This coming September, my wife and I will be taking an expedition type cruise that includes a lot of kayaking. We will be leaving from Vancouver. The trip starts in Vancouver and we will be paddling through Princess Louisa Inlet, Desolation Sound, The Discovery Islands, and the San Juan Islands and then ending in Seattle. We would like to take 3-4 additional days on the Vancouver side of things and do a few non-kayaking things. This is a compromise vacation as my wife does paddle, but I'm the one with the passion for it. In fact, the only reason she wants to do this trip is that she knows, the best way to get me on board the idea is to include some paddling. Anybody have any ideas on what to see, do, or where to stay? We would particularly like to see some bears and other wildlife. Thanks, Steve Holtzman Southern California *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> This coming September, my wife and I will be taking an expedition type > cruise that includes a lot of kayaking. We will be leaving from Vancouver. > The trip starts in Vancouver and we will be paddling through Princess Louisa > Inlet, Desolation Sound, The Discovery Islands, and the San Juan Islands and > then ending in Seattle. > > We would like to take 3-4 additional days on the Vancouver side of things > and do a few non-kayaking things. This is a compromise vacation as my wife > does paddle, but I'm the one with the passion for it. In fact, the only > reason she wants to do this trip is that she knows, the best way to get me > on board the idea is to include some paddling. Anybody have any ideas on > what to see, do, or where to stay? We would particularly like to see some > bears and other wildlife. > > Thanks, > > Steve Holtzman > Southern California Rent a car, take the ferry over to Vancouver Island and drive up to Tofino. You'll pass through Cathedral Grove (which many find quite awe inspiring), and there are walking trails through the old-growth forests in the park (where you may well encounter a bear or two). The long beach that takes most of the water's edge from Tofino to Ucluelet can be pretty awesome as well, especially if the surf is up. It is a day's drive each way (more or less), so you'll want to check into accommodations at Tofino (or Ucluelet), but at that time of year you shouldn't have any problems. There's a shop in Tofino where you can sigh up for a kayak tour that goes partway up Clayquot Sound (where we had the famous logging protests several years ago). The tour includes a walk into the _real_ old-growth stuff where there were eagles nests and pretty impressive trees. Just one possibility out of many. -- Darryl *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Darryl, Thanks for the info. I'm definitely going to check out your suggestions. I have to keep some non-paddling things in our trip or my wife won't want to include the paddling parts for me---LOL. Steve _____________ NOD32 EMON 2067 (20070217) information _____________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system http://www.eset.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Steve, Check out the West Coast Paddler forums at www.estcoastpaddler.com - lots of contacts there. Darryl's suggestion is a good one - I am biased as I live on the Island! At 11:12 AM 17/02/2007, you wrote: > >We would like to take 3-4 additional days on the Vancouver side of things >and do a few non-kayaking things. This is a compromise vacation as my wife >does paddle, but I'm the one with the passion for it. In fact, the only >reason she wants to do this trip is that she knows, the best way to get me >on board the idea is to include some paddling. Anybody have any ideas on >what to see, do, or where to stay? We would particularly like to see some >bears and other wildlife. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Mike, Thanks for the link. There seems to be a lot of info there. Can't wait to get up into your neck of the woods. Steve _____________ NOD32 EMON 2067 (20070217) information _____________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system http://www.eset.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
[Please remove all old content that is not pertinent to your reply including old headers and footers. It's list policy.... this post was modified to meet policy] It's always fun try and come up with a good answer to this, brings back a lot of great memories back when I spent the better part of two summers paddling between Bellingham and Glacier Bay. I saw one bear while paddling BC waters and that was on the outside of Van Is. If your set on that route I think bears are pretty scarce. I believe they do hang out at the heads of some of the big inlets but if you want to see bears go to Glacier bay in the spring or Admiralty Is in the fall. Princess Louisa and Desolation sound are very nice and maybe not too crowded later in Sept but I would agree with Daryl on the Tofina area epsecially a trip up to Hot springs cove. You might spot some southern pod orcas in the north San Juans but if you want to see lots of them go to west end of Johnstone Strait in Aug or early Sept. If I had the whole month of Sept I'm not sure I'd start in Vancouver. My idea of kayak camping is finding places off the beaten path and I think your route would be mostly camping at established camp sites with lots of other peolpe around. I can come up with some more specific ideas if you care to PM me. You'll have a great time anywhere out there, enjoy. -mike > Anybody have any ideas on > what to see, do, or where to stay? We would particularly like to see some > bears and other wildlife. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Mike, Thanks for the info. We won't be camping with a lot of the people on the itinerary I posted only because we'll be sleeping in style on board the boat. ;-) I have to include some non-kayaking type things - maybe staying in a lodge or a B&B to make my wife happy. As long as I do some of the things she likes, she's willing to do a little paddling with me to keep me happy and lets me have every Sunday all year round while I play with my girlfriend---an 18' sea kayak. We are also willing to go further north if that will enable us to get to some locations to see bears. I'm still checking out that option. The only thing we've got firm is the boat trip on 9/18-9/24. We're probably going to come in about a week early around 9/11 - just don't know where we're going to stay or what we're going to do---yet. Steve Holtzman _____________ NOD32 EMON 2067 (20070217) information _____________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system http://www.eset.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> Hi Mike, > > Thanks for the info. We won't be camping with a lot of the people on the > itinerary I posted only because we'll be sleeping in style on board the > boat. ;-) I have to include some non-kayaking type things - maybe staying > in a lodge or a B&B to make my wife happy. As long as I do some of the > things she likes, she's willing to do a little paddling with me to keep me > happy and lets me have every Sunday all year round while I play with my > girlfriend---an 18' sea kayak. > > We are also willing to go further north if that will enable us to get to > some locations to see bears. I'm still checking out that option. The only > thing we've got firm is the boat trip on 9/18-9/24. We're probably going Ah, now i get the picture. Well if you have a large boat to base out of then getting to the head of some of the big inlets like Bute or Knight or maybe even Jervus should increase your chances of seeing bears especially if the salmon are running. I'm no expert on bears but that's where I'd go. Or for something really unique go to Princess Royal island and look for the kemonda bear. -mike *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Daryl's recommendations were spot on - might I also recommend a low-altitude flight around Tofino for whales - we did that some years ago and it was amazing! I would add a visit to Okanagan Lake and Oswego - and the Indian Heritage site south of that town. Tord, Sweden *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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