Sea kayaking is an adventure, especially when you know you will encounter some of the best nature can offer. From Vancouver Island off the coast of British Columbia, depending on when you plan your trip, you can expect to see a combination of tranquil waters, open ocean water all around you, migrating whales, bald eagles, a seemingly endless variety of sea life, lush forests, and sandy beaches.
There are a variety of tour companies that offer everything from a few hour kayaking lessons to day or week-long trips, or even multi-week tours for the really adventurous vacationers. A simple search on the Internet for kayaking on Vancouver Island will offer you many choices for different length trips.
After you decide how long you wish to be gone for, you must determine if you wish to travel with a group or on an unguided tour. Many of the companies offer maps and itineraries that individuals can use to guide their own adventures. Because there are few currents around many of the islands off the coast of Vancouver Island, it is easier to navigate than many other sea kayaking destinations. If you are comfortable with reading a sea map, then the chance to take an unguided tour may seem appealing. If not, signing up for a guided tour may be the best option.
On the northeastern coast of Vancouver Island, the Johnstone Strait is a paddling adventure like no other. Here you will find a large population of Orca whales and often will be paddling just a small bit away from them! This truly is an amazing opportunity to kayak in the habitat of one of the world’s most majestic creatures.
On the west coast of Vancouver Island, a favorite kayaking destination is through the Broken Islands. While almost 100 islands make up this group, only specific ones are designated for camping. A trip through the broken islands likely will find you paddling with sea lions and porpoises, watching bald eagles soar through the sky, spotting grey whales off in the Pacific Ocean, and relaxing at the end of the day viewing spectacular sunsets. Another good kayaking tour off the western coast is on the Clayoquot Sound. This adventure will allow you to see breathtaking scenery and inviting sandy island beaches, of course, if you are really lucky you will get to see some of the migrating grey whales.
Off the southeastern coast, you can kayak through the North Gulf Islands. This area is said to be the most temperate part of British Columbia and offers visitors spectacular natural scenery and serenity that can only be experienced by paddling.
At this point, you have determined when and where you want to kayak, as well as for how long. Now it’s time to decide who you want to kayak with for a day or more and how you would like to “live” during your vacation. Because sea kayaking is a popular activity on Vancouver Island, the tour companies offer a wide range of tours including ones geared toward women, those for seniors, all-men outings, as well as singles or families. Also, while most of the tours are designed so that you kayak to a destination then set up a tent and camp at night, some tour companies now offer lodge accommodations on some trips. If you like to shower each day and sleep in a comfortable bed, this may be the option for you.
While some tours provide all your gear for you, others will ask that you bring your own and carry it in a waterproof bag. Special bags to stow your gear in are available at most sporting good stores, as well as online. If you ask for a bag specifically for kayaking, a good sporting good retailer will be able to point you in the right direction. If you need to take your own gear, check the Web site of your tour operator, as well as other operators, for advice on what to bring. Often, it is necessary to take along a wool hat and socks as it can get very cool at night and in the mornings until very late into the summer months. Another item to consider is a pair of scuba shoes. While you can walk barefoot or in sandals, the water is often is quite cold and the scuba shoes will keep your feet dry, warm, and pain free – even when you walk over sharp rocks and shells under the water’s surface.
Finally, some Vancouver Island tour companies will ask that you pack your own snacks while others provide all food and snacks. Regardless, it always is nice to have a good bottle for water, as well as some trail mix or energy bars. Other companies ask that each guest on the trip bring a meal to cook and share with the rest of the group. A search for easy outdoor or camping recipes should turn up some ideas that will get you moving in the right direction. The good thing about kayaking is that you can take eggs, cheeses, and even milk to use in recipes because the coolness of the water keeps these items fresh for at least 4 or 5 days, if they are kept dry; this allows you to be more creative than when you do other activities, like backpacking.
So now your trip is planned, but how do you get to Vancouver Island? If you live in the United States or Canada, the trip is easy. From the City of Vancouver, you can take a BC ferry to the island. From Washington State, you have the choice between a Washington State Ferry or a BC ferry, depending on where you will depart from on the day of your trip. All ferry schedules and fares are posted on the Web, so you can easily see which will work best with your itinerary.
Last but not least: do not forget to pack a camera and a journal to take along on your trip. Kayaking off Vancouver Island is a beautiful and often awe-inspiring experience that you’ll definitely want to record and share with friends and family for years to come.
