Premier Listings for Octopus Islands Park

Octopus Islands Provincial Park comprises of a group of small islands that provide safe anchorages for boaters travelling the scenic Inside Passage. Octopus Islands Park is part of the BC Marine Trail Association network, a series of campsites, resting areas and safe havens designed and cared for by recreational boaters and paddlers. Once connected, this marine trail will extend from Vancouver to Prince Rupert in British Columbia, and down into Puget Sound in Washington State.

Octopus Islands Provincial Park is located on the northeast side of Quadra Island, at the southern tip of Sonora Island and the junction of Quadra Island, Sonora Island and Maurelle Island in Okisollo Channel in the BC Discovery Islands.

The 760-hectare park (319 hectares of upland and 441 hectares of foreshore) at the entrance to Waiatt Bay is both remote and accessible at the same time. Nestled among a maze of islands, through which the waters of Johnstone Strait funnel into the Strait of Georgia, the Octopus Islands are most easily reached from Quadra Island. Access to the park is by boat only. Well protected anchoring is available throughout Waiatt Bay.

The park offers a number of different recreational opportunities in addition to boating and paddling, including hiking, fishing, scuba diving, ocean swimming, wilderness camping and nature appreciation.

Canoeing: The sheltered waters in this small group of small islands and a large bay are popular for paddlers. A rough portage trail of approximately 1.5 km exists from Waiatt Bay in the Octopus Islands to Small Inlet Marine Provincial Park on the west side of Quadra Island. From this trail, a further hiking trail leads to Newton Lake – a lovely place for a freshwater swim.

Tidal currents around Quadra Island are notorious for their strength, particularly at Surge Narrows on the east and Seymour Narrows on the west. Paddlers should avoid Seymour Narrows completely, and only transit Surge Narrows at slack tide. In addition, you should be well versed in the reading of tidal-current charts to safely explore the fascinating waters around tightly packed Quadra, Cortes, Maurelle, Read, and Sonora Islands. The area is also used for kayak training, due to the unusual tidal conditions that prevail. Currents can roar through Surge Narrows at 16 knots, and up to 14 knots on the ebb.

The park has a day-use picnicking area, but no facilities. There are no developed trails and no designated campsites at the park, although boat-in wilderness camping is allowed year-round. There is no camping fee.

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Octopus Islands Provincial Park is located in the Discovery Islands of British Columbia, between Vancouver island and the mainland of BC. Access to the park is by boat only, from Heriot Bay on Quadra Island. Kayaks and small rooftop boats can also be launched from the public dock at Hoskyn Channel Landing at the end of Surge Narrows Road. Boaters can reference marine chart #3537 and #3539 for more information on this area.

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Premier Listings

Coast Mountain Expeditions

Kayaking Base: Quadra Island BC Mailing Address: Box 25 Read Island Surge Narrows BC V0P 1W0 Home Phone: 250-285-9453Work Phone: 1-855-485-9453Website: Visit Website
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Biographical Info

In 1987 we built our off-grid kayaking lodge in the Discovery Islands with a dream of crafting life-changing multi-day sea kayaking experiences. We still live where we paddle, and our passion for exploring our remote corner of British Columbia has only grown stronger.

Guided trips combine skills instruction, wilderness adventure, and meals prepared from our own garden produce, local sea foods, and home baking. Our kayaking tours explore sheltered routes amid marine parks, abundant wildlife, and rainforest islands – all with spectacular views of the highest peaks of the rugged Coast Mountains.

Categories: Bear Viewing Tours, Bute Inlet, Campbell River, Camping Trips, Canoeing & Kayaking, Central Island, Coastal Inlets, Cortes Island, Desolation Sound, Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park, Discovery Islands, Discovery Passage, Gulf Islands, Gulf Islands & Discovery Islands, Ha'thayim (Von Donop) Marine Provincial Park, Loughborough Inlet, Mansons Landing Provincial Park, Nitinat Triangle Canoe Route, Northern Gulf Islands, Octopus Islands Provincial Park, Powell Forest Canoe Route, Quadra Island, Read Island Provincial Park, Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park, Recreation, Rendezvous Islands, Rock Bay Marine Provincial Park, Roscoe Bay Provincial Park, Sayward Forest Canoe Route, Smelt Bay Provincial Park, Surge Narrows Provincial Park, Teakerne Arm Provincial Park, Thurston Bay Marine Provincial Park, Toba Inlet, Vancouver Island, Vancouver Island & BC Islands, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains, Walsh Cove Provincial Park, Wildlife Viewing