circumnavigate Vancouver island - 850 miles

B

berryst

New member
I am considering a trip around Vancouver island around July 15 to Aug 15 for this coming summer.

Has anyone done this? Any advise on the trips and traps?

My dad and I and others used to pound the trails of the remote Northwest Coast back in the 70's-80's It was a wondrous and wild place. From what I can gather the wort part of this trip is the area around cape Scott. The current from japan running fast against the tide is.. is....Scary.

I was fishing in Winter Harbor and the tide brought a guy doing the round-trip solo in a kayak. He had stories of wolves and trailing seas. He stayed in our cabin that night. A good time was had by all. My buddy and I rented the cabin cheap because we were the first takers of the season. After that the proprietor let this fellow occupy the cabin too ... so imagine our surprise to find an unexpected visitor. In all, we enjoyed his company anyway. What is travel with out something unexpected?


Non-the-less I am ready for some adventure

Chris
 
This is a trip that I've been wanting to do as well. On my way back from Alaska this summer I may well make the trip on the outside of Vancouver Island.

Weather is the big variable on the west coast, as I'm sure you know. If I make the trip the key will be to carefully choose weather windows for the trips between the various sounds. Luckily the C-Dory is a reasonably quick boat, and with good conditions I don't think the trips between the sounds will take more than about 6 hours, hopefully less. Of course, that assumes that conditions don't deteriorate when you are out there.

From everything I have read, fuel availability shouldn't be a problem.

I'd probably be back at Vancouver Island heading south the first week of August. Perhaps we'll cross wakes at some point.
 
I think it's closer to 650 miles around the island. With a 22 with 40 gals of fuel total, I would be worried about whether there are sufficient fuel stops on the leg down the NW corner.
 
Here are some very approximate distances between fuel stops.

Port Hardy to Winter Harbour 80nm
Winter Harbour to Esperanza 80nm
Esperanza to Ucluelet 100nm

Then fuel up in Bamfield before the long trip (120nm) through the Strait of Juan de Fuca back to Friday Harbor. Incidentally, this is the leg that I'm most worried about in terms of fuel, but I suppose if fuel looks like it will be limited I could either go to Victoria or Port Angeles instead.

Also remember that these distances don't include any side trips, of which there are a lot of.
 
We have done the trip in our Cal 46. There was only one day we did not travel because of weather--with wind from the South on the outside. No major problem with currents. The C Dory handles currents far better than a 46 foot 7 knot motor sailor. (Fuel was not an issue, because the boat had a range of over 2000 miles under power). We stopped at the following places which had fuel available: Port Hardy, before Cape Scott, Winter Harbor, North West end of Vancouver Island, Coal Harbor, Tofino, Zeballos, Ucluetet, Port Renfrew. We also saw a couple of I/O boats in the 22 to 23 foot size, which had ranges of less than a C Dory 22. If fuel were an issue on the last part of the trip--then across to Neah Bay and then Port Angeles.

Although we had several encounters with Wolves, none were on the North or West Coast of Vancouver Island. (There are Wolves on Vancouver Island).

It is a great trip--and is do-able in a month in a C Dory 22 or 25. The only problem was that we did not have enough time, and we spent over 6 weeks on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
 
Chris, great idea for a grand adventure though not something to be taken lightly in a 22 foot boat & by your asking for tips here it's apparent your not.  Fuel would be the least of my concerns.  We circumnavigated Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska which was 320 miles without refueling in our 22 CD cruiser.  Took 72 gal & we carried an extra 28 gal beyond that, so just bring along enough to be assured of reaching the next planned fuel stop.

I suggest the most important preplanning points are knowing all possible points of refuge on the west coast & the best routes to access them if needed & keeping updated on the weather with patience to wait out the bad when necessary.

Jay
 
I would heartily recommend the west coast of Vancouver Island. We took Journey On there in 2009, it was a wonderful trip and here's the story: Journey On and Vancouver Island, which also covers our trip to the Broughtons.

For various reasons, we took Journey On over to Vancouver Isle on the ferry and whilst that worked out well, I think that circumnavigate Vancouver Isle would be an even better trip. As long as you go downwind. There are a number of towns in the various bays on the west coast, all with gas, (though it's not free.) Bob listed some above and there are plenty more. Lots of fishing and touring boats and they all use gas. Weather stations in range all along the Island, just learn where each place mentioned on the radio is and you'll have no trouble.

Some of the best scenery, places to see, history (Nootka sound was the first place the Spaniards and English traded with the Indians,) great restaurants. It's cold and they have 40" of rain/year.

I'd take a cruising guide. There is Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide by Don Watmough, which is better than Waggoners though Waggoners might have later info.

It was a great trip.

Boris
 
20dauntless":1tjmtmxs said:
Here are some very approximate distances between fuel stops.
...
Then fuel up in Bamfield before the long trip (120nm) through the Strait of Juan de Fuca back to Friday Harbor. Incidentally, this is the leg that I'm most worried about in terms of fuel, but I suppose if fuel looks like it will be limited I could either go to Victoria or Port Angeles instead.
...
Click to expand...

I think you can fuel at Port Renfrew, as well as Port Angeles. It would save a customs hassle.
 
Lots of good impute. I was surprised to see so many replies. Wow. Thank-you.

This is a journey of a lifetime really. While it sounds cliche the journey is the destination. There are many who want to do this trip but never will.

I am reading Circumnavigation of Vancouver Island by Roger Rue.

Weather and currents are what this trip is about. knowing where to escape is so important. The latter part of the summer is the best time but as the summer progresses the fog become more of an issue.

I doubt that my wife will go. She is much smarter than me and as such has more respect for big water.

There are many good tips in your replies about fuel. I would never want to run out ...yikes.

On one hiking trip my dad and his friends went out after dinner for the evening walk in a very very remote area on Vancouver Island. They found a long abandoned fishers cabin on the beach to camp that night. When they returned from the hike a fire had burned the cabin and contents. Even the pack frames were gone. This started a two day epic journey to Estevan Point lighthouse...in part by compass overland. In those days the lighthouse was still manned. The lighthouse keeper welcomed the hungry crew. They made friends and I'm told some of the party kept in touch for many years.

Still planning.
Chris
 
That sounds like quite a trip. That is a lot of fue. By the way I like your photos
chris



Hunkydory":qzlpcymn said:
Chris, great idea for a grand adventure though not something to be taken lightly in a 22 foot boat & by your asking for tips here it's apparent your not.  Fuel would be the least of my concerns.  We circumnavigated Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska which was 320 miles without refueling in our 22 CD cruiser.  Took 72 gal & we carried an extra 28 gal beyond that, so just bring along enough to be assured of reaching the next planned fuel stop.

I suggest the most important preplanning points are knowing all possible points of refuge on the west coast & the best routes to access them if needed & keeping updated on the weather with patience to wait out the bad when necessary.

Jay
Click to expand...
 
The west coast of Vancouver Island is my favorite place in the world. By kayak, C-Dory and foot we have explored a bit of it. I've been as far north as Brooks Peninsula and as far south as Barkley Sound. All of it is beautiful, exciting and wild.

Places to be careful of include the tip of Brooks Peninsula by Solander Island, it often seems to be blowing hard around that point. Further south be careful around the mouths of the inlets. In summer the outflow winds can come up quickly on a warm day and surprise you.

Some beautiful areas to visit include the south side of Brooks Peninsula, you can anchor in Columbia Cove and walk to a beautiful sandy beach. The Bunsby Islands are south of Brooks and are a great place to spend a day or two exploring. Walters Cove at Kyuquot Sound used to have fuel, but I don't think they do anymore. It is still a great place to visit. Spring Island off of Walter's Cove is great salmon fishing. Once south of Kyuquot Sound it is less than a two hour run in the ocean to the northern entrance to Nootka Sound, from there you can be in sheltered water all the way south through Nootka Sound. After Nootka Sound it is a short open ocean run to Hesquiat Harbor. If you stay in Hesquiat, be sure and check out Cougar Annie's Garden. It is a strange and wonderful look at what it must have been like to live on that coast in the early 1900's. From Hesquiat it is a short run to the northern entrance to Clayoquot Sound. Clayoquot Sound has many beautiful coves, bays and inlets. We have spent two weeks at a time on our C-Dory just exploring Clayoquot and never gotten bored. The town of Tofino at the south entrance to Clayoquot Sound is a full on tourist town with great restaurants and places to resupply. From Tofino it is a 20 mile ocean run to Barkley Sound.

I've not seen but heard wolves in every area that I've mentioned. The wolves don't bother me, but the black bears on Vancouver Island are the largest in the world, and we've been run off of a beach by a mother bear with cubs. The cougars are also an issue. Over the years we've heard of several children and many dogs that have been taken by cougars.

Just the west side of Vancouver Island has enough areas to explore for an entire summer. Enjoy the trip.
Lyle
 
I always like to read cruising guides during the planing stage, when they are available. Fortunately there are a number of guides, including the one already mentioned, Cruising Guide to the West Coast of Vancouver Island by Don Watmoug, and the Fine Edge Guide "Exploring Vancouver Island's West Coast, 2nd Ed. Don Douglass, Reanne Hemingway-Douglass" I used the first edition and have passed it on to another C Brat. The Douglass guides have chartlets and good information on various anchorages and towns.

I happen to be a ham radio operator, and had already "met" a number of people who live on the West Coast on the nets. This really helped with local knowledge.
 
This is a trip I have wanted to do since I was in 4th grade, rowing around the Sannich Peninsula from Sidney, in an 8ft plywood dingy. I was growing up on the left island and want to go around it and then go do the same on the right side, (Newfoundland). Still want to but not likely to happen yet. Need a bigger block of time available. Sure interesting to hear that others are interested in it too. Do-able, yes. With planning and time. What a trip. There's a trip for a "Pasagemaker" write-up,

Best wishes.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
chris,

Vancouver Isle certainly is a great trip, but I hope it is not the trip of a lifetime, but will lead to a whole bunch of great trips.

If your wife doesn't go along, she will be missing some wonderful explorations in the bays and inlets coming down the west coast. Perchance she could meet you at various points once you've passed the "open ocean" parts, though the open ocean isn't that "open" going downhill. There's Gold River in Nootka Sound, Tofino in Clayoquot Sound, Ucluelet in Barkley Sound, all with paved roads. Barkley Sound has a good week of exploring in protected waters and you could stay at the Port Alberni YC.

Good luck, Boris
 
Just up dating a little.

The books that I am using so far are...

Circumnavigating Vancouver Island By Rue
This book though old is a quick read and practical. His charts are awful but tips on timing or dinghy selection are helpful. the book is cheap on Amazon and worth the money. Some things don't change and their advice on tide and exposure is still good.

Waggoners Cruising Guild 2011
Current, practical you have all seen this "magazine" style book. but the tips are many and good even though its cluttered to the max with advertisements.

Vancouver Islands West Coast by Douglas.
This is the best. Charts are the best, the traps and tips are the best and the price is of course the worst but probably worth it. For me it covers the most treacherous part of the trip in the big water. All who venture here know the brutal weather that can come out of nowhere and treat us to its power and grandeur.

Chris
 
Just up dating a little.

The books that I am using so far are...

Circumnavigating Vancouver Island By Rue
This book though old is a quick read and practical. His charts are awful but tips on timing or dinghy selection are helpful. the book is cheap on Amazon and worth the money. Some things don't change and their advice on tide and exposure is still good.

Waggoners Cruising Guild 2011
Current, practical you have all seen this "magazine" style book. but the tips are many and good even though its cluttered to the max with advertisements.

Vancouver Islands West Coast by Douglas.
This is the best. Charts are the best, the traps and tips are the best and the price is of course the worst but probably worth it. For me it covers the most treacherous part of the trip in the big water. All who venture here know the brutal weather that can come out of nowhere and treat us to its power and grandeur.

Chris
 
Another great book if you can find it is "Cruising Guide to the West Coast of Vancouver Island" by Don Watmough. I think it was last published in 1998, but may be available on the used market. It is unique because of all of the aerial photos showing the areas he's describing and the history of the West Coast sites.
Lyle
 
Still another book that we use is "The West Coast of Vancouver Island" by Anne and Laurence Yeadon-Jones.

This is one of a series of books in the Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide series published by Harbour Publishing (volume 6).

Others include Vol 1, Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island. Vol 2, Desolation Sound and Discovery Islands, Etc

We refer to these books often, even for hiking and exploring from land.

Andrew
 
I gave a good review to Douglas's book but now I'm not so sure. I notice that he/they left out important information about currents in key spots. So, now I deem the book good for charts and harbors but needs to be suplimented. Lots of good info on currents but I noticed a distinct lack thereof regarding the Brooks peninsula. Just my thoughts.
Chris
 
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