..Kayaking Tours with The killer whales of Johnstone Strait..Kayaking Tours with The killer whales of Johnstone Strait..Kayaking Tours with The killer whales of Johnstone Strait
Is a remote wilderness trip into a cluster of islands and inlets that define the coast of British Columbia. It is a place few visit during the summer months. It is located on the BC Coast just north 300 km north of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Smith Sound trips are six days of adventure sea kayaking in the remoteness of the Coast Rainforest of British Columbia. It is a twenty minute charter flight ride from Port Hardy. To date, we were the first sea kayaking outfitter to operate remote trips into this very special area of the Southern Central Coast of British Columbia. In our quest to find an area that is devoid of people yet inspiring in its remoteness we found a jewel that offers us a unlimited coastline to sea kayak. The area is a blend of exposed shoreline and protected channels between a vast group of rugged island. Beaches are formed from granite and appear like gold in color.
Two large islands mark the entrance to some fifty miles of hidden passages and bays. Vast immature rain forests of cedar, spruce and Douglas Fir support an amazing variety of wildlife. The forest here is alive with a great variety of birds of song and birds of prey. Past trips have seen eagles, bear, wolf and gray whales. Short walks in the quiet forest allows us a moment to absorb the beauty and the mode of nature. Footprints of wolf and deer are seen in the sand of the beaches. A summer resident Gray Whale has shown up each year during our brief visit to these waters. Many other marine mammals visit these waters including sea lions and sea otters. In one direction you have the Open Pacific pushing gentle swells into the sound and in the other direction you have the snowcapped mountains of the Coast Range Mountains. On a clear day you can see the coastline of northern Vancouver Island and the tip of a peak we know as Mt. Waddington, a mountain rising some 13,000 feet into the blue sky. This trip is not for beginners. It requires individuals who are familiar with the demands of a wilderness trips.
The beaches are made from a granite sand. This type of sand is unique only to this area of the Southern Central Coast of the Inside Passage.
Smith Sound adventures have become one of our most remote and exciting expeditions. To fully enjoy these trips you should be prepared for the little challenges everyday of the trip. As the sole outfitter in this very special area, we enjoy the remoteness as do our participants. We found a jewel that offers you unlimited coastline to sea kayak. The area is a blend of exposed shoreline and protected channels between a vast group of rugged islands. The beaches are unique. The beaches were formed from glacial erosion of granite rocks and appear like gold in color. Little dirt is in this granite sand. Small stream are abundant on the beach sites we camp at during the trip.
Itinerary...
Arrival in Port Hardy by the late afternoon book into a local Bed and Breakfast. Use that evening to relax and sort out your clothes and personal items before tomorrows departure. Following morning Charter Flight departure at 9:00 am. Baggage must be given to your guides by 8:00 am. This scenic charter flight into Smith Sound takes us over the spectacular waters of Queen Charlotte Sound. The flight takes only forty minutes and gives us an aerial introduction to the islands and beaches you will be visiting in the next six days.
Day One: Your guide(s) will meet you at the B & B for breakfast at 7:30 am. Transfer to the Floatplane charter takes only 10 minutes. Board the Charter Flight at 9:30 am. Scenic Flight of 40 minutes. Unload gear on our destination beach, set camp, safety session and off we go to explore a sheltered shoreline that always has some wildlife interaction happening. Catch a relaxing lunch and a few pictures of a great cove. Later that after we will explore an archipelago of small islands to watch the eagles forage for lunch.
Day Two: Early morning pack-up and a paddle towards the mouth of the Sound during which time we keep a sharp eye out for Gray Whale and Stellar Sea lions. Both species frequent waters where the feeding is easily accessible. Observations of these mammals can sometime last for hours. The gentle swells of the Pacific are often present at the mouth of the Sound bringing more nutrients in from far away which will help us catch dinner. Don’t forget to bring your fishing rod. Our campsite is a quaint island of a wonderful rich coastal rainforest. Here the marine life is rich and abundant. Miniature tidal pools team with life.. Late afternoon rainforest hikes into the old growth groves of trees and investigation of a nearby island will complete a day of exploration. Evening is left for beach fire and a beverage.
Day Three: This day is a full day of paddling, beach combing and hiking along the remote northern coastline of the entrance to Smith Sound and beyond. Visit to an exposed coastline complete with sea cave, towering cliffs and interesting narrow passage that lead to quiet lagoons where the even vigilant gray heron, western grebe and kingfisher frequent the shorelines. Afternoon will be spent searching for glass balls and hiking the interesting the coastline. Time for a little fishing for dinner and an evening around a warm beach fire.
Day Four: Open water crossing to a group of Outer Islands where the richness of marine life doubles in size. Encounters with more wildlife occurs at this site. The Lighthouse on Egg Island sits on the horizon as the last post before the vast waters of Queen Charlotte Sound. Otter colonies and sea lions become the entertainment during this evening. This is an outstanding spot for photos’ of sunrises and sunsets. We make visits to areas of porpoise and sea lion activity.
Day Five & Six: Our fifth and sixth days take us in a new direction to investigate a special group of islets where whale sightings are possible. That afternoon will involve a long beach walk and short hike up a special stream. The evening paddle will take us into the basin of a lagoon and culturally modified trees. The sixth day starts with a short paddle and ends with our flight over Smith Sound back to Port Hardy by 3 pm.
Note: Discovery Expedition guides reserve the right to change the itinerary at anytime due to accommodate changes in weather patterns. This trip is in a remote setting and subsequently safety is our utmost responsibility.
Smith Sound Expeditions (5 days) on the Big Coast of BC CDN$2295 per person (includes a two way charter air flight to/from Smith Sound)
July 07-11, July 11-15, July 15-19, July 19-23.