Barkley Sound June 2010?

As far as storing a truck and trailer in Port Alberni, the launch ramp north of town on Highway 4 which is the only decent launch ramp in town also has an parking lot across the street where we stored our truck and trailer for 2 weeks, free, with no trouble. See Journey On in Barkley Sound. Scan down the page until you get to Port Alberni.

The marina is at:
5104 River Road
Port Alberni, BC V9Y 6Z1, Canada
(250) 724-6837

A couple of decent restaurants across the street. If you want to stay overnight in Port Alberni, get a slip there, as it's a lot smoother than the one downtown. The C-Dory dealer (who sells more Skagits) was very helpful but he is downtown. No Honda outboard dealer in town. Note that Canada has only square drive screws. If you need to get a screw/bolt there bring the appropriate driver.

Boris
 
20dauntless, Thanks for the links, will go there next.
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Really good links for both the Bamfiled trip and an Island Circumnavigation. Bigger boat than a C-Dory, but well written and good photos.

Harvey
SleepyC
 
Schedule flexibility is a big issue for this trip I think. If I do it I'll choose a week and see if the weather cooperates. If I have a good forecast for the trip out I'll go for it, if not I'll spend the week at the cabin in the San Juans, do some Gulf Islands exploring, or head up to Princess Louisa and maybe a few days in Desolation Sound.

The bigger problem I see is getting stuck out there if the weather turns ugly.
 
The bigger problem I see is getting stuck out there if the weather turns ugly.
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Our concern also. Part of the reason for considering the ferry, Port Angeles to Victoria, (Coho) to get back across the strait in a timely manner. (Cost probably about $200 more than running from here on the water.)

Would the inlet back into Port Alberni be as much of a concern. It seems like it would be considerably sheltered. I guess a good blow from the southwest could stir that up though.

Harvey
SleepyC



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Barkley Sound has been on my TDL for awhile now but I don't think I'd try to make the run in open ocean. Like Harvey, I've been thinking about trailering to Port Alberni. It's nice to know we can store the truck/trailer if we decide to do that. I have heard that it gets pretty windy in that inlet from Port Alberni to Barkley Sound. Hopefully, we'll get to experience that sometime in the near future. :thup
 
Susan and I made the trip to ucluelet two years ago by way of the ferry and then towed the rest of the way. I don't think the road to ucluelet is bad at all. We were worried about the road in because we were towing with the 95 ford ranger at the time. I now have a f350 and would not hesitate to tow all the way to ucluelet with it.

The run from Port Alberni to ucluelet is 50 miles and other then a lot of beautiful cliffs there is not a lot to see. And you are going to see a lot of beauty in the sound anyhow. So if you want to save the gas money for a 100 mile round trip It is far better to tow. it also opens up the possibility of spending a few days in tofino also. Its a nice short flat tow over to the north and tofino. This opens up lot more cruising ground.
 
Port Renfrew can be a real pain to hide out in if the wind is blowing. I pulled in there once when the winds were up and the whole place was taken up by anchored gill netters. They seem to use it as a staging area for their very short seasons in the straits. When they are there there isn't a lot of room left for those in transit. And it is a really rolly anchorage. As in too rolly to do anything but lay in the bed and hold on. The Alberni Canal is a straight run to the ocean but as others have said, it is a bit boring. Choppy in the afternoons, and the netters can be a problem there too if you are there during a season. I am kind of torn between the expensive ferry ride and the on the water ride, costs in the end are probably pretty close. I think if sue goes then probably a ferry ride, if I go alone then on the water. Nitinat Lake looks really cool. I have been by there many times but could never actually see the cut.
 
the run out from port alberni is definately a first light proposition in the summer months. the thermal winds kick up every day about 10:30, it can get real nasty around nahmint bay. once tou reach chup point area you can get out of it. the launch and parking at the public ramp are both good.
 
Thinking about towing the boat to Vancouver Island and leaving it there on the trailer for the summer to accommodate two (or more) trips, one to the west coast and one to the Broughtons. Can anyone recommend secure storage locations? Thanks.

Warren
 
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