6:15 a.m. We travel 460 Kilometers north of Victoria to arrive in the former gold mining town of Zeballos by 12 noon. On this travel day we will have the opportunity to see much of Vancouver Island, as well as stop for fishing licences & tackle. This is a good opportunity to become acquainted with our traveling companions, check our gear, and meet the locals. Accomodation arrangements can be made to stay in a lodge, hotel or camp in Zeballos the evening before. We meet our water taxi at the dock upon arriving in Zeballos and load our gear. We begin our journey down a beautiful sheltered inlet and are dropped of on an islet in the heart of the Nuchatlitz group where we will set up camp for the night. Your guide will provide you with a kayak safety talk & paddling instruction with ample time in protected waters to work on our paddling style and become comfortable in our sea kayaks, with enough time for exploring before our customary wild west coast Salmon dinner.
DAY 2
After an early breakfast, we get a sense of the open coast as we paddle through Nuchatlitz Provincial Park on the exposed west coast of Nootka Island. We will stop for lunch and watch for rare sea & unique sea birds like the endangered marbled murrelet and the oyster catcher. Often we see rafts of Sea otters from our sea kayaks when paddling through this maze of islands. We explore a giant sea cave on our way to the Nuchatlitz Inlet where we make camp on a secluded sandy beach for the night.
DAY 3
After another satsifying breakfast, we set out to explore Nuchatlitz Inlet and perhaps do a little Salmon fishing. Sea otters are quiet commonly seen in this area. We will stop and watch for large rafts of otters, pause for some excellent photo opportunites & enjoy another creative lunch. A glass of BC wine after dinner around an evening campfire signals the end of another great west coast day. =
DAY 4
A refreshing natural waterfall shower in the morning starts the day. We seek out more quality photo opportunities before trolling for Salmon on our way back towards the Nuchatlitz Group. We take some time to explore some protected archaeological sites and then head for a small Island to camp for the night.
DAY 5
Today we paddle back to meet our water taxi at the launch site and enjoy a scenic cruise back up the inlet to Zeballos. A farewell to the town of Zeballos and a scenic drive out of the 70km of gravel road. Keep an eye out for commonly seen black bear & deer or the not so commonly seen cougar.
Itinerary Disclaimer: Inclement weather, unforeseeable events and forces beyond our control can cause delays and/or changes to the itinerary. Our guides use their experience and local knowledge to adjust the iitinerary according to the conditions and group ability, with a primary focus on safety. We ask that you join us with an open mind, willing to embrace the unexpected with a smile in the true sense of adventure.
Trip Facts & Overview
Duration:
5 days / 4 nights
Price:
$1399 CAD
Departs:
Victoria
Arrives Nearest:
Zeballos
Accommodation:
4 nights beach camping
Tour type:
intermediate multi-day sea kayaking tour
Inclusions:
Transportation from Victoria is available, kayaks & related equipment, camping equipment, dry bags, PFD’s, paddling jackets, meals & wine, professional guides & paddling instruction.
Exclusion:
personal sleeping bag, gratuities, travel to & accommodation in Victoria.
Guest parking:
yes, free with advanced notice
First Nations:
Mowachat / Muchalat Visit a protected archealogical site.
Local Knowledge
Nootka Sound has a rich history which includes exploration, exploitation, tribal wars and also a gold rush. This is where Captain Cook arrived in 1778, the first european to land in the Pacific Northwest.
