A maze of over 100 islands and islets, the Broken Group Islands are located on Barkley Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The scenery and wildlife are stunning, the cultural history is fascinating, and the kayaking is world class. Highlights include paddling past old-growth rain forests on the Stopper Islands, enjoying the cultural history of the aboriginal Nuu-Cha-Nulth people on Hand Island, and discovering the dramatic variety of inter tidal sea life in the tidal pools and beaches of Dodd and Turtle islands. Keep an eye out for the many species of wildlife that make this area home, including bald eagles, sea lions, seals, and whales. If your route includes Jarvis and Jacques Islands, definitely look for the infamous moon snail! The trip ends at Toquart Bay for a farewell meal with your companions before heading back to Vancouver.
Sample Itinerary
Please note: While the itinerary presented is an accurate depiction of what your trip will be like, it is only an example. Our trips are real adventures in the outdoors--not pre-packaged tours that happen on a schedule.
DAY 1: From Vancouver, board a morning ferry to Duke Point on Vancouver Island. After a two-hour ferry ride, you will drive four hours across Vancouver Island through old growth Douglas Fir and breathtaking vistas to Toquart Bay, our launching point and campsite for the first night.
DAY 2: Launch the kayaks for a paddle to Hand Island. Paddle through the Stopper Islands where you'll visit Old Growth Rainforests. Set up camp on Hand Island where you may encounter artifacts of past peoples such as an old donkey engine used for logging and ancient stone fish traps.
DAY 3: Spend the day exploring the beaches of Dodd and Turtle Islands and tidal pools teaming with sea life. Making a side trip to the Tiny Group Islands, you may see sea lions, seals, gray whales or porpoises. Set up camp on Turret Island.
DAY 4: On this day, you can paddle as much or as little as you like. For a longer paddle, head out to Wouwer Island -- keep your eyes peeled for sea lions. If you're interested in a shorter trip, Benson Island -- site of an archaeologic dig in 2000 -- is a great place to look for gray whales. Return to your campsite on Turret for the evening.
DAY 5: Today you will depart for Jarvis and Jacques Islands. Here you can look for the infamous moon snails -- huge snails that display a unique protective egg-casing after burrowing in the sand. Or visit a sheltered lagoon, where you may find an ancient fish trap once used by the Nuu-Cha-Nulth people. After a full day of exploration you'll return to Hand Island for the last night.
DAY 6: After breakfast, pack up camp and paddle back to Toquart Bay for lunch. After a van trip back across the island and a ferry ride to Vancouver, the trip officially ends in the late afternoon.
Travel, Terrain, Etc...
TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: The Broken Group Island's environment is varied and unique: rocky bluff shorelines, lush green vegetation, and towering fir trees. The beaches we land on will be gravel or sand and the campsites are mostly packed dirt and gravel. The Broken Group Islands offer a wide range of route options from very easy to very difficult.
TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will travel in 21-foot Grand San Juan sea kayaks, which hold 2 or 3 people plus all necessary gear. The average day's travel consists of 4-6 hours of paddling, depending on weather conditions. Travel distances vary from 4-10 miles per day with the exception of layover days. To protect the environment, WI uses “minimum impact” camping techniques.
WEATHER: Temperatures in the summer months range from 45 to 75 F. The climate is moderated by the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall can vary, but you should expect at least a day or two of rain.
LODGING/BATHROOM FACILITIES: This is a camping trip. At night, you will sleep in tents. Typically, there are 3 people per 4 person tent (although other arrangements can be made). Bathroom facilities consist of a foldable commode chair or an outhouse. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness. Bathing is done the "old-fashioned" way--by soaping up and washing with a bucket of water.
GROUP SIZE: The group size ranges from 6 to 8 participants, plus 2 or more Wilderness Inquiry staff. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities.
CAMP CHORES: Our trips are cooperative in nature. WI staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities.
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary kayaking and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear, such as clothing and a sleeping bag. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: No previous experience is needed to complete this trip.
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Wilderness Inquiry is proud to serve Caribou Coffee on all our trips. Great food, great coffee, and great company are just some of the ingredients that make Wilderness Inquiry trips special.
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[ Dates & Fees ]
The Broken Group Islands (BGI) on the southwest shore of Vancouver Island offer mile after mile of stunning shoreline, ideal for sea kayaking. The shoreline is varied. A kayaker will experience eroded sandstone cliffs, precipitous bluffs, sandy lagoons and many small islands. Open water distances are short. Most stretches do not exceed three miles before coming to a new shore.
Wildlife abounds in the Broken Group Islands, including: plumose anemones, ochre stars, spiny red urchins, limpets and chitons, green anemones and two varieties of mussels. Several marine mammals choose the waters of the BGI for home: seals, sea lions and orcas. Raccoons and mink search the shoreline for food and otters are a common sight diving in search of their varied diet of marine life.
The islands of the Broken Group are covered in a dry woodland forest complex. This is in stark contrast to the lush rain forest that occurs along most of the northwest Pacific coast. This relative dryness is caused by a rain shadow cast by the Olympic mountains. The temperature in the area is ideally suited for paddling with day time temperatures rarely exceeding 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
Suggested reading:
Obee, Bruce. (1998) The Pacific Rim Explorer. Whitecap Books: North Vancouver, B.C.
Scott, R. Bruce. (1993) Barkley Sound, a History of the Pacific Rim National Park Area. Sono Nis Press: Victoria, B.C.
Snowden, Mary Ann. (1997) Island Paddling. Orca Book publishers: Victoria, B.C.
For more information, visit these links:
Vancouver Island.com - Broken Group Islands Info
Adventure: Canada's Pacific Rim National Park - Broken Group Islands
BC Westcoast Magazine - Broken Group Islands
[ Dates & Fees ]
WI leads trips to this destination but currently has no dates scheduled. If you have a group of people interested, we can set up a customized adventure just for you! Please contact us if you are interested in a group trip to this destination.
info@wildernessinquiry.org
612-676-9400
800-728-0719
(Join our waiting list to be notified when WI schedules a trip to Broken Group Islands Kayak )
