Any fresh water in the Broken Group?

[Kault316]

 

[Kault316]

I think my text got lost. The Government website says there is no drinking water, but this picture shows water at certain locations. Can anyone clarify?

 

[jefffski]

Nope

 

[a_c]

I was there with a group in late September, 2019. Halfway through our trip we re-supplied our water on Clarke Island. There is a mossy embankment, not quite a waterfall but a steady drip/flow; we were able to fill and filter 5 or 6 large dromedaries over the course of an evening. The water had that brownish cedar-infused hue to it, and a bit of flavour, but after filtering it was adequate.

 

[Kault316]

I was there with a group in late September, 2019. Halfway through our trip we re-supplied our water on Clarke Island. There is a mossy embankment, not quite a waterfall but a steady drip/flow; we were able to fill and filter 5 or 6 large dromedaries over the course of an evening. The water had that brownish cedar-infused hue to it, and a bit of flavour, but after filtering it was adequate.

Thank you, Sir!

 

[Tangler]

I have collected water there, at Thanksgiving.
Any water I have seen there gives a good impression of filtered racoon urine with a hint of otter poop...
I wouldn't expect to find much this year or rely on it at all at any time.

 

[WGalbraith]

Apparently official park maps indicate water is unavailable in the Broken Group. I have seen this map as well and sought out those sources a few years ago. Most of them do exist and are drinkable with filtering and or boiling. I suspect that Park management adopted the "Bring your own water" policy because the sources are untested and unreliable in the drier months. It is much safer to bring your own.

 

[JohnAbercrombie]

What's the source for that chart/map?

 

[a_c]

What's the source for that chart/map?

It must be old, as it shows Benson Island as an official campsite. It's a traditional First Nations village site, there are some interpretive signs and a totem there now. Camping is strongly discouraged/forbidden.

FYI - Parks Canada website lists Benson Island as closed, citing:

• Benson Island is closed to visitors until further notice, to protect the health and safety of the local community.

 

[jefffski]

It must be old, as it shows Benson Island as an official campsite. It's a traditional First Nations village site, there are some interpretive signs and a totem there now. Camping is strongly discouraged/forbidden.

FYI - Parks Canada website lists Benson Island as closed, citing:

• Benson Island is closed to visitors until further notice, to protect the health and safety of the local community.

Benson island was owned by a family that ran a hotel there. They now own Friend Island in the Deer Group. Benson Island was expropriated for the park.

 

[eggabeewa]

Mary Ann Snowden's book mentions a small source on Gibraltar. I can attest that it was there July 2017 but should be considered as an emergency only. It was a small trickle. We used it for some cooking. We had planned for taking all our water along but midway through our trip discovered that we were getting short of our budgeted amount so used this source for cooking while camped there. We also were given some by a group on their last day. Later we discovered several "missing" bottles stuck up in the bow of one kayak. I would plan to take all required cooking and drinking water if you can.

 

[cougarmeat]

IF you plan on using a water taxi and using one island as a base - at least for part of the trip, you can take a larger collapsible water carrier on the taxi and use it at your base. We did that on the Broughton trip. Hung out on one island and did day trips to explore the area. On the multi-day return leg, we collapsed and stored that container and used our dromedaries for the rest of the adventure.

I wouldn’t rely on anything in print about “facilities” that was more than 6 months old - maybe more than 30 days old in these times. What’s that phrase - “Trust but verify."