>From: Thomas Unger <unger_at_tumtum.com> >Thanks. I've been eyeing that middle section of the BC coast. SNIP I didn't see a trip here because: > > o the Hakai rec area is mostly outer islands, perhaps too exposed > for this trip. > > o I couldn't get much information about access and scenery in the more > inside passages. In the research that I've done so far I've come > across the fact that there are some first nation tribes that don't > want visitors. Don't want to show up in the wrong place out of >ignorance. Chat with the band members in Bella Bella - there will always be many of them on the ferry, returning home. I've never had a problem or been made to feel unwelcome. > > o The region seems small for a three week trip. Would paddling north > through grham reach make a nice trip? The furthest north I've been on the mainland is around the outside of Price Island. I do remember, because we signed in with Prince Rupert traffic as we were crossing Milbanke Sound, that Graham Reach seems to be the route of choice for cruise ships, fishing boats, tugs, and other shipping, presumably because it's sheltered. So, perhaps like me, you don't like sharing confined waters with the big boys! > o Paddling all the way to Port Hardy seemed too far and there is no > intermediate ferry stop. > Particularly, what would it be >like to dink around Bella Bella for a while, then paddle north to some >point and get picked up by the south bound Prince Rupert to Port Hardy >ferry? I think you're mixing up two different ferries here: the "Queen of Chiliwack" is the "cruise ship" type that's set up to launch and recover kayaks at sea, and that will make request stops, but it goes no further North than Bella Bella and Ocean Falls. The "Queen of the North" goes all the way to Prince Rupert, but makes no stops and is not equipped to launch or recover kayaks at sea. If you go north of Bella Bella, you'd be committed to paddling to Prince Rupert and walking on board the ferry back from there. That said, I'd say there was plenty of coastline and passages to explore for three weeks in the islands west and south of Bella Bella, providing you're happy to thread back and forth (that is, go south down one channel, back north along another, and so on), rather than having some impressive "straight line" distance. Happy paddling, Philip Philip ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Tue May 18 1999 - 13:44:44 PDT
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