Premier Listings for Toba Inlet
The beautifully scenic Toba Inlet is a deep fjord on the unspoiled west coast of British Columbia. The inlet carves its way many miles inland, cutting deep into the magnificent Coast Mountains that rise as an imposing backdrop.
Surrounded by majestic snow-capped mountain peaks, Toba Inlet is fed by glacial waters, with the glacial silt colouring the inlet’s waters a fabulous shade of jade green.
The Coast Mountain Range, which begins on the North Shore of Vancouver and sweeps north along the British Columbia coast and through Alaska, is the tallest range in North America, and among the most heavily glaciated. The Coast Mountains divide the coast from BC’s Interior, creating an isolated wilderness region and a paradise for outdoor adventurers.
Toba Inlet lies within the traditional lands of the Klahoose First Nation, a northern Coast Salish tribe that maintained seasonal and permanent villages in the region from Toba Inlet south to Cortes Island in the Discovery Islands. When the main villages in Toba Inlet were flooded in the 1800s, the Klahoose Band relocated their traditional winter settlement to a permanent site in Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island. Ancient native pictographs, Indian burial grounds, and abandoned native villages can still be seen today.
Toba Inlet was originally named Canal de la Tabla by Dionisio Alcala Galiano, captain of the Spanish vessel Sutil, and Cayetano Valdes y Bazan, captain of the Spanish vessel Mexicana. Galiano and Valdes found a strangely decorated Indian wooden tablet or plank here while exploring the area between Vancouver Island and the mainland in 1792. In 1795 the name was changed to Toba, apparently in honour of Antonio Toba Arredondo, the only officer under Captain Alexandro Malaspina who had not had a local place named after him. Malaspina sailed two ships of the Spanish Navy along the coast of British Columbia in 1791.
The peaceful and undeveloped Toba Inlet provides almost total isolation for those who venture into its pristine waters and forests. Working freight boats, floatplanes and water taxis occasionally ply the opaque emerald waters, and solitary pleasure boaters enjoy a cruising experience that ranks among the best in the world.
Location: Toba Inlet is located north of Desolation Sound on the west coast of BC, 100 air miles (160 kms) north of Vancouver. Visitors can fly to Campbell River on Vancouver Island and transfer to a seaplane for the 20-minute flight over spectacular scenery to Toba Inlet. Water taxis can also be chartered in Campbell River for a 90-minute cruise to the inlet.
Toba Inlet is also accessible from Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island, and from Heriot Bay on Quadra Island. Quadra and Cortes Islands are accessible by ferry from Campbell River. The inlet is also reached from the Sunshine Coast, from the communities of Lund and Powell River.
Glacier Water: Known Canadian brands of premium glacier water are bottled directly at the source of the water at Alpine Creek in Toba Inlet. Glacier water is sourced for bottling before it has a chance to filter into the earth, ensuring cleaner tasting water in its purest state possible – the perfect quencher for the thirsty outdoor adventurer!
Waterfalls: Toba Inlet has a number of cascading waterfalls that plummet down the steep mountain slopes into the emerald waters of the inlet, some of which appear to flow from the clouds. The waterfalls are at their most impressive in early summer as the snowpack in the Coast Mountains melts.
Kayaking in Toba Inlet is an unforgettable experience for solitude-seeking paddlers with the time to explore this wilderness region. Camp can be set up along the way, although suitable campsites become scarce as you move toward the head of the inlet. Not many places in the world provide an opportunity to watch bears foraging along the shoreline from the safety of a kayak! Paddlers can also stop at one of the many waterfalls that cascade into the inlet. Visitors need to be aware that this is prime bear country, so appropriate safety measures should be taken. As the area is very isolated, kayaking experience and self-sufficiency is required. Fresh water is available from any one of the dozens of creeks that tumble down the mountainous terrain all along the paddling route. Kayaking tour companies operating out of Lund and Powell River on the Sunshine Coast, and Quadra and Cortes Islands, offer guided multi-day seakayaking trips into Toba Inlet, and the surrounding area, for both novice and experienced paddlers.
Hiking: opportunities are numerous in Toba Inlet. A logging road opposite Brem Bay on the east side of Snout Point winds up the hillside towards Mt. Grazebrooke, and at the head on Toba Inlet the road bridges the estuary of the Tahumming River before continuing for several miles up the Toba Valley. Tahumming Range in Toba Inlet is an excellent destination for both hikers and climbers.
Fishing: Toba Inlet has some major salmon runs in its various rivers and streams, and several streams in the estuary area produce excellent rainbow trout fishing. Anglers can also catch cod, red snapper, flounder and prawns.
Boaters seeking the tranquility and scenic wonders of Toba Inlet may have difficulty anchoring in the deep waters of the fjord. Protected anchorages are difficult to find, with the west side of Brem Bay considered to be the best anchorage in Toba Inlet. Boaters generally anchor in deep water and run one or two stern lines ashore. Boats tucked into small coves can attach lines to objects on both sides of the shore to secure their vessel for overnight stays. Boaters can sometimes secure permission to tie up to a logging barge near the Tahumming River.
Wildlife has free reign in Toba Inlet. In the waters look for killer whales (orcas), sea lions, seals, and dolphins, and ashore you are likely to view deer, mink, raccoons, black bears, and grizzly bears grazing on the lush river estuaries or foraging along the rugged shoreline. The ever-present bald eagles patrol the skies above.
Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park possesses a magical magnetism that draws boaters and paddlers from distant shores. Popular anchorages include Prideaux Haven, Tenedos Bay, and Grace Harbour, and plenty of isolated bays and campsites can be found throughout Desolation Sound’s more than 37 miles (60 km) of coastline.
Walsh Cove Provincial Park is a small 85-hectare sheltered anchorage located on the east side of West Redonda Island, off Waddington Channel. The park is a favourite among Desolation Sound yachtsmen.
Immediately north of Toba Inlet is the remote and pristine Bute Inlet, another deep fjord located amongst the narrow tidal passages at the northern end of the Strait of Georgia.
Between Toba Inlet and Vancouver Island are the Discovery Islands, part of the chain of 6,000 islands that shelter the British Columbia coastline between Washington and Alaska. The Discovery Islands dot the intricate waterways in some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.
Premier Listings
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Explore BC and Southeast Alaska with Bluewater Adventures aboard our 70′ yachts sailing the BC Inside Passage, the Queen Charlotte Islands, Gwaii Haanas National Park, the Great Bear Rainforest, and Vancouver Island. You’ll see whales, Grizzly, Black and Kermode bears, and experience ancient native villages and Haida culture, primeval forests, wilderness, and amazing coastal wildlife.
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Wildcoast provides memorable kayak vacations for adventure travellers that combine spectacular scenery, scrumptious food, and abundant wildlife encounters, including whales, dolphins, bears and eagles. Kayak with Killer Whales at our Orca base camp in Johnstone Strait, or take one of our kayak expeditions to Desolation Sound or the Discovery Islands. Our top-rated service caters to both local and international clientele. All kayak tours are fully inclusive and no kayaking experience is required. Only have a day? Visit our storefront for paddleboard and kayak Rentals or Day Tours in the stunning vistas surrounding Quadra Island.
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Mailing address:
1561 Galerno Road
Campbell River, BC
V9W 5N6
As Campbell River’s largest tour operator, we offer excursions on and off the water. With a spacious 14-passenger van, we run Guided Hikes, Winery, Distillery, and Brewery tours. We also have 7 marine vessels that include Zodiacs and covered boats, meaning we have something for all comfort levels!
Grizzly, Whale, and Wildlife tours are available ranging from 3 hours to a full day where you can expect to see Humpback Whales, Orca, Dolphins, Porpoise, Eagles, Sea Lions, Black Bears, and Grizzly Bears!
We are the only company on Northern Vancouver Island that is Carbon Neutral, and protecting the environment is something we deeply care about. For every guest that joins us, 1 square metre of old-growth forest is protected. Join us to create memories that last a lifetime! Boasting 6 consecutive years with a certificate of excellence, you can expect to have a fantastic experience with us!
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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.
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It’s a Coastal Lifestyle … Live It!
Specializing in marketing and selling local residential, recreational, unique oceanfront and commercial real estate throughout Campbell River, northern Vancouver Island, Discovery Islands, the Outer Islands and the BC Mainland Coast. Our real estate listings include homes to small oceanfront and lakefront recreational lots, private islands, remote island acreages, fishing lodges, wilderness / adventure resorts and vacation homes, oceanfront / lakefront cabins, marinas, remote & timbered acreages, and development investment properties on the west coast of BC and Vancouver Island – BCO has the Coast covered!
The BC Oceanfront Real Estate Team loves to bring people to the coast and introduce people to the coastal lifestyle. All members of the team live an active coastal lifestyle, and they bring that passion for the coast to all that they do. All three agents have their own boats and are very familiar with the many different regions surrounding central and northern Vancouver Island. With a team behind you, you can be sure that someone is always at hand to answer questions and lend assistance.
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The Flow Wilderness Retreat is located on the wilderness Maurelle Island, just east of Quadra Island in the Discovery Islands, surrounded by emerald green waters offering some of the finest kayaking in the world. Our central location allows us to explore three unique provincial marine parks and return to our luxury base camp each evening.
Enjoy a fresh shore lunch at a different scenic location each day. Relax after a day of adventure with our cedar-wood-fired hot tub, hot showers, hammocks and your private, cozy, cabin accommodation. Three-course gourmet meals with wine are served each evening on our seaside patio overlooking the islands of the Surge Narrows Marine Park.
Water-taxi pick up from Campbell River on Vancouver Island or Heriot Bay on Quadra Island can be arranged through our office with Discovery Launch Water Taxi. Kick back, relax and enjoy a scenic cruise through the enchanting archipelago that is the Discovery Islands.
