Sea Kayaking The Broken Group Islands, British Columbia
4-Day Sea Kayak Touring Adventure
The Broken Group Islands of Barkley Sound on Vancouver Island's west coast are a paddlers' paradise. Enjoy sea kayak touring, the beauty and the mystery of the 'wild coast' within the protection of a scattered collection of rugged islands.
 From the sandy beaches and quiet lagoons of the inner Islands, to the sea caves of the outer shores, exploration by sea kayak is unparalleled within this complex maze of islets and passages.
Find tidal pools that abound with strange creatures. Colourful sea anenomes, seaweed and starfish adorn the inter-tidal areas, contrasting with the hardy kelp beds, giant barnacles and clinging mussels of the exposed coast.
Huge sea lions bellow and roar protecting their rocky domains which greet surf and swell from the mighty Pacific Ocean. Towering evergreens and twisted winter storm swept trees provide the background.
The Broken Group Islands forms part of the Pacific Rim National Park, a vast undeveloped area known for its rich variety of sea life and the hundreds of birds which find food and shelter here.
Trip Duration
 4-days, 3 nights. You will meet with your trip companions and your guides in Toquaht Bay at 8:00 am on the morning of the trip departure date.
On the final day of our sea kayaking adventure, we plan our return to Toquaht Bay between 2:00 and 3:00 PM. This allows time to travel to Nanaimo to board a ferry to mainland British Columbia, or continue on to other Vancouver Island destinations. Please be advised that weather or other conditions could delay our return time, so please plan accordingly. Trip Dates.
Trip Departure
Your Broken Group Islands sea kayaking tour departs from the recreational campsite at Toquaht Bay, a 40-minute drive from the village of Ucluelet, on Vancouver Island’s west coast.
Guests should plan to spend the night prior to trip departure in the full service resort village of Ucluelet. The community, although small, does have a good selection of accommodations, gas stations, and dining facilities. All are mostly located within walking distance of each other.
If you prefer to camp the evening prior to the trip departure, there is camping at Toquaht Bay. The campsite has few amenities, there are outhouse toilets, and some picnic tables, but no running water, or sheltered cooking facilities. There is an overnight camping fee.
We guarantee that once we have confirmed your reservation your trip will be scheduled to run. You'll have no concerns of us cancelling your trip plans at a late date.
Trip Suitability
 No previous sea kayak touring experience is required to participate on this trip. The Broken Group Islands 4-day adventures are suitable for active singles, couples and families with children as young as 15 years. The trip is progressive in terms of skills and therefore is suitable for a variety of paddling abilities – beginners are welcome.
While our trips are not considered to be strenuous or physically demanding, and we do not require a high level of fitness, good general physical condition is necessary.
A primary reason for the popularity of sea kayaking is the ease at which the boat can be propelled and the relatively quick learning curve. Throughout your trip your guides will provide tips to develop your paddling skills to enhance your experience and to avoid poor techniques that can lead to injury, fatigue or frustration.
Trip Accommodations
Tent camping within the Broken Group Islands at designated Parks Canada campsites. Parks Canada has provided at each campsite solar powered composting toilets.
Trip Cuisine
We provide all meals on your sea kayaking trip, including regular snacks, and hot beverages. If you have a particular snack food that you enjoy, or are the type of person who needs to snack regularly while active you are welcome to bring along your own personal supply.
We make our best effort to cater to those with food allergies and vegan diets. However we are not able to accommodate special diets that require a strict menu plan (e.g. low carbohydrate diets). If you have any dietary requirements, we ask that you contact us to determine if the menu plans can be adapted to your needs.
What We Provide
Pacific Northwest Expeditions provides virtually everything you will need for this 4-day sea kayaking adventure;
- professional, certified guides
Parks Canada requires that all commercial sea kayaking trips conducted within the Broken Group Islands have a professionally certified Level III guide. For more information on minimum guide qualifications and certification requirements please visit the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of British Columbia website at: www.skgabc.com
- all meals, snacks and hot beverages starting with lunch on the first day through to lunch on the final day
- quality 3-season, 2-person tents
- touring sea kayaks (fibreglass single & doubles) along with all the required paddling equipment and on the water safety equipment
- all the necessary wilderness kitchen and camping equipment
- safety equipment and communication equipment
- all public land and Park use permits
- FUN! Included at no extra cost.
Guest Responsibilities
- Guests are responsible for their own transportation to and from the trip point of departure, Toquart Bay, BC. Please visit our Travel Planner page for information on transportation options. Vehicle parking at the supervised Toquart Bay campsite is $10.00 / night and is payable to the campsite commissioner upon your arrival.
- Accommodations, and meals prior to or after your trip, are not included. A pre-trip information package, which is provided to you upon receipt of your trip deposit, provides local accommodation and dining suggestions. It is advisable to make accommodation reservations in advance.
- Please check with your health care plan administrator to ensure that you have sufficient medical coverage while participating on one of our tours. Pacific Northwest Expeditions is not responsible for any medical or evacuation costs should they be incurred for your safety or health during the course of a trip.
- You will be provided with comprehensive information on suggested outdoor clothing for your trip. Your pre-trip information outlines suggested quantities to bring along to make your trip enjoyable for any weather conditions that could be encountered.
- Sleeping bags, and sleeping pads are not included in our tour package costs, however these items can be rented for a nominal fee from us. We have cozy synthetic fill sleeping bags, and Thermo-rest self-inflating sleeping pads. All rental equipment is meticulously cleaned (sleeping bags are laundered) after each use, and replaced on a regular basis. Rental Rates.
- Each guest will be required to sign a Pacific Northwest Expeditions ' Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims, Assumptions of Risk, & Indemnity Agreement’ and complete a ‘Medical Questionnaire Form’, prior to the trip departure date. Any trip participant under the age of 19 years will be required to have a legal guardian sign an Indemnity Agreement.
To view these documents please visit our 'Terms & Conditions' page.
Trip Area
To view a larger version click on the map image.
The Broken Group Islands
The Broken Group Islands of Barkley Sound form part of the Pacific Rim National Reserve Park. Accessible only by boat, The Broken Group Islands are an archipelago of more than one hundred islands and rocks scattered throughout Barkley Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island. A host of inner islands offer us sand-fringed bays, quiet coves and sheltered waterways, while along the outer rim of islands, the rolling seas from the open Pacific Ocean crash against towering cliffs and reefs.
 Rivalling the spectacular beauty of the seascape is an incredible diversity of marine life, from inter-tidal organisms to Gray whales. This is a place of crystal clear waters, with Porpoises, Sea Lions, Seals, Gray whales, and over 200 species of Sea Birds.
The oral histories and the legends of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations people claim they have been here since the time when the world was created. For thousands of years these aboriginal people led a semi-nomadic existence, living part of the year in the protected islands and bays of Barkley Sound and part of the year on the outer islands and exposed shores. Populations are estimated to have been over 9,000 people at the time of first European contact, with 21 main village sites scattered throughout the region.
The Broken Islands offer a special uniqueness and a wide variety of exciting and beautiful sea kayak touring opportunities.
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