I am hoping one of you experienced paddlers can help me arrange a trip into the Broughton Archipelago August 2011. My cousin, who has a PhD in seaweed, unusual but surprisingly important, wants to see this part of the planet and checkout our seaweed. There are 4 of us, fit and fifty..ish, who want to paddle from August 6 to August 12, 2011. I thought of staying at Paddlers Inn for the last night if it fits in. I have been all over the Internet looking until I stumbled on this amazing site!! A great site!!! Can somebody help me and my Ausi relatives plan something wonderful?

Welcome to the forum. There are a number of folks here with experience in the Broughton Arch. ,,sadly i'm not one of them,,,,,,but you could take me with you,,,just kidding. I was thinking that it might be helpful to mention the groups paddling experience , how many tents/hammocks you would be needing campsite space for. I'm drooling just thinking about the trip. Have a great time.

bill

With only six days It'll be hard to get up and back to the the upper parts where the inn is located without using a taxi. check out my thread from a year ago for some good discussion:

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3785&hilit=Broughton+Archipelago

I would also recommend a water taxi to get you into the heart of it. Also if you are not experienced paddlers, the currents and tides, through Johnstone strait can be tricky at best. I have paddled there twice and still have days and days left to see all of it.
Although I have not done it, my next trip will be to the Paddlers Inn, I have met Bruce, he will be your greatest help, and staying at the Inn will get you taxied out into the center of it, live in relatively great comfort (in the middle of nowhere!), and get in some great trips, even an overniter in a tent if you wish, but lots of great day trips from the Inn.
Drop Bruce a line at the Inn, and see..

I agree with the others -- to get out to the Paddler's Inn and back (assuming you're going from Telegraph Cove), you'd likely need more time than five days unless you plan to water taxi at least one direction. If you do paddle from Telegraph Cove, you will need to cross Johnstone Strait and as has been said, it's not a crossing for paddlers with little experience -- it's a stretch of water that can be very difficult to paddle if you don't hit it right.

Bruce (at the Paddler's Inn) has a charter service with a well-equipped kayak-carrying boat -- and his prices are quite reasonable (I believe he's soon going to be doing a regular scheduled run twice a week from Telegraph Cove). I'd suggest meeting up with him on the first part of your trip -- he's a wealth of information about the area and could likely save you a lot of time finding what your cousin is looking for.

Not far (about 2km) from the Paddler's Inn is the Raincoast Research Society -- an ocean laboratory that mostly studies salmon -- your cousin might find it interesting as there are several marine biologists conducting studies there.

If you're camping, there's a really nice campsite on one of the north-eastern islands in the Burdwood Group. No fresh water but it's a beautiful spot.

I've paddled in that area three times now and will be heading there two weeks from tomorrow for three weeks. It's a fabulous part of the BC coast.

Thank you for the input. Would never consider crossing Johnson Strait in a kayak and have contacted Paddlers Inn.

Just read the post by pryaker
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3785&hilit=Broughton+Archipelago

I am not adverse to risk and tides but am not wanting to "test the water" on this holiday.
Thanks you so much for directing me to that post.

We will give it serious consideration before we go in there. May change our plans to the Broken Island Group.

Thanks so much for your input. It may well have saved us some paddling dangers!

Just back from a 8 day paddle in the North Broughton areas. Terrific adventure with cohorts from the Nanaimo Paddlers. While we crossed the Straight twice (we launched from and returned to Malcolm Island) we had nearly perfect wind and tide conditions. If not using the Inn, I would still recommend you use a water taxi. Inside the Northern Area, for instance in the Burdwood Group, there is all kinds of protection from the winds, ample areas to examine and tons of wildlife without risking the vicissitudes of the winds of the Straight. Enjoy. A person could spend years in this archipelago and still not really have a fulsome sense of awe and reverence for it. Recommend you get John K's book, Wild Coast III and do your research before going.

Hope you're going to post a TR or at least some pix? Please?