SKABC – The Sea Kayak Association of BC – Vancouver-based Kayak Club

Submitted by Selena C

All I can say is, it was a fantastic trip! Just the 4 of us, but we clicked instantly, sharing laughter, learning and creating wonderful memories. The weather was PERFECT. The wildlife, sea life, and sights were breathtaking! We were all eager to explore as much of the Broken Group Islands (BGI) as possible, so we spent two nights each on three very different islands: Clarke, Gilbert, and Gibraltar. Our journey began at Secret Beach campground, where we were treated to an unexpected show—a truck stuck on a boulder, possibly attempting a wheelie. That night, we feasted potluck-style, fueling up for the paddling adventures ahead.

Day 2: We paddled to Clarke Island where we were greeted by crows that tried to steal our food or poop on us if we thwarted their attempts. These were VERY SNEAKY birds. Just like at Secret Beach, we were the only campers so we had our pick of sites with spectacular views. It was here I learned that the boom we heard was the sound of a whale breaching and not cannon fire from pirate ships! Kapila and I were thrilled to watch a whale spouting from the comfort of our camping chairs as Ken and Tim toiled away to build a fire.

Day 3: We circled Turret Island and stopped by Willis Island, only to find the campsite closed due to a fallen tree. Still, the outhouse was oddly picturesque! Tim and I were introduced to paddling with a Greenland paddle. It took myself some getting use to but Tim embraced it and absolutely loved that the paddle was easier on his shoulders and wrist.

Day 4: We paddled through the channel between Cooper and Howell Islands, stopping at Dicebox before setting up camp on Gilbert Island. The campsites were forested so the BUGS welcomed us with gusto. Arghh! When not paddling, we escaped to the beach, hiked, and explored. I learned how to do a bear hang and tie various knots. Around the fire, we swapped stories, kayaking tips and tricks, and debated the meaning of “White Rabbit.” Ask Ken, he will tell you more.

Day 5: We circumnavigated Effingham Island, searching for sea caves, arches, and fresh water, and had lunch at Effingham Bay. We raced back to our campground on Gilbert Island when we saw a horde of paddlers descend on our site. We were excited to catch up to the 12 paddlers from PIKA and had a fun social gathering on the water.

Day 6: We woke to fog and navigated carefully to Gibraltar Island via Island Harbour. Thanks to Kapila we found the private campsites overlooking the channel across from Nettle Island. That evening, we debriefed, planned, and geeked out over each other’s gear.

Day 7: Determined to make the most of our last full day, we paddled in search of the legendary cliff face on Reeks Island. Just as we were about to give up, Tim spotted it! We continued past Nettle, around Prideaux, between Jarvis and Jaques, and attempted to find fresh water on Gibraltar’s east side—but the choppy waters turned us back.

Day 8: We checked out the campsites on Hand Island before heading back to Secret Beach. Ken and Kapila were wonderful mentors who complemented each other. Given another opportunity, I would gladly go back to BGI with them. We didn’t make it to the sea caves on Dempster Island, so that’s definitely on the list for next time.

On Saturday May 25th a group of 7 club members met at Grant Narrows Park in Pitt Meadows. The plan was to paddle up Widgeon Creek to the campground and hike to the falls.

Dawn, Margaret, Sue, Kathy & Andrea all arrived and had their kayaks on the beach when the trip leader Colleen and Kevin, assist leader arrived. That was great because the boat launch & beach can be very busy. 

After everyone was locked and loaded, Colleen gave her talk to the group about the plan for the day. Then we all set off on a beautiful sunny day and paddled across Pitt River into the creek. It was fairly quiet with amazing mountain views.

We arrived at the campsite to find a few campers but it wasn’t too busy. We locked some of our gear in the bear lockers, took a pit stop and put on our hiking gear. 

We took the trail & the group talked to avoid any bears that might be in the area. The river trail has a few challenging parts and one bridge was missing. However for the most part it was a nice walk in the forest.

We made it to the falls, taking a bit longer than expected to do the 3 km. So we had a quick lunch, enjoyed the view and took some photos.

For the return trip we took the road trail to make up a bit of time. There we saw a steady stream of hikers heading up the trail.

When we arrived at the campsite there were a lot of new tents and watercraft so it was a good time to head out. With Pitt Lake being tidal and the tide ebbing we had less water clearance for our return trip.  There were a number of sand bars so we had to really watch our route and even had to get out and pull our kayaks at one point.

We had a nice light wind occasionally, to cool us off as the temperature had risen into the 20’s in the afternoon.

As we paddled the creek back, there was a steady stream of canoes & paddle boards heading for the campsite.

We made the crossing of Pitt Lake as a group and landed at the boat ramp. It was busy with people and boats but we managed to get kayaks and gear loaded without too many issues.

We all had a fun day with familiar and new club members.

This trip was originally fully booked, but one participant after another dropped out due to injuries, illness, and equipment issues. On the launch day, there were only three intrepid paddlers left: our leader Philip, Stephen and myself (Jonas). Sadly, on the International Women’s Day, there were no female participants to honour and celebrate.

The initial plan was to launch at Jericho Sailing Centre and paddle to English Bay, but due to the dire weather forecast with strong wind and an atmospheric river, Philip wisely moved the location to Deep Cove.

My wife warned me before the trip that we would be absolutely miserable in these conditions. I told her that instead we would feel sorry for those who miss out on a lovely experience outdoors as they waste away their time with a cup of hot coffee in front of the fireplace.

Paid parking rules in Deep Cove are in effect from March 1st, but we were fortunate enough to find free parking at the top of the hill on Rockcliff Road. In summer, it will take nothing less than a miracle to repeat this feat.

The wind seemed reasonable at the time of launch at 9 AM, but a few minutes later we realized that Deep Cove is not completely isolated from the fierce power of Mother Nature. As we approached Jug Island, the wind picked up to about 15 knots, slowing down our progress and draining our forces. The heavy rainfall reduced visibility and fogged up my glasses and I could hardly see Philip in front of me. We enjoyed a short break in the lee of Jug Island to recover physically and prepare ourselves mentally for the next leg.

The strong headwind and rain continued during the crossing to Twin Islands. We changed our heading slightly to the north in the hopes of avoiding the relentless wind. Finally at Twin Islands, we found a sheltered spot, perfect for a water break and a quick snack on the water.

At this time, we were far behind the schedule, having achieved an average paddling speed of only 1.9 knots. We discussed our options and decided to reduce our ambition level to Buntzen Bay. Silver Falls would have to wait for another day.

The waves and wind calmed down somewhat, but our hands got cold despite wearing good winter gloves. After almost three hours of paddle we finally arrived at Buntzen Bay, possibly breaking the record for the slowest paddle recorded from Deep Cove to this location.

Lunch was a cold affair with incessant rain turning our chips and sandwiches soggy. I made good use of the hot blueberry tea to periodically pour the precious hot liquid on my frozen fingers.

For the return leg, I put on my toasty neoprene mittens, while Philip changed to pogies. The wind was now in our backs and paddling back was much quicker.

Not surprisingly, given the weather conditions, there were no other kayaks on the water, and very limited boat traffic. A few daring seals briefly stuck their heads above the waterline but quickly dove under again to avoid the rain and the cold wind.

We arrived back at Deep Cove shortly after 2 PM, five hours from launch time. We were wet and tired, but happy that at least the three of us had not spent our Saturday locked up indoors. Our mission accomplished, we are ready now for whatever the paddling season may throw our way.

Submitted by Jonas L