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British Columbia Sea Kayaking
Gulf Islands

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Sea Kayaking the Gulf Islands British Columbia GoNorthwest.com photo.

Rocky shorelines and warm paddling in the Gulf Islands. Go Northwest! photo by Dave Dean.

Sea kayaking in the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada, provides kayakers with a sheltered, Mediterranean climate (averaging less than 30 inches of rain per year) in which to explore over 200 islands.

Kayakers are drawn to this area, located just above Washington State's San Juan Islands, due to its reputation for warm weather, vast and varied scenery and easy access.

Located off the south east coast of Vancouver Island in the Strait of Georgia between the west coast of mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island, there are six main islands, Gabriola, Salt Spring, Galiano, Pender, Mayne and Saturna (click for Gulf Islands Google map).

Each island has its own charm and character. Many of the islands are inhabited/private property, but campsites are available in the many provincial marine parks amongst the islands (link to Gulf Islands Reserve Parks listing).

Easy access and close proximity to Sidney and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island make the Gulf Islands a great destination for kayaking day trips and for multi-day expeditions alike. Due to the mild climate the Gulf Islands can be paddled year 'round.

Sea kayakers can look forward to different landscapes (islandscapes?) as one kayaks among the Gulf Islands, including miles of beaches rich with intertidal marine life, rolling meadows, richly forested lands, scatterings of development (homes and marinas), rocky shorelines and generally safe paddling environments. However, kayakers should note that there are some island passages, which experience very strong tidal currents (as high as 8 knots) when the tide rushes in and out of the Strait of Georgia.

 

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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. Order Now. . .

Easykayaker: A Guide to Laid-Back Vancouver Island Paddling
by Paul Grey, Gary Backlund

Paperback: 192 pages, Greyswan Publications, January 1, 2002.
Focuses mainly on eastern Vancouver Island and other popular Vancouver Island paddling locations ranging from the Gulf Islands to the Broken Group and Nootka Sound. Order Now. . .

The 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. Order Now. . .

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