Sea kayaking Vancouver Island
 
Tofino Kayak, Kayaking Tofino, Kayak Tours Tofino BC, Tofino Sea Kayaking, British Columbia, Clayoquot Sound- Vancouver Island
CLAYOQUOT SOUND Rainforest Lodge & Beach

Tofino Kayak, Kayaking Tofino, Kayak Tours Tofino BC, Tofino Sea Kayaking, British Columbia, Clayoquot Sound- Vancouver Island
photo by Helene Cyr Ahous Bay on Vargas Island June 2006

Clayoquot Sound is a sea kayaker’s paradise; rich in native culture, history and long sandy beaches. This area is a popular summer feeding ground for the once endangered Gray whale. Sightings are not uncommon. This temperate coastal rainforest provides important refuge & habitat for a significant number of endangered & rare species including sea otters, bald eagles, wolves, deer, black bears, migrating shore birds & many species of salmon on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

We spend our first night at the rustic Vargas Island Inn where we enjoy a creative dinner of wild BC fish while tasting award winning BC wines. After dinner enjoy the wood fired sauna on the beach and perhaps an evening swim in phosphorescence. We launch our kayaks from the beach at the Vargas Island Inn to navigate the islands and expansive beaches that Clayoquot Sound has to offer.

In the following days we will explore the outer coast line of Vargas Island in search of a migrating Gray Whale or a chance encounter with a raft of Sea Otters.

 

Camping on the secluded sandy beaches and exploring the old growth forests of Vancouver Island gives one a sense of the connection that the Nuu-chah-nulth people have to this landscape. Sea kayaking in Clayoquot Sound amongst the many islands and tide pools teaming with abundant sea life- it is no wonder that the first nations flourished here on the BC coast for so long.

The first nations Nuu-chah-nulth people have lived here in Clayoquot Sound for millennia, with some presently occupied sites believed by archeologists to date back 9000 years.

The Clayoquot Sound Rainforest lodge & beach camping sea kayaking tour launches from the west coast resort town of Tofino, BC. Tofino is famous for its long beaches, Hot Springs Cove, Canadas surfing capital, and summer feeding grounds for migrating Gray whales.



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4 Day Clayoquot Sound Itinerary

DAY 1
12:00 Noon- Our guides greet you in Tofino at our designated meeting place. After safety instruction & paddling techniques from the lead guide, we navigate our way to one of the many beaches on Vargas Island to begin our sea kayak tour. Vargas Island Inn for our first night stay to enjoy an expertly prepared dinner paired with BC wine. Traditionally, we finish our first day with a wood-fired beach front sauna & evening swim before retiring to our cabins.
DAY 2
Breakfast burritos & morning coffee while looking at the chart and checking the weather with the guide. Before setting out, your guide will give further instructional talk about surf launch & landings. Watch for seals & sea lions along the rocky shores and reefs on the outer coast of Vargas Island, as well as rare seabirds. Practice your new skills when arriving on the expansive beach of Ahous Bay for lunch. We then head for North Vargas where we will set up camp for the night. An opportune time for a beach hike and intertidal exploring while your guide expertly prepares dinner on the Coleman stove. You may elect to stay and assist or catch up on some reading.
DAY 3
After an early morning of guide led yoga stretches on the beach, we set off for further adventure with a trip to some smaller surrounding islands on the look out for summer resident Gray whales. We watch for the commonly seen deer, wolf or black bear foraging for crabs in the silence of the morning while gliding past kelp forests along the calmer inside passage of Vargas Island. Arriving back at our beach camp before our wild west coast Salmon dinner allows time for reading or a beach hike.

DAY 4
Early coffee on the beach and another satisfying breakfast prepares us for a morning paddle to Meares Island. We hike through the giant ancient Cedars of the temperate old growth rainforest before returning back to civilization in the little fishing village of Tofino from where we first departed. After packing the gear & kayaks, we walk downtown for lunch and have an opportunity to experience some Tofino culture.

 


4-DAY CLAYOQUOT SOUND
2009 Tour Dates

Leaves

Returns

Leaves

Returns

TBA
$1049 CAD / $949 USD
(approx. or use currency exchange site)

Trip Facts & Overview
Duration:

4 days / 3 nights

Price:

$1049 CAD

NearestTown :

Tofino

Accommodation:

2 nights beach camping & 1 night at Vargas Island Inn
Tour type:

novice multi-day sea kayaking tour

Inclusions:

kayaks & related equipment, camping equipment, dry bags, PFD’s, meals & wine, professional guides & paddling instruction.

Exclusion:

personal sleeping bag, gratuities
Guest parking:

$5/day at municipal lot




Tofino Kayak, Kayaking Tofino, Kayak Tours Tofino BC, Tofino Sea Kayaking, British Columbia, Clayoquot Sound- Vancouver Island

Local Knowledge

The Big Tree Trail on Meares Island is a boardwalk trail made of cedar shakes and was built by volunteer members of The Friends of Clayoquot Sound in 1993. It's purpose is to allow visitors to Tofino to view pristine old growth temperate rainforest with a stunning example of a 1500 year old Red Cedar while minimizing impact on the sensitve forest floor. The Nuh-chah-nulth first nations refer to the red Cedar as 'the Tree of Life'


 
 
Sea kayaking tours British Columbia