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Broughton Archipelago Trip August 24-30

sbourgoin

Where the paddle takes me
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Messages
100
Location
Port Alberni, BC
Evening,
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer out on the water!

Got a trip planned for a Party of 3 in and around Broughton Archipelago - Intermediate Paddlers. Got a few thoughts and I've been reading a few posts here, which have been very useful (and yes I have purchased John Kimantas's book). Got a good amount of gear between the 3 of us.

Trying to decide whether it's too much to try and leave from Port McNeill and head clockwise around Malcolm Island and paddle south into Broght or schedule a drop off with a Water Taxi. If you recommend a Taxi where do you recommend leaving from. We are not opposed to open water crossings under 20km in length.

If you had 3-4 places to visit in Broughton what/where would they be?

We were thinking of setting a base camp and doing a few day trips vs. packing up and moving from location to location.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

Thanks for your time and feedback.

Much appreciated
Shawn
 
Shawn, the Paddlers Inn is a most useful, tasty jumpoff locus. Bruce also knows all the good spots for camping, etc. in that area. If you want to focus on the Broughtons and not so much on the islands between Port McNeill and Echo Bay, his water taxi is a worthy investment. Some guided groups use it, working their way to Telegraph Cove from the Inn.
 
Shawn, if you have to spend the night "in town" once you've driven to the area, Alder Bay "Resort", further up the road from Telegraph Cove, would be less of a zoo for an overnight camp.

When we toured the Burdwood group, we had our own water taxi from Alder Bay out to the islands - I recall it was much more expensive than if we had used what seemed to be a daily taxi from Telegraph Cover to Echo Bay. I don't know about the daily parking fees at Telegraph Cove.

We made our way back from the Burdwood group, via Echo Bay, and crossed over near Cracroft Point, camping at Kiakash creek. The Pro was the fresh water stream with soaking pools upstream for the brave. The Con was it was the first location on the whole trip were mosquitos became a problem.

From Kaikash we finished up paddling back to Alder Bay - but you could stop at Telegraph Cove if that's were you left your car.

Our stop at Echo Bay for lunch on a bluff at the end of the bay was like returning to a city - complete with a Helecopter take off platform.

We saw a whale the day we crossed over to Kiakash and we saw Orcas passing by after we set up camp there.

We loaded all the water we could carry. Because we were arriving by water taxi, we had large-ish collapsible rectangular plastic containers. We used those during the initial days on Denham were we camped and took day trips. By the time we left, they were collapsed, packed away, and we used our regular water carriers for the rest of the trip. I suppose we could have filled up at Echo Bay - but we just wanted to have lunch and scram.

One "mistake" was that our initial stop was going to be at the main Burdwood Island site - but someone was already there. So we continued to Denham and set up camp. We returned to that main island camp area during a day paddle the next day and the camper had left; we would have had it all to ourselves - beautiful water and beach, great trees for hammocks. On that approach day, we should have asked the camper about their intentions (and if any others were out on a day paddle).

denhamhammock.jpg

Hammocks don't need no level ground. Camp on Denham.

MainBurdwood.jpg

Steve checking out the area on the main Burdwood Island; it would have been ideal
 
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sbourgoin,
Bring your camera (from Kiakash camp):
cameraready.jpg


Bring your courage: cold freshwater soak (Kiakash creek)
soakpool.jpg


Bring your long tree straps - big trees in the Broughtons:
BigTrees.jpg


If you are still using the Hennessy "line tied to the tree wraps" suspension method, PM me for some suggestions.
tarpedup.jpg
 
Good call on the longer webbing. Damn those large old growth trees! Suggestions length? Where to buy?
Thanks
Shawn
 
Without question, Hanson Island facing Johnstome Strait was the highlight of our trip from Telegraph Cove to the Burwoods and return via White Cliffs (another highlight). Crossing Johnstone Strait is easy in good morning weather. We crossed from just south of Telegraph Cove. Just call MTS on your VHF and ask about vessel traffic when you are about to cross. It's only 20 minutes in the main channel.

Crossing Blackney requires timing and planning. You want to cross at slack and in the morning. We camped on Little Hanson Island. Also, call MTS before you cross.

We found the further north we went, the less marine life there was, except for White Cliffs.
 
We were also surprised at what seemed the lack of wildlife (except for the Ocras and whale we saw while at Kiakash). Steve thought the lack of a "food chain" might have something to do with it. Everything has to eat something.

Shawn - many "How To" hammock videos seem to be made in eastern or midwest locations. They have these perfect, no lower branches, skinny trees and leafy ground cover. We have "no lower branches" trees in Bend too; they're called Ponderosa Pine - a little bigger. For fun, in the hammock forum (username: courgarmeat) I'd post a "Tree? You call that a tree? This is a tree." reply to some of the videos and include a shot of one of the giants in Cathedral Grove (on the way to Tofino); or a redwood or big cedar.

The shot I posted above was on one of the several islands we camped on during the Broughton/Burdwood tour. There are definitely smaller trees to chose from and in the hammock photos I am using a 9 ft daisy chain (Python strap by Kammok). The trees my hammock used in the photos were definitely smaller than their bigger brothers. But I still bring an "extension" option.

If you are looking for longer daisy chain straps, ENO (Eagles Nest Outfitters) has a 13 ft XL Atlas and Kammok (also at REI) has a 15 ft strap. If you use webbing and buckles, there are many vendors (Dutchware, REI, etc.) that will sell whatever length webbing you want. Note that you want polyester rather than nylon because nylon stretches.

For more info, PM me the kind of suspension you use and/or post the question in the gear sub-forum.
 
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I use the WindFinder Pro App on my phone for tides, wind, temp etc. Does anyone know any of the buoys or weather stations in the area to get info off of?
Thanks
Shawn
 
Does anyone know any of the buoys or weather stations in the area to get info off of?
Thanks
Shawn

Your vhf radio carries the marine forecast. It is broadcast regularly and updated twice daily. You have to know th bodies of water that apply to you and to the nearest lighthouses or weather buoys the forecasts refer to. As the forecast proceeds, you might miss your area. Wait. The forecast repeats. For the Broughtons, you want Queen Charlotte Sound, Johnstone Strait and Pine Island. Typically, winds from the north west are good, south east bad.
 
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