San Josef Bay by SUP and Canoe

San Josef Bay, in Cape Scott Provincial Park, is rightly famous; recently making the Top 50 of the World's Best Beaches.  With it's stunning sea stacks and beautiful white sandy beach, it's easy to see the attraction.

 

Getting to Cape Scott Provincial Park 

Despite its remote location on northern Vancouver Island, San Josef Bay is the most accessible beach in Cape Scott Provincial Park; it's an easy 45 minute walk in from the trailhead.

Getting to the trailhead involves a roughly 70km drive along gravel logging roads from the junction at Port Hardy.  These are active logging roads and are pretty rough; take it slow, drive with headlights on, and make sure you have a spare tire (and the tools and ability to change it).  There is no cell service beyond Port Hardy.  Allow at least an hour and a half for this part of the journey.

A 45 minute walk in wasn't quite adventurous enough for us, so we decided to get to San Josef Bay by SUP.  Clearly we couldn't get all of our camping gear, plus two adults, two kids and a dog on our two SUPs, so we roped in our great friends to come with us in a Canoe (and carry a load of our gear - thanks Natasha and Henry!).

San Josef Boat Launch

The boat launch on the San Josef River is operated by BC Parks, but is accessed through the San Josef Heritage Campground which is a private campground. The launch isn't obvious, but the precise what3words address is  ///cherish.drifts.abandoned.  

Officially you shouldn't park at the launch, but should continue on to the trailhead parking and then walk back (roughly 1km).  We spoke to the Heritage Campground manager though and he allowed us to park near the launch for a small fee.

It's a steep and narrow gravel launch which is best suited for small boats, SUPs and kayaks. 

Paddling the San Josef River

The San Josef River is tidal right up to the boat launch, and is only navigable at close to high tide.

We timed our departure down the river to roughly an hour after high tide so that we still had sufficient depth (roughly 3m height of tide at Cape Scott), but also benefitted from the ebbing tide to help us down the river.

On the way back up the river we left the beach roughly 3 and a half hours before high (with just under 2m height of tide at Cape Scott).  We had a nice gentle current from the flooding tide helping us up the river, but we did just touch the bottom of my SUP fin at parts of the river.  I'd recommend waiting another half an hour or so to ensure you have sufficient depth.

You can check the tide times and predicted heights on the Government of Canada tides site.

Its roughly a 2.5km paddle, and with the tide with us in both directions it took less than an hour of leisurely paddling on our (heavily laden) SUPs and Canoe.

There are a few dead heads in the water, but there were no big overhanging trees or anything, and with the gentle flow it was a safe paddle to the estuary.  We stopped while still in the river and protected from the waves at the mouth.  Its a short walk from here to the top of the beach, where there are informal camping areas.

Camping at San Josef Bay

Camping at San Josef Bay is 'random wilderness' camping.  There are no formal pitches, and you are encouraged to camp on the beach.  

There are bear caches and pit toilets.  Practice leave no trace principles and pack out what you pack in - there is no means to dispose of garbage in the park.  Also ensure you follow the Bare Campsite rules; we really enjoyed watching a large black bear feeding just across the river at low tide.  Remember - a fed bear is a dead bear!

There is a water source on the second beach, which is only accessible at low tide, but water must be treated before use.

Be sure to check out our Camping Gear page for more details on the kit we used on our trip.

Galiano Island

Last weekend we camped at Montague Harbour Marine Park on Galiano, and I think it probably deserves to be added to our Top Gulf Island Campsites list!  

Getting to Galiano

Galiano is one of the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands at about 27km long, it's also one of the furthest offshore from the coast of Vancouver Island.

We decided it was probably a bit too far for our little boat, so took the BC Ferries service over to Galiano and towed the boat with us.  There are various routes and multiple sailings per day to Sturdies Bay on Galiano from Swartz Bay (Victoria) or Tsawwassen (Vancouver), with stops on Mayne Island and / or North Pender Island.  The route is non-reservable, so just buy tickets at the terminal.

Montague Harbour is about a ten minute drive from the Sturdies Bay terminal.

Galiano Campsites

The park has 16 vehicle accessible pitches, 28 walk-in sites and a group camping area.  We had a great pitch (38) on the bluff overlooking Montague Harbour. 

It's a short walk to the pitches from the car parking area, but is up a short but fairly steep hill.  There are wheelbarrows available to help carry your kit in, and we took our little folding trolley which was really useful, the boys also loved using it to collect water and fire wood over the weekend.

Most pitches have a fire ring and food cache, there is a covered picnic / BBQ area, and pit toilet facilities.  Potable drinking water is available throughout the campground. Booking is highly recommended through the BC Parks website.

Why we love it

The great views over Montague Harbour from the camp sites, and the sandy beach on the other side really make this campground special.  As usual we loved exploring in our Stryker, finding deserted beaches, and the whales didn't disappoint - with our first humpback of the season. 

What to do on Galiano

1. Take a drive or cycle up to the north end of the island and check out the many arts and craft galleries along the way.

2. Visit one (or more) of the 3 Provincial Parks.  As well as Montague Harbour, there is Dionisio Point (boat access only) in North Galiano and Bellhouse near the ferry terminal.

3. Take a stroll around the Saturday Farmers Market at Lions Park in Sturdies Bay.  There are lots of local artists and craftspeople, as well as some tasty looking food!

4. The Crane and Robin at Montague Harbour is a great spot to watch the boats go by while sipping on some excellent margaritas.

5. The Humming Bird Pub really lives up to its name; watch out for the hummingbirds buzzing around the deck while enjoying a delicious lunch.  They even have a shuttle bus in the evenings from the campground or marina.

6. Sturdies Bay Bakery serves great coffee and some amazing baked goods.  Well worth a visit!

Backcountry Camping Gear

Check out the Gear Page for more details on the gear we use and recommend for backcountry camping, including our Stryker inflatable boat. 

Southern Gulf Islands

We spent a lot of last Summer backcountry camping in the Southern Gulf Islands, and we're hoping to do a lot more this season.  

Just a boat ride away from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, the Southern Gulf islands contain some beautiful campsites; they're managed by Parks Canada, as part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, or as Provincial Reserves by BC Parks.  Each island and campsite is very different, so we haven't ranked them in any particular order, but this is what we think are the best backcountry campgrounds (of the ones we've explored so far!) in the Southern Gulf Islands to inspire your next trip. 

Top 5 Southern Gulf Islands Backcountry Campsites

1. Sidney Island

Sidney Spit campground is technically a frontcountry campsite according to Parks Canada, however it can only be accessed by boat and has no fresh water, so it definitely feels like a backcountry site to us!

Getting There

Despite the backcountry feel, Sidney Spit is actually one of the easiest campgrounds in the Southern Gulf Islands to access.  It's only about 2.5 nautical miles from the boat launch in Sidney on Vancouver Island; so easily manageable in a small motor boat, or even by kayak.  If you don't have your own boat you can also get to the island as a foot passenger on the Sidney Spit Ferry from Port Sidney Marina (bookings are recommended).

It's about a 20 minute walk from the ferry landing / boat mooring pontoons, but there are wheelbarrows available for your kit.  If you're taking your own boat / kayak you can actually land on the beach near the campsites, just make sure you stay out of the lagoon, which is a protected nature reserve with no access (even non-motorised).

The Campsites

There are 29 individual campsites with picnic benches, and one group camping area.  There is a covered picnic / BBQ area with food caches, and two pit toilet facilities.   There is no potable water. Booking is highly recommended through the Parks Canada website.

Why we love it

Sidney Spit is a great intro to boat camping, it's so close to Sidney that if you forget something you can just nip back over!  There are two great sandy beaches, one beside the campground and the other on the spit.  It is one of the larger sites we're recommending, so doesn't have the full remote feeling, but is much quieter once the last ferry leaves.  The lagoon beside the campground is full of wildlife; we saw a huge family of otters swimming right by our campsite, as well as a group of hunting harbour seals breaching out of the water, and literally hundreds of sea birds.  From Sidney Island you can also explore some of the further away Gulf Islands.  The Penders (North and South) are some of our favourites, the pub at Port Browning Marina and travelling up the Pender Canal are definitely worth the trip.  We've seen Humpbacks or Orca from the boat every time we've been out to Pender!  

2. Saturna Island

Our favourite campsite on Saturna Island is at Narvaez Bay, it's a sheltered cove protected by the East Point peninsula on the south eastern coast of Saturna.

Getting There

Saturna was one of our longest boat trips last summer at around 15 nautical miles from our preferred boat launch at Sidney. There are no moorings or pontoon at Narvaez, but the bay is very sheltered and we just left the boat on the beach overnight, tied to a big tree!

If you don't have access to a boat, you can also get to Saturna Island with BC Ferries from Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island or Tswassen on the mainland (as well as from some of the other Gulf Islands). If you're coming this way it's 1.7km each way from the parking area.  A few other campers had hiked or biked in to the campground while we were there.

The Campsites

There are only 7 campsites at Narvaez Bay campground, so get in quick with your bookings through Parks Canada.  Nestled under the trees, most have lovely views over the bay.  There are pit toilets, but no potable water.

Why we love it

East Point on Saturna is a well known spot for whale watching, and last time we headed out to Narvaez Bay we were treated to an amazing display of aerial acrobatics by a large pod of Orca.  The sheltered cove is the perfect place to leave the boat overnight.  Narvaez has that great backcountry remote feel due to it's small size, but it is a longer trip in the boat to get there!

3. Princess Margaret (Portland) Island

Our preferred spot on Portland Island is the Shell Beach campground.  All of the Campsites on Portland are first come first served, so if you can't get in to Shell Beach, there are two more options around the island; Arbutus Point and Princess Bay.

Getting There

Portland Island is only accessible on your own boat / kayak or by private marine charter. Shell Beach is about 5 nautical miles from the Sidney boat launch. 

Again there are no mooring facilities, but we just beached the boat.  There can be a fair bit of swell in the bay, mostly from the passing BC Ferries, so make sure you are anchored well or firmly beached.

The Campsites

There are 6 campsites at Shell Beach, 12 at Princess Bay and 6 at Arbutus Point.  There are pit toilets, picnic benches, and food caches, but no potable water.  There are better mooring facilities at the other campgrounds, but we preferred the location of Shell Beach.

Why we love it

Shell Beach is a beautiful, quiet, spot with great views from each site, but it's relatively close to Sidney, so still pretty easy to get to.  From Portland you can easily nip over to Salt Spring Island for a day trip.  Last time we visited, we took some of our friends who free dive and they hand caught us a delicious collection of crabs, oysters and scallops which we cooked up on the beach; it doesn't get fresher than that!

4. Newcastle (Saysutshun) Island

Saysutshun Island, previously known as Newcastle Island is a BC Provincial Park just off Nanaimo.

Getting There

Saysutshun is another easily accessible Gulf Island, it's only about 1.5 nautical miles from the Brechin Boat Ramp in Nanaimo, and almost the whole trip is down the sheltered channel between Nanaimo and Saysutshun.  There is a small boat pontoon and mooring buoys in the bay.  From there it's a 5-15 minute walk to the campsites, depending which site you choose.  There are wheelbarrows available to help with your kit.  At high tide you can also get through the channel between Newcastle and Protection Islands (if you have a shallow enough draught!), and get closer to the more peaceful campsites at the far end of the campground.

There is also a foot passenger ferry service every half hour from Maffeo Sutton Park in Nanaimo. 

The Campsites

There are 18 individual campsites and 5 large group campsites.  There are pit toilets, and some flush toilets, food caches, covered BBQ / picnic areas, a small shop and even hot showers!  Reservations are through the BC Parks Camping website.

Why we love it

Saysutshun is easy access to from Nanaimo so can be fairly busy during the day, but feels completely different once the last ferry has gone.  It's a short trip from here to the stunning curved sandstone cliffs of Malaspina Galleries on Gabriola Island, or you can even nip into Nanaimo Harbour if you fancy it.  Neighbouring Protection Island is home to a floating bar and restaurant called the Dinghy Dock Pub, it's great fun to boat over there for lunch and a cold beer!

5. Discovery Island

Discovery Island Marine Park, just off Oak Bay, is managed by BC Provincial Parks.  Half of the island makes up the park, with the other half being a First Nations Reserve.

Getting There

Discovery Island is easily accessed from the Cattle Point Boat Launch in Oak Bay.  It's about a 2.5 nautical mile trip each way, but is relatively sheltered by the islands which make up the Oak Bay Islands Ecological Reserve. 

The Campsites  

There's just one camping area on Discovery, and no marked pitches, it's basically open field camping within the designated area, so you are free to choose your pitch.  There are pit toilets and food caches, but no potable water.  Camping is first come first serve, but you can purchase your permit in advance through BC Parks.

Why we love it

Discovery Island was the first place we boat camped, so holds a special place in our hearts.  When we camped there last, we were the only visitors and had the whole island to ourselves, admittedly it was only March and dropped to almost freezing over night!  Discovery Island is easy to access from Oak Bay, and the freestyle camping field means you can choose where you want to camp, having a view of the ocean from the tent door is really special.

Top Tips for the Gulf Islands

• The weather can change quickly, check the forecast and be prepared for all eventualities.
• Make sure you have the necessary safety and navigation equipment onboard.
• Take a good supply of freshwater.
• File a trip plan with a friend or relative.
• Practice leave no trace principles, pack out what you pack in.
• Keep a good look out for whales!

Backcountry Camping Gear

Check out the Gear Page for more details on the gear we use and recommend for backcountry camping, including our Stryker inflatable boat.

Other Gulf Islands

While you are here check out our posts on Galiano, Pender and Denman and Hornby.

What a Summer!

Well it's definitely starting to feel like winter is on its way; we've bought our ski passes, started prepping the ski gear, the boys are booked into lessons at Mount Washington, and we've sorted a winter location for the RV - exciting stuff to come.  We've even had our first snow fall in Victoria, although it didn't last long!

The earlier dark evenings and wetter weather can make it harder to get out and stay adventurous, but we've managed to make the most of breaks in the weather and make a couple of day trips out to places that we didn't get to over the Summer; including climbing Old Baldy Mountain this weekend to check-out the "Insta-famous" swing.  The views of Shawnigan Lake from the top are worth the climb, although it's not the most exciting of walks.

Our tent camping season began way before Summer with a trip in the Stryker to Discovery Island, just off the coast here in Oak Bay on the 6th of March.  Temperatures dropped to just above freezing over night, which may explain why we had the entire island to ourselves, but we just couldn't resist it when it was such a beautiful sunny day.  The following weekend we were back up to Mount Washington for a final weekend of skiing (or so we thought - keep reading for that wee gem!).

We then spent March Break on an amazing trip up in the Yukon (let us know if you want to hear more about that trip).  

Sarah's birthday is in early April and after two birthdays in lockdown we were keen to get away somewhere.  Ridley hoped to get the paddle boards out but the weather had other ideas and we actually had more unexpected snow. We still had a great weekend camping at Bamberton Provincial Park, thankfully we were in the RV this time!  

By the middle of April the weather was starting to warm up, and we had some great day trips in the Stryker; including our first trip to Pender Island, where we saw our first Humpback Whale.

At the end of April we took the RV up to Rathtrevor Provincial Park, and in the middle of May we had our first visitors.  Sarah's Aunt and Uncle were over from the UK for two weeks, and fully embraced our Canadian lifestyle with boat camping on Newcastle Island (Saysutshun), whale watching with Eagle Wing Tours, RV camping at Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, hiking to Big Lonely Doug and Botanical Beach, as well as a few brewery visits of course!

The unusual Vancouver Island weather continued for a bit longer; the snow at Mount Washington had taken much longer to melt than normal, and they opened up for a day of skiing in the middle of June for Father's Day.  A week later Summer weather finally arrived and we were playing on the beach at Sidney Spit.  This was our first full Summer on Vancouver Island, as we arrived in mid-August last year, and what a Summer it was!

We spent Ridley's first Canada Day as a Canadian Citizen in Vancouver.  Exploring downtown Vancouver, Granville Island, Stanley Park, the Capilano Suspension bridge, and a couple of breweries.

Later in July, Ridley's brother and his family also came over from the UK for a couple of weeks.  They too embraced the lifestyle; rainforest walks, trips in the Stryker, attempting to surf in Tofino (some more successful than others), boat camping at Sidney Spit, another trip to Pender Island, more whales and more breweries, are you starting to spot the theme?!

The last weekend of July was spent in the Cowichan Valley at SunFest; an awesome Country Music festival, where we won backstage passes to the main stage on Saturday night. 

August found us boat camping at Narvaez Bay on Saturna Island, a beautiful boat/foot access campground with only half a dozen pitches.  On our way there we had the most spectacular display from a pod of around 12 Orca.  Then we were away for two weeks on our amazing trip to Haida Gwaii with Sarah's parents (read more here), and finally camping and river tubing on the Cowichan River. 

The first weekend in September we were boat camping for Innes' birthday, this time with some great friends from the Island.  This time we camped on Portland Island, and day tripped to Salt Spring and Pender.  Our friends love free diving and spear fishing, so we had some excellent fresh crab, oysters, scallops and fish; all hand caught from the Stryker!

Sarah then spent a weekend learning to sail, achieving her Competent Crew certification on a 35ft yacht with Blackfish Sailing (highly recommended).

Our (probably) last tent camping for this year was at the end of September at Pine Point Recreation Site on Cowichan Lake.  After lots of cold water swimming in the Pacific Ocean over the Summer it was nice to be back on a lake and reminded us why we loved Ontario so much!

So, now for winter adventures - lots planned, and lots in the planning, and we can't wait!