasoo Hill and you will end up at Higgins Passage.
Cruise ships transit Laredo sound so keep and eye out for them and if there is
poor visibility you may want to check in with vessel traffic in Prince Rupert.
Laredo Channel and Kitasoo Bay. When the weather is
nice in the summer the mountains heat during the morning and sometime around noon
a strong onshore wind will manifest as a Northwesterly starting up in Principe
Channel and blowing down through Estevan Sound, Laredo channel and sound, Kitasoo
Bay, and then north of Kitasoo Hill along the south shore of Swindle Island
heading for Seaforth Channel. My experience is that the wind can rise from
light to 15-20 knots very quickly. I think generally the strongest wind is in
mid afternoon. Laredo channel has current speeds of up to about 2 knots around
the Ramsbotham Islands and on a flood against this onshore wind can create very
difficult and potentially dangerous sea states. John Kimantas reports, I think
from the Sailing Directions, that Laredo channel floods for about 8 hours and
ebbs for about 4 in each cycle. Something like that is my experience. The
solution is quite easy. Be where you want to stop before lunch.
Coming from Ulric Point on the north end of Aristazabal
Island down Laredo channel offers two primary camps sites on the Aristazabal
side. On the east side of the channel a paddler is hard pressed to find a place
to get out of their boat and I know of no easy place to camp except the IR at
Disju and that is not open to the public.
20. Baker Point
Baker Point is a prominent sand gravel point 2.5 nm south of
Ulric Point. There are large beaches on both side of the point, In good weather
the south side of the point is more protected and out of the afternoon wind.
Both beaches are exposed to southerly weather. The beach north of the point is
a good place to spin cast for coho. If you choose to camp on the south side, at
lower tides the beach is guarded by large boulders which make launching
difficult. There is a creek.
21. Shotbolt Point
My preferred site is about 3/4 of a nautical mile north of Shotbolt point where there is a southeast facing sand ramp down to the lowest tides. There is ample beach camping on sand above summer highs. There is one of the best creeks on this side of Aristazabal about 200 meters NW of the camp which is easily accessible along the beach. This place is out of afternoon northwest winds and very protected from all forms of southerly wind. A very good place to ride out some poor weather. If you don’t see a wolf or two between this place and Baker Point, you are unlucky. A benefit of this place is that it puts Wilby Point or Monk Bay within reach before afternoon winds start to rise. I have paddled down this east side of Aristazabal with a flood current and except for a few headlands the current is not an impediment near to the shore. For those using this route, there is a north facing sand cove 3/4 nm northwest of Tildesley Point behind some reefs that is a good place for a break before crossing to Wilby Point.
22. Wilby Point
For me, wilderness camping does not get much better than
sitting at Wilby Point watching the sun come over Klemtu Mountain with a cup of
coffee and good book. And, from time to time, a morning visit from a local wolf
doing the rounds of the beaches. There are two sand ramps coming into Kitasoo
Bay. The first is about 175 metres from the point the second a little over 500
metres from the point. The first one faces a little to the north and the second
more toward the south. The first is coarser gravel and second finer gravel. I
prefer the site further in as it has much more room for camping both on the
beach and in the upland and it is out of the afternoon wind. Spin casting for
coho is often good at the more northerly beach and trolling along the shore or
using a buzz bomb from the point in is often successful. There is a long beach
that stretches to the south which has some weak streams that drain the upland.
In poor weather with wind from the south the Wilby Point
site is completely exposed as the weather comes unimpeded north of Kitasoo
Hill. During this situation a retreat to Milne Island, which is protected from
southerly weather, is a better choice.
For those paddling from Klemtu and heading north up Loredo
Channel, Monk Bay, a lunch site in the Wild Coast guide, now has some upland
and beach camping. This site saves about two hours of paddling before starting
north in Laredo Channel and may help avoid afternoon wind.
Higgins Passage. Until a few years ago the big, probably
former village site at the west end of Higgins Passage was among the most used
in the area and camping was allowed. Then the Kitasoo decided that they no
longer want people to camp there. That decision came after Jon Dawkins reported
stopping there and the place had been left a mess. It is indeed regrettable,
although understandable, that this place is no longer available for camping as
it is a strategic site for crossing to and from Aristazabal or paddling from
Pidwell Reefs to the east to Wilby Point further to the north.
For those coming from Wilby Point and going to Pidwell
Reefs, the easiest transit is in the channel south of Lohbrunner Island which
requires about 7 feet of water. A risk is that if you leave the paddle from
Higgins until too late in the day, the northwest wind which blows through the
low lands north of Kitasoo Hill will cause unrest along the south shore of
Swindle Island.
For those going south along Price Island, the protection of the islets and reefs will provide quite good cover.
23. Larkin Point
For those coming from Pidwell Reefs and heading for Wilby
Point, a risk is that by the time you get to Larkin Point, about 2.5nm south of
Wilby Point, there might be a strong afternoon northwesterly in your face. In
this situation there is no established camp site, but there is a small islet in
the midst of several reefs and shallows 700 metres SE of Larkin Point. I
thought the east side of this islet would survive high tides. This place is
included as a possible campsite, for no other reason than I have never been
able to find anything better in this area.
24. West Side of Price Island
Both the west and east side of Price Island are very rugged
and offer very few opportunities to land and fewer places to camp. On the west
side, shallow ground extends well offshore with the result that there are about
400 islands or islets and uncountable rocks and reefs scattered between Day
Point in the south and Higgins Passage. A positive aspect of this situation is
that there is a route that stays close to the main island shore that, except
for a couple of short sections, is very well protected from offshore wave
energy. The Chart for this area is an old survey at a scale that gives little
help with the convoluted shore. What works is satellite photos. Originally I
used google satellite images and drew longitudes and latitudes to be used with
a GPS. In recent years the resolution of satellite images has improved
significantly and it is now fairly easily to plan a route that stays in the lee
of the islets and reefs. As of November 2025 the google images show the
situation at high tide and Bing images show it at low tide. The low tide images
make it much easier to follow the protected route as they show more channels
and reefs.
Another effect of the shallow water is that fishing for
groundfish is poor.
On the west side of Price Island there is one primary camp
site. Rudolph bay is noted as a secondary site and camping may be possible,
particularly during neap tides inside the Bay. Another site a little north of
where a paddler turns east into Day Passage has potential for some tents and is
a protected place to take a break.
The primary site is five nautical miles south of Higgins
Passage and it is a good one. A well protected large sand beach with a good
creek. I have been in this place with strong northwest and southerly winds and
neither situation caused significant waves on the beach. During tides lower
than springs camping on the main beach and among the logs is good with room for
many. At spring tides, or just to feel more secure, immediately to the south is
a small pocket beach which will survive all summer tides. That site has room
for many tents but may require moving a bit of driftwood. South of this site
are a series of small islands. I think that at very high tides it might be
possible to paddle in the lee of these islands but that has never been possible
in the six times that I have been there. The route around these islands is one
of the exposures, with northwest wind, and I think it is a good place to remain
alert for boomers as there are many and the shallow water causes a lot of echo
off of the rocks. With southerly winds, the exposure is minimal.
25. South Side of Price Island
Toward the bottom of Price Island where the shore turns
toward the Southeast the protection of the islands that forms a kind of inside
passage is lost for approximately 3/4 nm. My experience is that during good
weather with wind and wave energy coming from the west or northwest, the
shallow water and exposure to any offshore swell means that a paddler should
expect some chop and disorganized seas. I have never found this place to be a
significant risk in this situation. The situation is different with poor weather
and southerly winds. With wind waves and swell coming from the south and being redirected
by the rocks and reefs, the 3/4 mile of exposure may well be more than some
paddlers find comfortable. Coming from the north, a stop at the secondary site
in this area is a choice. Coming from the east side of Price through Day
Passage on days with south wind and sea state, perhaps waiting for a better day
before leaving the east price site is wisest. Once you are at the west end of
Day Passage there is no good bail out choice and if you turn north in rough
conditions, the situation is likely to get worse before you find shelter ¾ nm
to the north.
Day Passage is well protected from almost all offshore
energy. The first time that I paddled around the south end of Price Island the
only information available was a cruising guide which talked about the good
beach combing in the area. I foolishly thought this must mean there were
beaches. I have been to this place six times looking for a potential camp site
and even using satellite images I cannot find a place that is worthy of the
name that can be accessed through a full tide cycle.
26. East Side of Price Island
This area has less shallow water near to shore and with only
a couple of exceptions its beaches are steep and coarse rock. When the guides
were first published we had used south arm of Langford Cove for camping. It is
okay on the beach at lower tides but floods at springs. On one trip, I cleared
room for one tent in the upland about mid beach. The main factor recommending
this place was that we were unaware of any other choice.
Since then, a small cove with a sand ramp facing southeast
has been located one mile north of Langford Cove. This is, by far, the best
(and really only) choice for camping on this side of Price Island. The upper
part of this beach has a fairly heavy load of drift wood and logs which only
allow beach camping at tides below 15 feet at Day Point. In southerly weather
waves would reduce that option. Fortunately someone cleared some tent sites in
the upland which can easily accommodate 3 tents and probably 5 or 6 with a
squeeze. There is a good creek. Between about 10-12 feet of water there are
some boulders in the sand which form a partial barrier but the last time I was
there it was quite easy to clear a path through for my kayak cart. Above and
below the rocks is a good sand beach.
Crossing from Price Island toward the east will mean dealing
with quite strong currents flowing north/south. I have been told that on an ebb
where this current meets incoming swell, toward the south end of Price Island,
a heavy turbulence can develop, For paddlers crossing toward Dallas Island,
about mid channel there will likely be some chop during ebb currents.
I have always been able to catch a salmon trolling near to
Boulder Head.
West Coast of Calvert Island
The west side of Calvert Island is a very different
experience from the outer coast covered by this guide to the north. For the
most part, while the landform is fairly flat, the sea, other than near the
shore is not very shallow. There are no lines of islands and reefs to protect
the beaches and any protection from Haida Gwaii has long since disappeared. The
result is predictable and that is a series of sand beaches created by the
pounding of swell coming from offshore.
When we did the original survey in 2013 we had calm weather
with swell of only .7 meters at the West Sea Otter buoy when checking the many
small beaches in the northern half of the island. Most of the time, the swell
would be higher, and the result would be more surf on many of those small
beaches. In this version of the guide, the intent is to identify those places
where landing and camping is possible on beaches that will have little if any
surf when there is 2 or 3 meters of swell offshore at the buoys.
Tidal currents are not strong along most of that part of
outer Calvert that lies north to south except at the north and sometimes the
south ends.
North of Calvert Island is Hakai Pass. A large amount of
water moves to and from Fitzhugh Sound at speeds of up to about 4 knots. On an
ebb, when that water meets incoming swell, the predictable result is very rough
water and possibly standing waves. I have read about standing waves 20 feet
high at times of large swell. In the summer, that sort of thing is not very
likely but even with moderate swell, a good deal of unrest is probably around
the NW corner of Calvert on ebbs. I have recently been reminded that some of
the current from Hakai turns south at the Surf Islands so the difficult sea
state caused by swell against current may continue for some distance south
along the coast.
The east side Calvert Island has some mountains and
highlands. These seem to contribute to the afternoon northwesterly phenomena
that occurs along our coast in good weather. More than in most areas, our
advice is to start paddling early in the morning and get to your beach before
the afternoon winds start. The entire coast of Calvert Island is fully exposed
to poor weather in the form of Southerly winds except for Grief Bay in the
south. Most likely if a low pressure comes ashore, you will consider the choice
to wait it out until it passes and the sea quietens.
Once you turn toward the east after Blackney island paddlers
are still not out of the woods from northwest winds and local currents. It is
only about 8nm from Blackney Island but anywhere near to the shore has many
islands and islets and not a lot of deep water. Wind from the northwest seems
to come unimpeded over the low ground in the southwest portion of Calvert and
Rivers inlet seems to add to the problem by drawing that wind to the east later
in the day. I think that another factor that adds to the situation and should
be considered is the huge amount of water that comes out of Rivers Inlet and Fitzhugh
Sound on its way out to sea. The result of all this is that if you are paddling
from Blackney Island in the afternoon, in good weather on an ebb tide, the sea
state is likely to be quite rough with a lot of echo if you are near to the
shore. There is an inside route closer to the shore once past Chic Chic Bay
which might be quieter, or you can move offshore a bit and avoid the echo. The
better solution is to leave Blackney early in the morning on a flood tide and
it will only take about three hours to be safely into Grief Bay. In the case of
poor weather with southerly winds, there is little cover along the southern
shore of Calvert Island.
In the 2013 survey we visited almost all of the coves and
bays along the west side of Calvert and found most of them suitable for camping
and with almost no wind or swell we were able to land without difficulty,
except at a couple of large surf beaches. But the conditions that we had are
not all that common and higher swell and some wind should be expected. In this
guide, some mention remains of the many places where it is possible to land and
camp but the focus is on places where we think that landing with little or no
surf and camping is possible in more challenging conditions. This reduces about
10 or 12 sites down to five primary sites that are spread out appropriately and
allow for a couple of bail out spots if the sea state turns for the worse.
Paddling from North to South, we suggest either starting at
North Beach, or a west facing beach approximately 1.5 nm south of the Surf
Islands.
27. North Beach
My experience is that the west end of North Beach has a
couple of places to land in little or no surf in most conditions. There is, or
was, a trail through to the beach to the south which gives access to the Hakai
institute. That southern beach often has a lot of surf but landing in the
northwest corner will be possible in many conditions.
28. Island 55
The recommended place to camp is a west facing arc beach
behind an island marked ‘55’ on the chart. The north corner of this beach is
very protected by a point to the west, the various islands and reefs further
west and a lot of kelp near the north entrance to the bay. There is a creek
which should have water except in very dry years.
29. Pocket
Another choice is a small pocket about 300 metres south of
the south end of the recommended beach in a pocket a little to the west of a
larger open south facing beach. This pocket is without much surf or swell at
lower tides. At higher tides swell can get in from the west and cause a
difficult landing.
There are well used headland trails that join most of these
beaches together.
30. Dublin Point
The next primary site is a little less than 3/4 nm north of
Dublin Point. The west facing bay has a narrow entrance that is shallow with a
lot of kelp. This protection and the dissipation of energy in the bay as it
widens has the effect of reducing most of the offshore energy. We thought that
the beaches in the northern part of the bay were best for camping and in most
years there would be water from a small creek. This place is listed because the
next good place to land is behind Blackney Island, about 7nm to the south. Stop
here if you don’t want to risk getting caught out in a rising wind.
South of Dublin Point is three mile beach. It is about 1.5nm
long and not obviously three miles from anywhere. About mid beach is Bolivar
Island. We planned to land on this beach and timed our arrival to be in the
morning when Bolivar Island was tomboloed to the shore. On our day, there was
very low swell from the northwest, and almost no wind. Our hope that one side
of Bolivar would be without surf did not pan out. If you chose to land on this
beach, and the sea state increases, you may be there for a while before being
able to launch.
Where else can you experience larceny, mayhem, time
travel and have a conversation with a Leviathan all in a 15 hour period?
I had a vacuum sealed pouch of the very best beef jerky I
have ever tasted when I set up camp on Calvert Island. All of the rest of my
food had been hung but I kept the jerky close in case I was tempted during the
night. It went into my net beach bag and was stuffed beneath my drysuit in the
vestibule of the tent.
Around midnight I awoke to a rustling sound coming from
the vestibule. Donning my headlamp, I dug beneath my drysuit and was horrified
to find 8-10 mice scurrying about in the bag. Physically expelling the mice I
found holes in the bag and the special jerky defiled and partly eaten.
At dawn I awoke to a pair of ravens glocking and
whistling at each other. They sounded very close. Opening my tent door and
looking up I was presented with a fat raven, head cocked, looking down at me. I
was pleased to see that he was about 5 feet away on a log that I had hung my
PFD from. When preparing to launch I was double checking my gear and found the
rubber torn and missing from the antennae of my VHF radio. The raven,
performing an act of wanton destruction, had eaten it. I could receive but could
no longer transmit.
Later that morning I traveled back in time by landing at
an archeological site where researchers had found footprints made by a family
dating back 13,200 years. Living on a geological hinge during the ice age they
had warmed themselves around a fire. What an odd feeling to think of their
lives and their world.
Finally, around 2:30PM I was paddling along a steep rocky shoreline. Calm sea state allowed me to travel just a boat length from the rocky cliff. Suddenly a humpback floated to the surface beside me. His/her left pectoral fin was under the boat trapping me next to the rocks. I didn't feel that I could move and wasn’t sure what would happen next. He/she was breathing softly and we were eye-to-eye, just looking at each other. Shocked, but no longer afraid, we sat like that for a while. Eventually I calmed down, took out a meal bar and had a snack. We sat together for about 10 minutes. As I ate I told him/her about my day. How I would be eating beef jerky if not for those damn mice and how I was concerned about not being able to notify Comox Traffic when it was time to cross Queen Charlotte Strait for Port Hardy. That whale was a good listener. It just looked at me and relaxed. After a bit I remembered that I still needed to find some water and a place to camp and told it that I had to get going but I was still pinned next to the rocks. The whale didn't respond until I tapped on the sides of my boat. At that point the whale gently moved off a bit and dove, its tail bidding me adieu.
Where else does all of that happen in a 15 hour period?
Only on the BC Coast.
Jon Dawkins
31. Blackney Island
This is an expansive and beautiful spot. Winter storms
blowing in from the south ensure much room above all tides. Landing at the
north end of the sand portion of the beach will generally be without any surf. Camping
in that corner of the beach is protected from afternoon north westerlies. As
one moves further south along the beach it becomes more exposed to the open water.
There is a good creek about 45 minutes walking to the north a possible creek
about 10 minutes to the south.
32. Grief Bay
This large sand beach, almost entirely protected by the
Sorrow Islands is a likely stop for everyone, either coming from or going to
Cranstown Point. We have found that camping is good about 100 metres from the
east end of the beach. There is a good creek and there was the remains of a
kayak Bill camp near to the preferred camping spot. At times Grief Bay has been
noted for bugs, but that is not our experience. A precaution would be to ensure
a supply of bug spray and maybe a bug net.
Our experience is that fishing is good all along the west and south sides of Calvert and you are likely to see some sports fishers along the south shore coming from the lodges in Rivers Inlet.
From Grief Bay to Cranstown Point is about 6 nm. An early
morning crossing is likely to be calmer. At some point all of the water and
energy that emerges from Rivers Inlet and Fitzhugh sound on an ebb will meet
incoming energy from the open ocean. With higher swell values offshore, it may
be prudent to make this crossing at slack or on a flood. I am not sure when the
currents in this area change but my estimate would be about an hour after the
tide change.
For those crossing from Calvert Island to Cranstown Point,
an early start is recommended. Sea state should not be overly affected on an
ebb unless offshore swell is quite high and coming from the southwest. This
year, coming south from Fury Island on a day with no wind but an ebb, the
energy from Fitzhugh Sound meeting that from Rivers inlet created 3 miles of
choppy water. Those going north from Cranstown might find it easier with a
flood current.
Cape
Caution – Cranstown Point to Bremner Point
The short stretch of water, less than 20nm, beginning at
Cranstown Point and ending at Slingsby Channel tends to cause some concern
among those in transit. The only place I have been on the coast that requires
more care is the west side of Moresby Island. John Kimantas, after a difficult
day getting around Neck Ness, suggested just getting through as quickly as
possible, in part by staying offshore. My experience is that while there are
several challenges, one after the other, with careful planning, a prudent
approach and more than the usual amount of patience, the area is manageable for
paddlers without the need to endure sea states beyond their comfort zone. For
those who set a paddling schedule and are determined to stay with it,
additional hard paddling skills are recommended, particularly skills with
disorganized sea states.
The most obvious feature of this area is that it is fully
exposed to the open ocean. This means ocean swell that will always be present
at some level. The West Sea Otter buoy about 30 nm west of Cape Caution will
give you hourly reading of swell height. Remember that just because winds have
been light along the coast that does not mean that swell, which may originate
from weather systems well west of our offshore waters, cannot be
disproportionately high. Another factor is shallow water. The whole of the section
covered by this part of the guide has shallow water at least a mile off of
shore and often more. This, as one would expect, means a lot of reefs that will
affect paddling conditions and water moving over shallow water can create
turbulence at the surface. A third factor is the tidal currents running over
this shallow water. During ebb tidal currents huge amounts of water pour
south west out of Rives Inlet and Fitzhugh Sound before being buttressed by
strong outflow currents from Smith Sound. Coming from the east are equally
impressive amounts of water coming out of Queen Charlotte Strait. These
currents often meet somewhere around Neck Ness, and the result is predictable.
Strong currents colliding over shallow water with offshore swell adding to the
energy means rough water. Add some wind and the situation can be more
troublesome.
Another separate feature affecting paddlers is Smith Sound.
This long inlet backs on to the coast range and in good weather afternoon
inflows have been in the 15-20 knot range when I have been there. Crossing
Smith Sound at such times on an ebb will be exciting, at a minimum.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about the transit of
this area over five passages trying to reconcile my experience on the water
with what might be happening to affect sea state. I have concluded that no
matter what precautions are taken, some turbulence will be encountered around
Neck Ness but not so much that paddlers of average ability cannot manage the
sea state and the time of exposure can be pared down to half an hour or so.
As one might expect with exposure to the open ocean in an
area where the terrain is quite flat, there are many sand beaches that call out
to the paddler. This guide lists those that under sea conditions suitable for
the average paddler, a landing can be managed without surf. This guide lists
most of the sites I have used both for being nice places and for their place in
a quiet overall transit.
33. Cranstown Point
The quietest beach to land on faces to the southwest. The
potential for surf, given the shape of the cove is negated by large amounts of
kelp offshore from the beach. This beach is connected to the large beach to the
north by trails. I have stayed there during large spring tides and found that
the south beach retained a couple of spots for camping on sand while they
pretty much disappeared on the north side. There is room in the upland for some
tents just past the shelter accessed from the south beach. There is a creek at
the east end of the north facing beach.
From Cranstown Point to Extended Point is shallow with many
rocks and reefs close to shore, but generally without strong currents. A route
3-400 meters from the shore avoids most of the boomers.
34. Extended Point
This site has three small pocket beaches in a southwest
facing cove behind Tie Island. When I have been there a lot of drift logs made
landing difficult. The most easterly of these pockets has the remains of a
kayak Bill camp.
Extended Point is where a decision needs to be made about crossing Smith Sound. For those who have started at Calvert Island or Fury Island, it is likely that in good weather the inflow winds in Smith Sound are either occurring or about to occur. There are some choices if you choose not to cross because of the inflow wind or the risk of that event. Stay at Extended Point if landing is possible. Cross over to Brown Island where there is a beach on the east side out of the westerly wind. Try to make it to Table Island where camping is possible. Go with the wind into Dsulish Bay, about 3.5 nm which will not take long with a flood current.
35. Dsulish Bay
This site has camping on a large sand beach behind Dsulish
Island. There may be some surge on landing but surf is unlikely. There is ample beach camping above summer tides and a
creek. On the two occasions I have been there, the sea water at the west end of
the beach was quite warm for swimming.
36. Brown Island
37. Table Island
In the channel between Ann Island and Table Island is a
north facing beach that gives access to upland camping. Ann Island is an Indian
Reserve.
38. Red Sand Beach
This site is a very popular beach on the south side of Smith
Sound which has ample beach camping and several upland sites. There is a trail
at the east end of the beach that accesses a strong flowing creek. Most of the
time, the east end of the beach will have more energy so landing in the west
corner is likely to be without surf. If you are leaving Red Sand in the morning
in good weather, an outflow breeze will likely help you along to Milthrop
Point. From Milthrop Point it is about 1 nm to the protected beach in Hoop Bay
where landing and camping is both possible and pleasant.
39. Hoop Bay
The sand beach in Hoop Bay is about 100 meters long is very
well protected from surf by rocks and kelp at the entrance and the shape of the
entrance to Hoop Bay which directs most of the offshore energy on the large
beach a little to the south. There is a creek and ample beach camping.
40.Indian Cove
Landing at the south end of the beach is likely to be
without surf and little surge, not so much mid beach. There is ample beach
camping and upland camping for several tents at two spots partway along the
beach to the north. In 2025 there was a sign indicating a trail to the north
where water was available. There is a creek in the bay immediately to the
north. Another choice is to land in the northwest corner of Blunden Bay. There
is a trail between Blunden Bay and Indian Cove. There is a ‘back door’ in and
out of Indian Cove at higher tides which is probably easier to find going that arriving.
Never Turn Your Back on the Sea
"Never turn your back on the sea" has been a
foundational tenet of ocean safety for ages. Duke Kahanamoku, the Father of
Surfing, is credited with first saying it 100 years ago and it has since been
passed down through skilled watermen such as Eric Soares of the Tsunami
Rangers, and Leo Sommé.
Of Body Boat Blade who trained my paddling partner Dave
Resler, the guy responsible for much of my paddling knowledge. In spite of some
of my practical seamanship education faux pas I always took that saying
seriously.
Recently when Dave and I visited the coast we stopped at
Indian Cove. Being careful, we wanted to round Cape Caution in the morning
before the wind came up so this was an excellent site to camp. The afternoon
wind and swell had created moderate texture at the cove entrance prompting Dave
to look over his shoulder before entering through the rocks first. I watched
the approaching swells then followed a minute or two later.
Once past the turbulence I was able to make out Dave’s
yellow drysuit near the shore. As I approached, I saw that he was standing in
knee-deep water hanging on to the stern toggle of his boat to keep the surge
from taking it into the scattered rocks. His other hand was occupied with the
business of urinating. Standing there with his relief zipper open and both
hands occupied he didn’t notice the larger waves approaching.
Dave doesn’t swear but when he suddenly experienced a
couple of gallons of cold sea water in his drysuit he loudly expressed his
displeasure.
All I could say was “Never turn your back on the sea,
Dave”.
Jon Dawkins
I think I have been around Cape Caution five times without
difficult sea states but always in fog. That is a downside to paddling early in
the morning in August.
41. Wilkie Point
The beach at Wilkie Point is in many respects similar to
Indian Cove. A north/south sand arc with a protected entrance. The easiest
entrance through the channel east of the main island guarding the beach.
Landing in the south corner of the beach is likely to be easiest. There is
ample beach camping. All of the beaches along this part of the coast get enough
heavy weather in the winter that there is usually room above the highest tides
in the summer on the beach. There should be the remains of a kayak Bill Camp
along the beach at this site.
42. Burnett Bay
This is a two mile long southwest facing sand beach that is
one of the finest of its kind on the coast. As one would expect in such a place
with unimpeded exposure to the open ocean, there is some surf, sometimes very
big surf. But there are places to land without surf.
At the north end of Burnett Bay are a group of three islets
two of which, with a rock in aid, extend from the beach. At tides below 2.5
meters the larger outer islet is tomboloed to the next one inland creating an
area without surf in any but southerly conditions. Enter between the two outer
islets from the south on to the beach. At tides between 2.5 and 3.3 metres, the
tombolo between the two islets floods but landing is still likely not difficult
and the carry up the beach a good deal shorter. At tides above 3.3 metres
expect the full energy of swell from the west to break along the shore and any landing
will be in surf. There are two small cabins at this site, one with a stove, and
there is room for a tent or two in the upland near the cabins and unlimited
room for camping on the beach. There is a small creek a little to the north of
the cabins. We dug a depression in the sand where the creek flows out of the
woods and before long a small pool made obtaining water quite easy.
43. Burnet Bay south
At the south end of Burnett Bay there are two options. In
the southwest corner, protected by some rocks extending to the northeast is a
small pocket beach with room for a couple of tents above high water. Here,
landing will be without surf at times when paddlers are likely to be out. This
beach can be accessed at all tides with a short carry. About 100 metres west of
this small beach is a larger beach southwest of the creek. This is the primary
camp site for this end of the beach. Landing may have some surf at higher tides
and will entail a fairly long carry at low tides. Access between the two
beaches at the south end is only possible at lower tides. The creek that enters
at the south end of Burnett Bay floods with sea water for about one kilometer
upstream so if the water is ever not brackish it would be after the area was
able to drain. I don’t know how far upstream it is necessary to go before good
water is attainable.
For those continuing east from Brunett Bay, the first
problem is Slingsby Channel. Only those with strong paddling skills will want
to challenge crossing the entrance to Slingsby on an ebb. Nakwakto Rapids is a
current station and paddlers may want to leave an hour after the change to
flood for the seat state to calm.
For those going south and crossing via the Storm Islands,
the effect of Slingsby channel extends well to the west of its entrance. This
will cause the most unrest after the flood tide starts but before Slingsby turns
to flood. In 2025 while crossing to the south we were in that situation of
outfowing current meeting incoming tide and we had very choppy seas for
approximately three miles.
The beautiful beaches between Cranstown point and Burnett
Bay attract not only paddlers but also our furry friends. I have had a brown
bear visit at the Hoop Bay site, Jon Dawkins had one visit at Indian Cove. I
have seen very large bear prints at Red Sand Beach and on Table Island. The
large beach at Burnett Bay seems to attract bears and wolves. Maybe think about
bringing some bear spray, an air horn, or other deterrents and be cautious
about leaving anything out that will be attractive. When we did the survey in
2013, the wolves at the north end of Burnett Bay had a concerning level of
comfort around us. Since then, I haven’t experienced that but like on Campania
island, once animals start to look at paddlers as a food source, a happy
outcome is unlikely.
Afterword
I am at a reflective stage in my life and that applies to
the relationship that we have with the natural world. Mostly, especially in
earlier years, I was drawn, I thought, by the meaning that I brought to my
paddling adventures. Beautiful sunsets, encounters with wildlife, paddling
challenges managed and being in the company of my paddling mates. This is all
well and good, but several years ago I began to think that there is something
drawing me to these places that was more subtle. There was an epiphany, of
sorts, arising from a lengthy period of eye contact with a wolf standing about 10
feet away at Wilby Point. A feeling that maybe I was part of something.
I believe that throughout the history of human evolution,
until quite recently we were part of the natural environment and now we have
often become visitors and observers. My view of the world is that humans need
to be connected to things and other people to fulfil their basic psychological
and emotional needs. That need is baked into what it means to be one of us.
There is ample evidence that being in nature has positive physical and psychological benefits that parallel the benefits of having close relationships with other people. In recent years I have come to think that if I try to leave the meaning I bring to the wilds aside, I can experience the meaning that the wilds bring to me. I understand that for most people accustomed to living in an urban, organized society, this may not be such an easy process. But for me, it has led to a deeper connection to remote places and a stronger sense that I belong in this world.
We decided to do this guide in an
attempt to keep the information from the original guides alive and add details
of what to expect, gleaned from 15 more years of experience. We also wanted to
produce a better product that was more useful to prospective paddlers and more
attractive to those who just have an interest in the area. None of this would
have happened if I had been left to my own devices.
Fortunately,
Jon Dawkins and Reale Emond agreed to fill in the many gaps of my expertise and
the look of this guide is largely their doing. I am responsible for the
paddling advice, and I only hope that those who want to go to the outer central
coast take a risk avoidance approach. Reale’s role was to put together the bits
and pieces of narrative that I produced in sometimes a not entirely obvious
way. She also reviewed years of photographs and chose those which try to give
the sense that having fun is a primary option. Reale also did most of the work
with the maps and camp site images. Jon has acted throughout as a sounding
board both for my writing, which is not nearly as good as his, and for the
narrative as he has been to all of the places in the guide. His sense of what
is of most interest to the paddling community is much better than mine. His
advice is all through the narrative. Jon also agreed to host the guide for a
test run to see if we can get some reaction from those with a history in
paddling and those who want to create their own history. This is truly a joint
effort all with the single aim of passing along to whomever can use it the many
decades (close to a century between the three of us) of paddling thrills and
experience.
Glenn Lewis
Addendum: Site coordinates:
|
Name |
Lat min/sec |
Long min/sec |
Lat decimal |
Long decimal |
|
1.Deadman
Inlet |
53°37’47.4”N |
130°29’09.8”W |
53.62983°N |
130.48605°W |
|
2.Banks
Island North |
53°37’50.9”N |
130°31’12.1”W |
53.63081°N |
130.52004°W |
|
3.Larsen
Island |
53°36’48.7”N |
130°33’50.5”W |
53.61352°N |
130.56402°W |
|
4.Tombolo |
53°33’32.8”N |
130°32’40.7”W |
53.55911°N |
130.54463°W |
|
5.Kirkendale
Island |
53°29’24.2”N |
130°25’50.6”W |
53.49006°N |
130.43072°W |
|
6.Clam Garden |
53°26’49.6”N |
130°23’34.7”W |
53.44711°N |
130.39296°W |
|
7.Kelp Point |
53°22’59.3”N |
130°16’01.2”W |
53.38313°N |
130.26700°W |
|
8.Wreck
Islands |
53°20’48.2”N |
130°10’06.8”W |
53.34671°N |
130.16856°W |
|
9.South West
Inlet |
53°15’06.5”N |
130°01’30.1”W |
53.25180°N |
130.02503°W |
|
10.Terror
Point |
53°10’04.3”N |
129°57’14.1”W |
53.16785°N |
129.95392°W |
|
11.Calamity
Bay |
53°10’48.7”N |
129°49’54.7”W |
53.18018°N |
129.95392°W |
|
12.Hickey
Island |
52°59’54.5”N |
129°31’24.0”W |
52.99847°N |
129.95392°W |
|
13.Oswald Bay |
53°01’42.1”N |
129°38’12.3”W |
53.02836°N |
129.63675°W |
|
14.North
Rennison Island |
52°50’58.0”N |
129°20’40.9”W |
52.84944°N |
129.34468°W |
|
15.North
Anderson Island |
52°47’19.7”N |
129°21’08.2”W |
52.78880°N |
129.35227°W |
|
16.Kettle
Inlet |
52°41’43.7”N |
129°14’31.0”W |
52.69547°N |
129.24195°W |
|
17.Clifford
Bay |
52°35’04.1”N |
129°09’17.7”W |
52.58446°N |
129.15492°W |
|
18.SE
Weeteeam Bay |
52°29’10.8”N |
129°00’30.0”W |
52.48633°N |
129.00832°W |
|
19.SE
Aristazabal Island |
52°27’42.6”N |
128°58’09.4”W |
52.46183°N |
128.96927°W |
|
20.Baker
Point |
52°48’11.8”N |
129°12’54.7”W |
52.80329°N |
129.21519°W |
|
21.Shotbolt
Point |
52°45’02.8”N |
129°08’01.8”W |
52.75079°N |
129.13382°W |
|
22.Wilby
Point |
52°33’18.0”N |
128°48’30.8”W |
52.55501°N |
128.80856°W |
|
23.Larkin
Point |
52°30’35.6”N |
128°49’15.6”W |
52.50989°N |
128.82100°W |
|
24.West Side
of Price Isld |
52°23’15.9”N |
128°45’15.9”W |
52.38774°N |
128.75441°W |
|
25.South Side
Price Isld |
52°21’31.5”N |
128°37’17.0”W |
52.35875°N |
128.62139°W |
|
26.East Side
of Price Isld |
52°18’58.9”N |
128°43’32.8”W |
52.31636°N |
128.72577°W |
|
27.North
Beach |
51°39’46.0”N |
128°08’36.8”W |
51.66279°N |
128.14356°W |
|
28.Island
‘55’ |
51°38’40.2”N |
128°09’04.3”W |
51.64449°N |
128.15120°W |
|
29.Pocket |
51°38’24.7”N |
128°09’14.3”W |
51.64019°N |
128.15398°W |
|
30.Dublin
Point |
51°36’41.1”N |
128°08’34.4”W |
51.61142°N |
128.14290°W |
|
31.Blackney
Island |
51°30’03.1”N |
128°05’34.0”W |
51.50086°N |
128.09279°W |
|
32.Grief Bay |
51°25’28.7”N |
127°54’38.1”W |
51.42464°N |
127.91059°W |
|
33.Cranstown
Point |
51°22’03.6”N |
127°46’36.0”W |
51.36766°N |
127.77667°W |
|
34.Extended
Point |
51°19’20.9”N |
127°46’50.4”W |
51.32247°N |
127.78066°W |
|
35.Dsulish
Bay |
51°20’25.9”N |
127°40’37.4”W |
51.34052°N |
127.67706°W |
|
36.Brown
Island |
51°18’39.0”N |
127°46’13.0”W |
51.31083°N |
127.77027°W |
|
37.Table
Island |
51°16’09.8”N |
127°48’45.6”W |
51.26939°N |
127.81266°W |
|
38.Red Sand
Beach |
51°15’21.0”N |
127°42’49.6”W |
51.25582°N |
127.71377°W |
|
39.Hoop Bay |
51°13’10.4”N |
127°46’16.3”W |
51.21955°N |
127.77118°W |
|
40.Indian
Cove |
51°11’14.4”N |
127°46’47.5”W |
51.18734°N |
127.77986°W |
|
41.Wilkie
Point |
51°08’23.2”N |
127°43’18.8”W |
51.13979°N |
127.72189°W |
|
42.Burnett
Bay |
51°08’03.8”N |
127°41’16.2”W |
51.13439°N |
127.68784°W |
|
43.Burnett
Bay South |
51°06’19.4”N |
127°40’27.9”W |
51.10540°N |
127.67441°W |
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