British Columbia Kayaking - See What Vancouver Island Offers
About to begin your British Columbia kayaking adventure? Grab your paddle and get ready to discover our part of the world. The calm waters here around the Island make for excellent kayaking conditions. Kayaking on Vancouver Island is one of the easiest outdoor adventures to do with kids. It's our family favorite! Not only is some of the best British Columbia kayaking found right here on the Island, but it's quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for all paddlers, including canoeists, and whitewater rafting enthusiasts. Our Island is actually one of the few areas where you can enjoy year-round British Columbia kayaking. Exceptionally mild weather, some really diverse areas for ocean, river and lake kayaking, and some of the most spectacular canoeing Canada offers, makes it our favourite place for water sports! Best Times To Kayak On Vancouver Island
In coastal British Columbia, kayaking can be enjoyed year-round. However, we get rain! That's a factor to consider when you're making your Vancouver Island kayaking plans. December and January tend to be our heaviest rain months.July and August are the two busiest kayaking months when tourism is highest. These months also have the least amount of rainfall. Most Islanders like to take advantage of our two peak paddling seasons: early spring and late autumn. Best time to head out? Early morning and late afternoon is about the best time. You'll have calmer water, less wind and it'll generally be easier to navigate yourself around shorelines. Best Vancouver Island Lake and River Kayaking & CanoeingAlthough you'll find plenty of lakes and rivers in British Columbia, kayaking Vancouver Island's lakes and rivers offers something for everyone, of all skill levels.Popular with all classes of paddlers is Cowichan Lake and the Cowichan River. Cowichan Lake is one of the largest bodies of fresh water on Vancouver Island. GETTING THERE... Cowichan Lake is located 20 minutes west of the City of Duncan on Highway 18. From Victoria, just follow the signs north to Duncan. From Nanaimo, head south and follow the signs to Duncan. From the main highway (Highway 1), watch for the signs and turn onto Highway 18 north of Duncan. After a 20 minute drive you'll arrive at Cowichan Lake. 
A BIT MORE ABOUT THE AREA...Canoeing Cowichan Lake is wonderful. Paddling the lake can take a couple of hours to a couple of days, depends on the length of adventure you want. Kayaking or canoeing the Cowichan River from the village of Lake Cowichan to Duncan takes about two days. From the put-in point at Lakeview Park to your first portage at Skutz Falls is approximately 10 km (6 miles), and you might have to portage around Marie Canyon depending on the water level. From here to Duncan, which is 20 km (12 miles), it's a moderate to easy paddling trip. Hazards: fast water level changes, log jams and some rapids. The places to watch for... the S-Bend, the Double Whammy and The Last Drop. Another fantastic area is Campbell Lake, at the Strathcona Park Lodge location. It's a true wilderness British Columbia kayaking destination. Located just 40 km west of Campbell River on Highway 28, the scenery is incredible - worth the drive.
Gold River offers the upper canyon run of 6.1 km (3.8 miles) which is a grade or class 3+ to 4+ (not for canoeists or rafters). Lots of rapids, pools and drops as you work your way through a narrow canyon. The middle section is a grade or class 2+ to a 3+ but becomes a 3+ to 4+ during high waters. There are rapids, rock gardens and drops over this 9.7 km (6 mile) course. The Lower Canyon is 5.8 km (3.6 miles) in length and ranges from a grade or class 2 to a 4+ at peak times. There are surfing waves and some holes that you should avoid, and watch out for The Big Drop.
Best Vancouver Island Ocean Kayaking Areas
Your British Columbia kayaking adventure wouldn't be complete with paddling the ocean surf! The outside waters of Vancouver Island draws paddlers from around the world, but should be for those very experienced only. The open and unprotected areas of the Pacific Ocean can get very rough and unpredictable. If you pick your time, particularly in the summer, you'll find that the Pacific is more well behaved than at any other time of the year. OUR TOP PICKS ARE...
FRENCH BEACH On the southern Island, the 60 km (37 mile) ocean route west of Victoria between Sooke and Port Renfrew will take a full day to paddle. The great thing is that you don't have to do the entire route to enjoy this experience. French Beach is the best, most easily accessible launch site. Two other good locations include Jordan River and Pacheedaht Beach in Port San Juan (Port Renfrew). French Beach Provincial Park is located on the west coast of southern Vancouver Island, and is accessed via Hwy 14, 20 km west of Sooke. SAN JOSEF BAY To access San Josef Bay on the northern tip of the Island, enter the trailhead of Cape Scott Provincial Park. The trail is flat and is only a 45-minute walk to the bay. This is one of the most scenic British Columbia kayaking locations! When you reach the campground on the banks of the San Josef River, this is the best spot for easy launching. At high tide, drop in your kayak. Paddle downstream and when the river breaks into the bay, check out the incredible scenery.
Want even more great British Columbia kayaking? Vancouver (on the mainland) also has some great paddling opportunities. Need a place to stay? For a good choice of hotels with discount prices, visit Where to Stay in Vancouver for more information.
Wherever you plan to kayak or canoe, be safe and have a great paddle out here on Vancouver Island!
|
For more advanced kayakers, we recommend Gold River, on central Vancouver Island, about 90 km west of Campbell River. Take Highway 28 from Campbell River to get there.