WCP Spring Campout 2025

Gary Jacek

Gary Jacek

Established Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2009
Messages
356
Location
Victoria, BC
Many years ago, the people on WestCoastPaddler.com would converge every year for a Spring Campout on the last weekend of April. The most recent events were held at Arbutus Point on Portland Island. This allowed paddlers from the mainland to wheel their loaded kayaks onto BC Ferries at Tsawwassen, wheel off at Swartz Bay and roll down to the Barnacle Road public dock, for the launch to Portland Island.

Some paddlers would arrive as early as Wednesday. Some would leave a bit early. Most would stay until Sunday and paddle back to Barnacle Road dock as a group.

While at Portland Island, paddlers would launch as groups of friends to visit Russell Island, or Fulford Harbour, or to circumnavigate Portland Island. We also made use of the extensive trail network on Portland Island to observe birds and other wildlife. Be aware there are raccoons who will make use of your extensive larder while you are away. Plan accordingly.

We would usually have an evening potluck on the Saturday night. A good time to share recipes, tell stories and recount the odd mishap from our various adventures.

This Spring Campout was a great way for experienced campers to dust off the winter cobwebs and get back into the camping spirit.

That said, April can serve up everything from pleasant, warm spring weather, to gale force winds and rain.

An eye to the weather and preparation to stay that extra night or two is necessary.

Paddle Canada Level 2 or strong Level 1 skills are strongly recommended.

Previous demonstrated camp craft is also necessary unless you are being tutored by someone who is woods wise.

Portland Island is part of the Gulf Islands National Park. Facilities are limited to composting toilets and trails.

The tides/currents around Portland Island for the weekend of April 26/27 2025 plus the days leading up to that weekend are pretty good. That said, each paddler is responsible for their own safety, navigation, camp craft and wellbeing.

It is February. There is snow on the ground. Even so, we can dream of spring.

Who is up for the first WCP Spring Campout in ages?
 

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Yah, sounds like a plan! Unfortunately the huge MSR pavilion has bit the dust, but I think tarpology is basic enough to the point that overlaps might work! So every-two that show up, bring an extra plus line. I can bring two 3m tent poles and probably can borrow two similar, etc.

If there's increasing interest, I think name tags/origin/username might be an idea, heh heh - like who's that weird guy over there?
 
I love this idea, and thank you Gary for getting the ball (or kayak) rolling on it. I'm on standby to potentially teach a Paddle Canada course that weekend, but haven't yet been assigned to it. I'm just checking with my boss at Jericho Beach Kayak to see if I can free up that weekend without causing them problems.

Update: just got clearance from my boss at JBK to play hooky that weekend. I'm in!
 
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Gary, you mentioned composting toilets and trails. What about water? I thought there was a water source on the Island. But I've also seen that water sources in the past have been closed down (Looking at you, Wallace Island). Is the requirement to bring water for extended day trips becoming more prevalent?
 
cougarmeat said:
Gary, you mentioned composting toilets and trails. What about water? I thought there was a water source on the Island. But I've also seen that water sources in the past have been closed down (Looking at you, Wallace Island). Is the requirement to bring water for extended day trips becoming more prevalent?
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Last time I was on Portland - admittedly a couple years back - there was no water, it was bring your own. It's been that way in any of the federally controlled parklands there for a long time. It dates back to some silly shenanigans in the 90s in Ontario where entirely unqualified people had been signing off water as tested and safe in a small community. Sicknesses (and possibly a death) resulted. Rather than actually fix the problem, the feds decided to side step the liability by plugging the public wells on any of the Gulf Island Nation Park islands.
 
kayakwriter said:
Last time I was on Portland - admittedly a couple years back - there was no water, it was bring your own. It's been that way in any of the federally controlled parklands there for a long time. It dates back to some silly shenanigans in the 90s in Ontario where entirely unqualified people had been signing off water as tested and safe in a small community. Sicknesses (and possibly a death) resulted. Rather than actually fix the problem, the feds decided to side step the liability by plugging the public wells on any of the Gulf Island Nation Park islands.
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Yep. Somebody will be winded in and very thirsty. So they’ll die trying to leave their National Park Dryland. The Feds in charge will just shrug it off.
 
mick_allen said:
Yah, sounds like a plan! Unfortunately the huge MSR pavilion has bit the dust, but I think tarpology is basic enough to the point that overlaps might work! So every-two that show up, bring an extra plus line. I can bring two 3m tent poles and probably can borrow two similar, etc.

If there's increasing interest, I think name tags/origin/username might be an idea, heh heh - like who's that weird guy over there?
Click to expand...
Say it isn’t so! What befell the MSR Pavillion?
 
Given all the tech advances, it amazes me that we don't have an affordable, portable, personal desalinator.
 
What befell the MSR Pavillion?
Pavilion + moisture + too much time = disgusting mould food + gut wrenching odour + despair = only a memory.
 
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What befell the MSR Pavillion?
Pavilion + moisture + too much time = disgusting mould food + gut wrenching odour + despair = only a memory.
 
mick_allen said:
What befell the MSR Pavillion?
Pavilion + moisture + too much time = disgusting mould food + gut wrenching odour + despair = only a memory.
Click to expand...
Sad. That pavilion wasn't something you could easily hang up in your garage to dry. And hiring a sail maker to create a new shell would be a little bit $pendy. (If you still had the frame and pegs)
 
Gary Jacek said:
Sad. That pavilion wasn't something you could easily hang up in your garage to dry. And hiring a sail maker to create a new shell would be a little bit $pendy. (If you still had the frame and pegs)
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Not in the same league, but I have an MEC Guide's Tarp. And the guest list includes several distinguished Tarpologists. So I think we might be able to shingle overlap tarps from the various guests to make an acceptably large roof. That is, assuming, the request for a mild and rain-free weekend I've put in somehow doesn't come through.
 
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