How to Sea Kayak the Gulf Islands, British Columbia
February 23, 2024
Looking for how to overnight sea kayak in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia? This is the ultimate guide to sea kayaking the Gulf Islands in BC!
why this blog? Hi there! I’m Maddy and I’ve been a sea kayaking guide/ outdoor writer for almost six years! In summer of 2022, I thru-paddled from Bellingham, WA to Desolation Sound, BC, and spent a few weeks exploring British Columbia’s beautiful Gulf Islands. I’m happy to show you around!
Note: this article may use affiliate links! this means if you choose to make a purchase based on my recommendation, I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you!
pictured above: scenes from the Gulf Islands National Seashore in British Columbia, Canada!
How to Sea Kayak the Gulf Islands, BC:
From campsites to route ideas, here is how to sea kayak the Gulf Islands of British Columbia!
wondering what to pack for your sea kayaking trip? Check out this detailed guide to how to pack a sea kayak, and what to pack for kayaking trips!
Leave No Trace in the Gulf Islands:
Desolation Sound and the surrounding waters are the traditional homelands of Coast Salish First Nations.
There are many relevant cultural and historical sites throughout the region; as a result it is of the utmost imperative that visitors be mindful of their impact, including proper waste disposal, use of only designated campsites, and leaving the land and water as you found it.
A sailboat off Prevost Island
1) Where are the Gulf Islands?
British Columbia’s beautiful Gulf Islands are located at the southern end of Vancouver Island in the Strait of Georgia. The Gulf Islands include the southern Gulf Islands which neighbor Washington’s San Juan Islands, and sometimes are considered to extend all the way up to the Northern Strait of Georgia and and the Discovery Islands.
British Columbia’s Gulf Islands are best known for their marine life, sandstone cliffs, beautiful campsites, and excellent sea kayaking.
2) Risks of sea kayaking the Gulf Islands, BC:
The biggest risks of sea kayaking in the Gulf Islands are immersion in cold water (hypothermia), tidal currents and tide rips, and crossing shipping lanes and ferries. When kayaking in the Gulf Islands, you’ll need a marine radio, full sea kayaking safety kit, charts, and more. It’s always best to kayak with a buddy. When in doubt, book a guided trip!
Kayak camp lounge!
3) Getting to the Gulf Islands:
The best way to get to the Gulf Islands is to take a ferry boat from Vancouver either to Sidney, BC, or to Nanaimo BC. From here, you can stage and launch your trip from one of the public parks near the ferry docks.
4) Guided Tour options in the Gulf Islands:
Kayaking in the Gulf Islands overnight is recommended for sea kayakers with at least Intermediate level experience due to strong tidal currents and rapids. When in doubt, book a guided tour! Guided tour options for sea kayaking in the Gulf Islands are…
Unfortunately, there are no guided tour options in the Northern Gulf Islands currently, as Texada and Jedediah Island are somewhat remote.
5) Gulf Islands sea kayaking route ideas:
Here are some of the best sea kayaking routes in the Gulf Islands!
Portland Island and Prevost Island
If you’re looking for an easy sea kayaking route from Sidney, BC, consider kayaking to Portland Island and Prevost Island. The Portland Island Shell Beach campsite is beautiful with a sandy beach and excellent views of the Olympic Mountain Range to the south. There are several other campsites on Portland Island and a hiking trail around the outside.
Beautiful James Bay at low tide, looking north into the Trincomali Channel
On your way to Prevost Island, Ruckle Provincial Park on Salt Spring Island is is a must-paddle. This section has lots of interesting bays and coves. Prevost Island has beautiful campsite in James Bay of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. There are hiking trails on this island as well.
This route has moderate currents and is incredibly unique to paddle at low tide.
Pender, Saturna, and Mayne Islands
The outer Southern Gulf Islands closes to Washington’s San Juan Islands are known for beautiful sandstone formations and orca sightings! Currents can be stronger here than around the inner Islands and guided tours are recommended (see list above).
I’ve never personally paddled these islands but I’ve been told it looks like a less crowded version of Sucia Island, pictured above.
Alternately, take a sea kayaking skills course and rent a kayak.
Nanaimo, De Courcy, Trincomali Channel
Another great and more beginner friendly route in the Gulf Islands begins in Nanaimo, BC with camping on Newcastle Island and will take you south through False Narrows (the current here changes on a dime even at slack and will feel like paddling upstream, but there are no rapids), to Pirate’s Cove Marine Park, a beautiful and historic place to camp.
Northern Gulf Islands: Texada, Jedediah, Lasqueti
If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path more challenging sea kayaking adventure, consider making the crossing out to Texada, Jedediah, and Lasqueti Islands in the Northern Gulf Islands.
All of these islands are beautiful but perhaps most especially the southern end of Texada and Jedediah Island. Most paddlers will launch from Halfmoon Bay area, BC or Smugglers Cove Marine Park and make the 5-8 mile crossing out to the southern end of Texada Island. Note that you may encounter strong currents as well as long wind and waves on this route.
Sunset spot and green water on Jedediah Island.
If you cannot make the crossing, marine-access only camping is available at Buccaneer Bay Park on South Thormanby Island. After crossing, dispersed camping is allowed at Anderson Bay Park on the southern end of Texada Island. The Geology of southern Texada Island is beautiful and interesting to paddle, but the real gem of the Northern Gulf Islands is Jedediah Island Marine Park.
This island features beautiful rocky cliffs and island overlooks, sheltered bays, wild sheep, and historic homestead remnants. There are truly plenty of kayak friendly campsites on this island. Many report their favorite to be Home Bay, which is easily the most beautiful in the area. However the bay dries completely at low tide making for a long and miserable boat carry, so it’s a no for me. Instead, we’ve stayed at Sunset Cove on the other side of the island a few times. Beautiful small trail up to a sunset spot, and you can still hike over to the old homestead.
Note that this route has very limited access to freshwater.
6) What to pack to sea kayak the Gulf Islands
For sea kayaking in the Gulf Islands, aside from a kayak, paddle, and PDF you will need…
- A VHF radio and full sea kayaking Safety Kit.
- A Synthetic Sleeping Bag (will dry much more quickly than down). I use the Nemo Tempo for side sleepers but the REI Trailmade also provides a budget-friendly option.
- A compact inflatable sleeping pad. Space is key when it comes to sea kayaking; Nemo Tensor is an extremely small but comfortable pad.
- A free standing tent (one that doesn’t require stakes to stand!! key for sandy or rocky campsites) š ! Check out my detailed guide to tent buying here.
- Wool Baselayers, camp clothes, first aid kit, a wetsuit if chilly weather, and more!
- In the summer, the Gulf Islands tend to be warm and sunny. I recommend paddling in long, quick-dry pants and a long sleeve wool top to cover as much skin as possible from the sun. Paddling in long pants also protects you from your kayak.
- For this trip, leave the sandals at home and get Neoprene Booties instead. These will keep your feet warm, and rocks out! Trust me, in sandals you just end up walking on rocks all day on BC beaches.
For a more complete list of what to pack for sea kayak camping in the Gulf Islands, visit a beginner’s guide to kayak camping.
7) Wildlife in the Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are a wonderful place to view and appreciate marine life! When loading boats and walking in the intertidal zone, be conscious of marine life below you.
Keep in mind that all whales including cetaceans (toothed whales including orcas and porpoises) and pinnipeds (seals & sea lions) are protected under Canadian Law. IT IS ILLEGAL TO APPROACH ORCAS AT CLOSE DISTANCE EVEN BY SEA KAYAK. This law applies within 100 m for all marine mammals, and 200 m for all Killer Whales, and 400m for SRKW pod.
If you encounter Orcas, raft up with your paddling partners so long as it is safe to do so. If they decide to approach you, there’s obviously not much you can do about it, they are much faster and larger than you. But it is illegal to pursue Orcas or to intentionally put yourself in the path of orcas.
Paddling by some of the unique houses and cabins of the Gulf Islands!
Enjoy reading about how to sea kayak in British Columbia’s Gulf Islands? Here are some related articles you might like!
- Kayak British Colombia’s Desolation Sound
- Check out Washington’s wildlife filled San Juan Islands
- Check out all the best day hiking trails on the Mt. Baker Highway