Premier Listings for Broughton Archipelago Marine Park
Broughton Archipelago is a wilderness area consisting of a maze of several small islands, numerous islets and adjacent foreshore at the southern extremity of Queen Charlotte Strait, off the west coast of Gilford Island. Located between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland, the islands in the marine park are undeveloped and are largely undiscovered. The numerous remote, solitary islands incorporated in the park provide unlimited and unique fishing and swimming opportunities.
There is no shortage of all-weather anchorages for cruising boats at various locations in Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park. Good, safe anchorages can be found at Waddington Bay, Farewell Harbour on Berry Island, Joe Cove on Eden Island and the cove on the southeast side of Crease Island.
Hikers visiting the islands should be aware of the presence of bears, particularly during the berry season. Be aware of possible bear encounters and follow the Safety Guide to Bears.
There are no designated campsites in the Broughton Archipelago, however there are a number of sites that kayakers have been using for overnight camping. These sites are open all year but only accessible by boat, and some are only accessible during certain tides and weather conditions. There are no facilities provided at any of these sites aside from simple open air pit toilets on Owl Island and Leone Island.
Most of these wilderness sites are only big enough for one or two tents and range from flat rock outcroppings to a level bench situated amongst the trees. Since fresh water is very difficult to come across, be sure to bring all that you require.
[FAGP id=26382]The many small islands and protected waters of Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park make the area an excellent place to sea kayak or canoe. Visitors from around the world come here to kayak amongst orcas and other marine mammals, experience camping in an unspoiled wilderness, enjoy world-class salt water fishing, and learn about First Nations culture. The southern portion of the park is the most popular, particularly in Village Channel and Indian Channel, however the rest of the park also offers excellent kayaking waters. Kayakers can enjoy the tranquil beauty of this area as they pick their way through a myriad of islands and islets, stopping to camp at various locations along the way.
Most kayakers launch at Telegraph Cove or Alder Bay, although the use of water taxis is becoming more and more popular as a method of quickly reaching the park. There are many commercial kayaking companies working in and around the park, and the use of commercial motherships is becoming more common. Kayakers should be aware that winds can pick up quickly in this area, as can rough water, so mariners should always practice caution.
Kayakers should always take the ebb and flow of tides into consideration and be prepared for heavy fog at any time. Paddlers who put in at Alder Bay or Telegraph Cove should remember that these are extremely busy shipping lanes and should time their crossings with extreme caution.
Evidence of early native settlement of these islands can be found in the petroglyphs carved onto a rock wall on Berry Island, close to an area known traditionally as the Chief’s Bathtub. Local legend recounts how the First Nations people heated the basin with hot rocks and used the ‘bathtub’ for ceremonial purposes.
Water and full amenities are available at nearby Echo Bay, just outside the northeast boundary of the park.
Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park is located between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, offshore from Telegraph Cove. Access to the marine park is by boat only, from Telegraph Cove, Alert Bay and Port McNeill on Vancouver Island.
Nearby Regions & Towns
Park Notices
Premier Listings
Biographical Info
Ocean Light Adventures introduces their new vessel for summer 2021. The powerboat Afterglow is a 60ft Monk designed Gulf Commander with 5 staterooms and 3 heads, offering amazing wildlife viewing from all windows and from the spacious top deck. Her crew has 34 years of experience offering natural history and photography tours on the BC Coast, including Haida Gwaii, and specializing in grizzly viewing tours in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, and spirit bear and grizzly tours in the Great Bear Rainforest. We also offer whale watching and eco tours, from totems to intertidal treasures, rocky shores to sandy beaches, and spawning salmon to towering trees. We offer five spectacular adventure trips between May and October, each to a different region and each highlighting the awe-inspiring beauty of the beautiful BC coast.
Biographical Info
Kayaking British Columbia is the ultimate way to view BC’s abundant wildlife.
We want you to fall in love with kayaking and our unique coast, and our passion shows in everything we do. Choose among several professionally-guided 4-8 day trips for all experience levels around Vancouver Island. ‘Glamping’ basecamp-style with wood-fired hot tub overlooking the Pacific Ocean, or expedition-style paddling from camp to camp and paddling between 100s of islands through the Broughton Archipelago, famous Desolation Sound and the wild Great Bear Rainforest on the Central Coast. Savouring a fresh salmon BBQ in the open air, explore and view fascinating wildlife and wilderness and wake up on remote islands with the sound of the whales. Unique and breathtaking.
Our adventures are for everyone and are designed to cater to all levels of experience and abilities. We take care to introduce you to the sport in a fun and safe manner. All that we ask is that you welcome adventure with an open mind and are able to laugh and have fun when encountering the unexpected. Our groups are small, ranging from 8 to 13 people, depending on the trip, in order to provide you with the best experience possible. We provide everything you need for a once in a lifetime kayaking adventure. We provide high-quality fiberglass kayaks, paddling equipment, camp cookware, eating utensils, and camping gear.
Our guides take care of you for the entire duration of your tour, prepare delicious, organic and local meals, and have extensive training and experience in sea kayaking and in sharing the natural and cultural history of the area.
During the Northern Hemisphere winter, we also offer kayaking trips to the glacier-fed South American wildlife paradise, the Chilean Patagonia Archipelago, and multi-day escapes to sun, sand, remote beaches and the warm crystal clear waters of the Bahamas. Please contact us for all details of these amazing winter getaways!
Biographical Info
Sea Kayak in comfort based from our ocean-side, or float-house accommodations in the wilderness of the Broughton Archipelago, a kayak paradise. The phrase ‘Walking Softly in the Wilderness’ has always been a guiding principle for our homesteading lifestyle and approach to developing our inn. Paddlers Inn has earned a Gold rating from Green Tourism Canada for our efforts to continually reduce our impact on the environment, while supporting others to do the same. We also offer Acupressure massage on-site. Surround yourself with ocean, beaches, trails, an inland lake, and quiet beauty.
Biographical Info
Fly-in for spectacular raincoast wildlife viewing in remote Knight Inlet in the spectacular Coast Mountains – Grizzly Bears and Black Bears, killer whales (Orcas), humpback whales, dolphins, stellar seals, sea lions, eagles and more. Knight Inlet is a famous natural fjord world renowned for its Grizzly Bear viewing. Get close to the action with our privileged access to special Grizzly Bear viewing stands. We offer 3-day trips out of Campbell River on Vancouver Island to the world capital for grizzly bear safaris. Explore the pristine natural world of British Columbia’s coastal grizzly bear. Whether you’re photographing the grizzly and black bears or waiting for that elusive shot of a whale breaching, we’ll bring you right to the wildlife hot spots so you can capture all the action.
Biographical Info
Orca Dreams offers twenty years experience hosting people from around the world in the wildlife-rich waters of Johnstone Strait and Broughton Archipelago, off the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Orca Dreams now offers Canada’s first whale-watching camp, with BC packages that include 4 days of luxury camping.
Watch surfacing humpback whales, a passing pod of orcas, or a curious seal pass by while sipping your morning coffee from your waterfront safari-style tent. Whale watch from camp, kayak or boat, surrounded by the rich wildlife of coastal BC.
Orca Dreams is situated within the traditional territory of the Mamalilikula-Qwe’Qwa’Sot’Em First Nation, on Compton Island on the edge of Blackney Pass, one of the most wildlife-rich marine ecosystems in the world. Blackney Pass connects Queen Charlotte Strait with Johnstone Strait where the strong currents churn up nutrients from deep below, feeding everything from small herring to the 40-ton humpback whales.
Blackney Pass is also one of the best places in North America to view Orcas – also known as Killer Whales – as they make their way to and from Johnstone Strait and the rubbing beaches of Robson Bight on Vancouver Island.
