Barkley Sound
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 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.