Kayaking Barkley Sound Broken Islands - Kayak Barkley Sound Tours with Pacific Rim Paddling

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SEA KAYAK TOURS IN BARKLEY SOUND
Broken Islands

Situated on the west coast of Vancouver Island (see map), Barkley Sound is a magnificent setting for sea kayaking. Explore the meeting place of the vast Pacific Ocean and the dense British Columbia forest. Our trip centres around the wild and spectacular scenery of the Broken Islands Group.

Paddle past trees with branches twisted by the storms of winter and peer into the sea caves sculpted by the chisel of the waves. Standing beside a blowhole on the rocky

Sea Kayaking Barkley Sound - Vancouver Island

shore listen to the "breath" of the ocean swells. From high atop an exposed bluff search for dwarfed pines and hardy wildflowers that eke out a precarious existence.


	Wildlife is abundant. Birders will thrill to frequent sightings of the many species of birds which are found in the Broken Islands. On a calm day we may venture out into the gentle swell of the open Pacific, where sea lions haul their massive bodies onto barren rocks to sun and socialize amidst the deafening roar of their rookery.

In contrast to the wild quality of the outer islands is the quiet serenity of the inner islands. Our kayaks will weave between myriad tiny islands in the shade of towering evergreen trees. Drifting across a mirrored salt water lagoon we invite you to simply sit back, look, and listen.

Through the hush of the old-growth forest come the pure warbling tones of a hermit thrush. High overhead an eagle circles effortlessly, then drops from the sky to pull a salmon from the sea.

Peer down through crystal clear water to spot fish darting among a forest of giant kelp. Back on shore, take time to poke around the aquarium of a tidepool, observe a mother mink moving her kits across the beach, or just retire against a log, listen to the plaintive call of a loon, and watch the sun slip slowly into the Pacific.

ITINERARY:
After meeting in Port Alberni Sunday morning at 9:30 am, we drive 1-1/2 hours west to our put-in at Toquart Bay, which is at the head of Barkley Sound. We unload our boats and gear, and after an orientation session and lunch we load up, put in, go over paddling techniques, navigation and safety, then head off to the Broken Islands.

On route we discuss what is known of the geology of Barkley Sound and describe some of the features, geological and biological that we'll be seeing. Our first night's campsite is on Hand Island. It's white-sand beach attests to millennia of habitation by the indians of the west coast of Vancouver. Other features including a hidden donkey engine and the non-native trees demonstrate the presence in the last century of a trading post.

The next morning we break camp after breakfast and head off to Turret Island, which will be our base for the rest of the trip. On route we'll visit Joe's Lagoon in the Turtle Group, where the hermit Salal Joe lived for many years. A stop at the site of his garden allows us to also begin to understand the uses of native plants by the indians of the west coast, and to learn about our old growth forests.

After setting up camp on Turret Island we usually paddle through the scenic Bay of Islands, visiting an indian shellfish-gathering site, and stopping at a beach to collect driftwood for our campfire. On the remaining days we'll paddle to Benson Island, where the turn of the century Benson Hotel once stood, and where a forest hike to the surf-lashed ocean side of this island allows us to visit a blowhole and poke about in some marvelous tidepools; we'll head to the northeast section of the island group, investigating sea caves and quiet lagoons with ancient indian fish traps; and if the weather allows, we'll venture out into the open Pacific Ocean to look for sea lions.

The final morning after breakfast we pack up one last time and head back, taking a scenic and different route past islets where eagles often sit waiting for fish to surface, lunching on another white-sand beach, finally returning to our vehicles at Toquart Bay by around 2 pm. Those who drove themselves often

continue west to visit Long Beach and Tofino for the afternoon or the weekend. We usually arrive back in Port Alberni by 5 pm.

KAYAKING BARKLEY SOUND 2006 DATES: Aug. 20-25, Aug. 27-Sept. 1, Sept. 3-8 (Sunday-Friday)

BARKLEY SOUND KAYAK TRIP PRICE: $1195 ($1015 US) Note: the price includes the Parks Canada user fee.