Hi, For tide predictions for Tofino you can check out: http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=Tofino%2C+British+Columbia I don't have any good on-line references for the currents, but I do operate multi-day kayak tours in Clayoquot Sound and can pass along some of my own experiences. In addition to current and surf the other dangers you will encounter are boomers on the outer coast of Vargas and in Tofino Harbour there is a lot of boat and float plane traffic. There is a good current that runs right along the shoreline of Tofino and you will encounter some back eddies and eddy lines in the channel between Vancouver Island and Felice Island when the current is running (this passage is just a few hundred metres wide) but if you time it for an ebbing tide it will work in your favour. If possible I always try to time our departure with the current just beginning to ebb and try to time our arrival back in Tofino with the current just beginning to flood. This channel does see a lot of boat traffic so be aware before you begin your crossing. I find that the currents to the east of Tofino are a little more hairy where they need to go between all the little islands. If you are experienced paddler this can be a fun place to play. If you were to decide to paddle up the more protected inside of Vargas Island instead of the outside you will encounter some current in the passage between Vargas and Meares Island. I suggest once you cross to Vargas Island stay close to shore as the whale watching zodiacs tend to zip across Elbow Bank at quite a high speed and their route does not go in a straight line. Along the outer coast of Vargas Island between Tofino and Ahous Bay you will also encounter a lot of Boomers through the La Croix Group (rocks and islets that are unseen beneath the surface but larger waves will crash down on them with ferocity). Maybe only 1 out of every 20 to 30 waves will be large enough to crash so you need to be looking out well ahead of you for signs of these boomers as you do not want to be there when a large wave breaks. While this can be a dangerous place to paddle for inexperienced paddlers it is a beautiful place to paddle if you know hat you are doing. These surf exposed rocks and islets are home to numerous birds and the intertidal life is magnificent. At low tide you can see lots of different sea stars, urchins and anemones and there is also a type of seaweed that only lives on the exposed coast called Sea Palms. This seaweed looks just like miniature Palm Tree and is very resilient, they completely fold down when a wave crashes upon them and immediately spring right back up when the wave recedes. The local guide that you talked to is right about the surf that can be encountered on the outside of Vargas Island and in Ahous Bay and if you are not experienced with surf or paddling with currents I would not recommend doing this trip by yourself. Either go out with experienced paddlers or go out on a guided trip. For guided day trips in Clayoquot Sound I would recommend Tofino Sea Kayaking, http://www.tofino-kayaking.com/ or Rain Forest Kayak Adventures, http://www.rainforestkayak.com/ (neither are affiliated with my company). I don't believe they operate scheduled day trips to Ahous Bay but I am sure they can provide a guide if requested. Tofino Sea Kayaking also rents kayaks but wisely refuse to rent to anyone without experience paddling in the type of conditions that can be encountered in the Sound or to solo paddlers. If you do paddle out to Ahous Bay it is a long trip for a day trip. If possible I would do it as an overnight trip, the beach is a beautiful place to camp and watch the sun set. At the southern end of Ahous Bay you will find the surf to be a little smaller as it needs to curl around a bit of a point and at the other end of the bay are a couple of smaller bays that see much smaller surf (the problem with these smaller bays is that you can't easily walk to the main beach of Ahous Bay). I hope this helps somewhat. Andrew Jones ______________________________ Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures Ltd. North Vancouver, BC, Canada info_at_kingfisher-adventures.com www.kingfisher-adventures.com Toll Free: 1-866-kingfisher ( 546-4347 ) Phone: 604-831-6180 Fax: 604-831-6148 ______________________________ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob & Laura Campbell" <campy_at_olypen.com> To: <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> Sent: March 27, 2001 10:12 PM Subject: [Paddlewise] Clayquot Sound tidal currents > I am going to be kayaking in Clayquot Sound in late July. Can anyone tell me > where I can find some good reference materials on the tidal currents I might > face in the Sound? I have heard currents are pretty severe and I want to be > prepared. Anyone kayaked from Tofino to Ahous Bay on Vargas Island? I am > interested in this trip (day trip?) but have been discouraged by a local guide > because of the surf landing. > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Mar 28 2001 - 13:18:23 PST
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