a kayak - Wavelength Paddling Magazine

The BC Marine Trail
u Trail guide preview: how to run the whole WCVIN
It was, in a word, a slog. I can find no
better way to describe the run friend Carey
Lockwood and I took down the yet-to-exist
WCVIN in late August 2009. We battled
our way down to Tofino against strong
southerlies for most of the 15 days. My
favorite coastal scenery was viewed mostly
from a distance of a kilometer or more
offshore to avoid the danger of high swell
on hidden rocks. (We didn’t know at the
time, but the unseasonal swell was residual
from a storm off Hawaii).
Regardless, it was a great adventure, with
a few good days of serene paddling in the
mix, particularly around the Bunsby Islands.
Paddler Carey Lockwood slogs past Cape
Cook on the outside of Brooks Peninsula.
Websites:
• The official BC Marine Trails Networks Association website
is www.bcmarinetrails.org. Visit for updated route information,
membership details and news bulletins.
• coastandkayak.com has detailed information by region
for the entire BC coast, along with maps and a directory of
archived magazine articles for each area. Visit
www.coastandkayak.com/PaddleBC.html. Find information by map
location on www.planetkayak.net.
Guide books:
The Wild Coast, Vol. 1 by John Kimantas (Whitecap, 2005 and
2011): Specific kayaking information location by location. Much
of the information presented here is drawn from the Wild Coast
Many of the photos that accompany the
BC Marine Trail preview are from that
trip. Photography was limited, though,
during the battles, such as around Escalante
Point, the south end of Nootka Island and
Hesquiat Peninsula, when our endurance
was put to the limit. (I tried to videotape the
waves crashing at Estevan Point. It was not
terribly successful, with a Youtube version
getting one response so far – a thumbs
down. So much for that effort.)
While a run is recommended for
confident veteran paddlers, the trail has
enough access points that portions can be
enjoyed in smaller, less imposing trips. But
if you do run it, plan on three weeks to fully
enjoy your time on the water. There will be
places you will want to linger. Trust me!
- John Kimantas
u Where to go for more BC Marine Trails information
knowledge base (John is the Wild Coast author and Coast&Kayak
editor). Updated for 2011 and available soon. One of a series of
Wild Coast guides covering kayaking the entire coast of British
Columbia. Order online at www.coastandkayak.com
Sea Kayak Around Vancouver Island by Doug Alderson (Rocky
Mountain Books, 2004). A handy pocket guide for the greater goal
of circumnavigating the island. One of a series of books by Rocky
Mountain Books on kayaking regions of the island.
Tours and services:
Our Tour Directory begins page 34. We’ve marked tour
operators and service providers who operate within the area of
the West Coast Vancouver Island North section of the trail with a
“WCVIN” designation.
32 COAST&KAYAK MAGAZINE SPRING 2011