Tag Archives: Barkley Sound

Counter Clockwise: A Solo Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island

In the winter of 1952, when I was a little boy of five, my family sailed across the North Atlantic from Europe on a small troop ship. The storm we endured, the mountainous seas and howling winds, and the mélange of fear and awe it generated, will forever be etched in my soul. It may have been less than the …

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Sea Kayaking the West Coast of the West Coast

The bow of my kayak digs a groove into the sand, and I get out and stretch. Maria sheds her dry suit and takes off running down the perfect, uninhabited two-mile crescent of warm sand. Bruce pokes around in tide pools. I wander up the beach, following wolf tracks. An eagle whistles from the trees. Somewhere in the bay I …

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Stars and Sand: Camping in the Broken Group Islands

With their awe-inspiring natural beauty, the Broken Group Islands (BGI), located in Barkley Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, have become a Mecca for paddlers from around the world. Established as part of Canada’s Pacific Rim National Park, this cluster of more than 100 islands is famous for its vibrant and diverse marine life and paddling opportunities for …

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Paddle Hard and Stay Close: Exploring the Broken Group Islands by Paddle Board

Many of us are familiar with the ideas of canoe camping, sea kayaking and surfing. Now the fastest growing water sport in the world is merging these ideas into one incredible experience: Stand-up Paddle Board (SUP) Touring, blending the freedom of ocean kayaking with the adrenaline rush of surfing and the versatility of SUP. What more could you want? The …

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