Victoria Times Colonist 19 Feb '05

The worst of weather, the best of times
A winter kayak trip is a sure way to get the Broken Group Islands to yourself

You would paddle the Broken Group Islands in winter? In an 18-foot fibreglass kayak? Are you nuts? That is a really, really bad idea. Listen to the park staff, the tour operators and Coast Guard and you will learn the reasons not to go. Listen to your common sense that says it's not worth bearing the rain. Do not listen to me. Do not listen when I tell you that you may come home feeling as if you've been to a different world.

I have never been to the West Coast's most popular kayaking destination when you are supposed to. Three times, I've gone in winter, where the population of wolves and deer outnumber people and barking sea lions are the only voices you hear.

This year I planned a four-day trip on the weekend that straddled January and February. This was as far from the August peak as it gets. The further you get from August, the fewer the people and the more severe, frequent and unpredictable the storms. Wintertime turns up the difficulty, transforms the Broken Group from a “beginner-intermediate” to “experts only” territory. But winter also turns this place into true wilderness. I can think of no better time for skilled kayakers to go there.

The Broken Group Islands contain eight designated campsites, which host as many as 22,000 “visitor nights” during the official season from May 1 to Sept. 30, when resident wardens collect camping fees of $8 per person per night. This represents perhaps about 5,000 kayakers on multi-day trips. It’s the West Coast Trail of sea kayaking.

A big reason the Broken Group is so popular is that its 100 or so islands are in semi-protected waters, nestled in Barkley Sound between Bamfield and Ucluelet. You can begin your explorations in the lee of the inner islands and taste as much or as little of the open Pacific you choose, depending on the weather and the abilities of your group.

This flexibility is the same reason that makes it the best place for winter sea kayaking on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. The Broken Group isn’t exactly closed at this time of year, but it’s not exactly open either.

“It’s not like the West Coast Trail where we can actually close it during the winter,” said Louanne Ralston, a manager at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. “It’s pretty hard to close a bunch of islands. But we don’t promote it at all.”

Ralston says the Park discourages off-season visits for three reasons. First, there is no resident warden to provide assistance if you get into trouble. “Help would be a very long time in coming.” You’d have to call Tofino Coast Guard on VHF channel 16 and hope for the best, while being prepared for the worst. Cold-water clothing, VHF radio communications, weather reading and rescue skills, detailed float plans: all the usual safety precautions become more important than ever. There is a slim margin for error.

Second, the park campsites have solar-powered composting toilets that are not maintained in winter. This could pose a problem if winter paddling ever catches on.

The most important caveat for winter paddlers, however, is the dangerous weather.

On day one of my recent trip, my friend Conor and I paddled out from the drive-in access at Toquart Bay onto glass-smooth water in early evening. The sun set through a crack in the clouds, casting the water and mountains with a warm orange glow. Not a bad beginning.
We camp on Benson Island in a meadow, the leftover yard and orchard of a hotel that stood here in the 1920s.

Benson Island is one of the best places to get away from the crowds at any time of year, being farthest away from the popular access points. Our only companions are the resident groundskeepers: four deer quietly tending the grass.

Day two it starts to rain, and day three brings real winter. One low-pressure system after another rides down the coast on gale-force winds out of the Gulf of Alaska.

Day three is the reason B.C. kayakers, like the grey whales, head to Baja in the winter. All day we huddle under our rain tarp in the protection of a giant spruce tree swaddled in all the clothes we have, drinking tea and playing cribbage.

On our last day we break camp under a blue sky and sun and paddle toward the open waters of Loudoun Channel. Overnight the ocean swell has grown to five metres. Jagged water mountains slide across the horizon, the bared teeth of winter. Towers of sea foam sail past on the wind like wedding cakes celebrating the union of sea and land where waves collide with rock and reflect back on themselves to form steep, confused seas.

The welcome sunshine muffles the voice of fear, and the wind mutes the approach of the Cape McKay until she is right beside us. The Canadian Coast Guard’s 47-foot Motor Life Boat is an impressive sight, a self-bailing and self-righting rough-water wonder. We see the crew in orange survival suits on the top deck; they must think we’re crazy. A voice blares over the loudspeaker:

“You guys be careful. These are dangerous conditions.” I wave thanks. Then, 900 diesel horses spring to life and the Cape McKay is off toward Ucluelet in a cloud of spray and we are alone. It is another official reminder that this isn’t a “safe” place for kayakers in the winter.

We know better than to head any further out, but we linger, playing on the edge. Thrilled to be here, a long way from August and a long way from home. Forget the bad weather of the day before. This is the payoff.

Then we turn and surf the storm swell back into the shelter of the islands and paddle safely back to the truck.

WHEN TO GO
Off-season in the Broken Group:

You don’t have to go in darkest February to enjoy off-season solitude. During the official season, try May, June or September to avoid the busiest times and you may also have better weather. July and August are often foggy.
If you will brave iffier weather, try April or October. Park wardens may be in the islands at this time but fees are not charged.
Or think outside the box in summer: try going out in rainy weather and paddling a bit farther to reach the outermost campsites. Most paddlers drive to Toquart Bay or get dropped off by boat at Sechart, and the nearby campsites fill up first. Benson Island tends to be least crowded.
Lady Rose Marine Services, (250) 723-8313, provides boat access to the Islands from Port Alberni and Bamfield year-round, although they advise against winter paddling. Their lodge at Sechart is open for kayakers from around mid-April to October.

TIPS FOR WINTER PADDLING:
· Know and practice your rescue skills.
· Dress for cold-water immersion.
· Carry a VHF radio and monitor the weather.
· Be conservative, stick to the sheltered islands.
· Plan extra days to wait out bad weather. Bring lots of extra food, soup, tea, a thermos, extra rain tarps and a deck of cards, and you’ll be ready to wait out a gale, as we did for 36-hours.

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