Bella Coola to the various hotsprings - an October trip - should or should not?

[Fransjb]

I am considering a trip next week with a paddling buddy out from the UK. We are both experienced paddlers and have done 14 day inside passage trips from Bella Bella as well as up in Alaska out of Whittier. We would like to do about 8 days out and back to explore some/one of the hot springs.

Assuming rain to be the daily weather state - what would your thoughts be about sea state and wind/tide interactions with less of the summer warmth effect?

 

[alexsidles]

You’ll be fine. The main thing is less the rain per se than what the rain portends: a low-pressure system, also known as an extra-tropical cyclone. A low-pressure system will produce high winds, even in the inlets, that can force you to stay off the water.

But low-pressure systems aren’t a reason not to take the trip. They’re just a reason to build a weather day or two into your schedule. The trip sounds amazing and you should definitely do it.

Let us know how warm the water was when you get back. If it’s been raining a lot, the water in the hot springs can sometimes be cooled by rainwater.

Alex

 

[Fransjb]

Thanks so much Alex - your feedback is most appreciated. We have actually now pivoted and leave tomorrow to do the Broken Group. BC and the hot springs next year!

 

[Tangler]

Has Parks Canada changed its policy regarding camping in the Broken Group after Sep 30th?

 

[Tiger Shark]

Broken Group PERMANENTLY CLOSED during fall/winter/spring

I just received the SKILS newsletter and found this information. I'm surprised that there hasn't been more attention (outcry?) from the paddling community. Closing the Broken Group Islands (BGI) to recreational and commercial users outside of the official fee collection period. More...

www.westcoastpaddler.com

I can’t seem to get the official notification from Parks Canada from their website, maybe it’s currently shut for the season. I highly doubt the parks police will be out, but who knows. I guess Fransjb has left already, maybe we’ll get a trip report later. 24 years ago I was there in mid September and could hardly find a place to camp it was so busy. Even lots of provincial parks are closed off season, such as the Bowron Lakes. Seems like winter warriors are SOL in some instances, which is pretty crumby. Is it a safety thing, environmental thing, perhaps some visitors were leaving a mess or that the parks can’t justify paying someone to collect the skimpy fees they would get in the off season so they just close the park.

 

[alexsidles]

They've always been infuriatingly cagey about the seasonal camping closure in the Broken Group. They could just come out and say on the website, "The camping season runs between May 1 and September 30, and there is no camping allowed the rest of the year." Instead, the website merely says you need a permit to camp...and then refuses, without explanation, to issue any permit before May 1 or after September 30.

Most kayakers who encounter this mysterious silence assume, wrongly, that the website is trying to say that you DON'T NEED a permit before May 1 or after September 30. That's not the case, but you'd never know it from the website. Even well-meaning, rule-abiding kayakers are often unaware of the seven-month annual closure of the Broken Group.

Alex

 

[eriktheviking]

Even lots of provincial parks are closed off season, such as the Bowron Lakes. Seems like winter warriors are SOL in some instances, which is pretty crumby. Is it a safety thing, environmental thing, perhaps some visitors were leaving a mess or that the parks can’t justify paying someone to collect the skimpy fees they would get in the off season so they just close the park.

I don't think the provincial parks close outside of the reservation season. Bowron doesn't accept reservations after Sept 30 but quite a few people do the loop after that. I know some folks who have gone around on skis in winter too. Same for Cape Scott (just came back from there)- no fees or reservations after Sept 30 but open year-round. The Broken Group in a national park seems different as Alex says above.

 

[Tiger Shark]

I think they’re just try to deter people from going, government has got to try to control everything and highly doubt they patrol it in winter so I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem either, unless you showed up and there’s some locked gate on the road preventing you from getting close enough to the water to launch or park, but I’ve not heard of that in either location. I’ve heard of winter trips to the Bowron too.

 

[Tangler]

One can always take one's chances. What is a little fine anyway?
Access could be a problem as the only access is either private (Salmon Beach) or the campground at Secret Beach which does have big yellow gates and may close off season. Sigh...

 

[Gary Jacek]

Keeping in mind that Imperial Eagle Channel can be...problematic, it is possible to launch from Poet Nook on the Deer Group side, spend a night at Stud Islets, and then cross Imperial Eagle into the Broken Group. We did this in September when selenium-contaminated Toquart Bay was permanently closed and Secret Beach was not yet accessible by road.

 

[mick_allen]

Looking at the Alberni Inlet overview I did a little while ago,

Alberni Inlet sites

sbourgoin's recent thread: https://www.westcoastpaddler.com/community/threads/john-kimantas-books.8674/#post-92881 brought to mind that I'd done a preliminary look at sites down the inlet and beyond into Barkley Sound - and mentioned posting a few maps of sites that might be worth looking at. I...

www.westcoastpaddler.com

a shorter road trip would be to the old Spencer Logdump [in the overview called 'AlbiSE13-OldSpencerW' 48° 58.450'N 124° 54.758'W] to those same Stud It [altho other possibilities are more closer to Poett's Cove]. I presume Poett is commercial while Spencer is crown land and looks like lots of parking possibilities in the area.

camp possibility and potential parking nearby:

Comparing the 2 routes to the Studs, from Poett's is abt 11 km and from Spencer is abt 14 km, so not much difference and camp and pkg potential.
On first part of 'Spencer Main' road.