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Johnstone Strait
List with GoNorthwest!
Orca "Killer" whale in
foreground, Robson Bight Ecological Reserve.
Go Northwest! photo by Dave Dean. Sea
kayakers are frequently drawn to Johnstone Strait,
because it is the location for kayakers
to view orca whales in their natural environment. The Strait is a deep
and narrow glacier-carved passage located between the east coast of
Vancouver Island and the west edge of the British Columbia mainland. (click
for Johnstone Strait Google map).
Kayakers
embark on trips into the strait from Vancouver Island, frequently from
Port McNeill (google
map). Trips with kayak outfitters will commonly depart from Port
McNeill via zodiac or other watercraft and deliver kayaking guests to
one of several island base camps in the area.
Johnstone
Strait is considered to be the best destination in the northern
hemisphere for kayakers and others to observe wild orcas (also known as
"killer whales" due to their voracious appetite for fish, sea lions and
seals). These huge but sleek black and white colored mammals, each with
a distinctive dorsal fin (used to identify and track them), congregate
in the Strait each summer to feed on an abundant supply of salmon.
The
number varies but there are roughly 200 resident orca whales and a large
number of nonresident whales which frequent Johnstone Strait and the
Inside Passage each summer.
In
addition to the orcas, the Strait is rich with other marine life
including minke, humpback and grey whales; dolphins; porpoises; and sea
lions.
Keeping
in mind that sea kayakers (and other boaters) must be aware of proper
ecological considerations regarding human encounters with marine life,
if you are fortunate enough to view a dorsal fin or a breaching orca
from the perspective of a sea kayak you will have a lifelong memory.
Note that
the photo above was taken (years ago) from Robson Bight, now a world
famous ecological reserve within Johnstone Strait. Orca whales love to
rub their skin along the pebble sea floor at the Bight. It is still
unclear whether this behavior is functional - perhaps to remove
parasites - or whether it's just for fun. Sea kayakers should note that
the Bight is now an orca sanctuary - there is a boundary surrounding the
Bight which is not open for paddling or camping. Check
here for BCParks information regarding the Bight and paddling
restrictions.
Sea Kayaking Outfitters
List with GoNorthwest!
Discovery Expeditions. 221 Ferntree Place, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5M1. Phone:
250-756-0094; Toll-free: 1-888-756-0099 (Ask for Larry); Fax:
250-756-1908. E-mail
Northern Lights Expeditions. Mail: PO Box 4289, Bellingham WA
98227-4289. 360-734-6334; Toll-free: 1-800-754-7402. E-mail
Pacific Northwest Expeditions LTD. PO Box 97 Stn. A, Nanaimo, BC V9R
5K4. Phone: 250-754-6300; Toll-free: 1-866-529-2522; Fax: 250-754-6301.
E-mail
Sea Kayak Adventures. Mail: 1036 E.
Pine Avenue, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814. Phone: 208-765-3116; Toll-free:
1-800-616-1943. E-mail
WeGo Kayaking Expeditions. PO Box 72, Duncan, BC V9L 3X1. Phone:
250-748-5400; Fax: 250-748-5488.
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 Kayaking Vancouver Island: Great Trips from Port Hardy to Victoria
by Gary Backlund, Paul Grey
Paperback - April 1, 2003
Using a
guidebook format with journal-like entries from their own travels, the
authors cover detail on launch sites,
lunch sites, currents, tides,
local mythology, folklore and history,
local conditions, charts, marine weather and
coastal regulations.
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 Easykayaker: A Guide to Laid-Back Vancouver Island Paddling
by Paul Grey, Gary Backlund
Paperback: 192 pages, Greyswan Publications, January 1, 2002.
Focuses
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paddling locations ranging from the Gulf Islands to the Broken Group and
Nootka Sound.
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Wild Coast 1: A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreational Guide for North and
West Vancouver Island by John Kimantas.
Paperback, 300 pages,
Whitecap Books, June 15, 2005. ISBN: 1552856488.
This guide to kayaking
and exploring the west coast of Vancouver Island covers the history,
geography, ecology, and attractions with color photographs and maps.
Each of 11 chapters describes a distinct area, with attractions,
amenities, ecology, Native and European history, place names, landing
sites, campsites, and trivia all included.
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