The BC coastal Recreation Atlas series

Volume 1: BC's South Coast and East Vancouver Island

The best reason I can think of for creating an atlas such as this is knowing how much easier my life might have been had one been available for my own kayak trips. After three summers of paddling almost all the British Columbia coast, this is one of the end results. The other is the series of coastal guides published by Whitecap Books under the title The Wild Coast. For those who are looking for additional information about the coast, you’ll find this atlas and The Wild Coast series work well together. For instance, while this atlas offers campsite locations along with some very basic information in green text, The Wild Coast has detailed information as well as the history, ecology and attractions of the surrounding countryside. The geographic area covered in Volume 1 of this atlas series - British Columbia’s inner south coast - matches Volume 3 of The Wild Coast series. The second volume of the atlas series mirrors information in The Wild Coast, Volume 1 (the outer coast of Vancouver Island). The third atlas covers the north and central B.C. coast, and cover the subject area offered in The Wild Coast, Volume 2.

This atlas has been designed primarily with paddlers in mind, though hopefully mariners will find the format and information useful as well. The simplest way to navigate the atlas is to find the region you want to explore from the index map on the back cover, then use the regional maps to find pages showing more detail. The atlas is split into four regions: the Gulf Islands; the North Georgia Basin; Desolation Sound and the Discovery Islands; and the North Island Straits. To help distinguish each region, the maps are colour-coded, though naturally there is a bit of overlap between each area. I’ve kept these overlaps quite large because I know what it’s like to have to navigate along the margins between different charts. It’s never much fun.

- John Kimantas

Volume 2: West Vancouver Island

It took several years of kayaking before I built up the nerve to kayak the west coast of Vancouver Island. Then in 2003 I was able to take an entire summer to kayak the coast and all five major sounds. It remains a highlight of my kayaking experiences, and affirms my belief, cultivated through many subsequent kayaking trips, that all areas of the coast can be safely navigated if attention is paid to a few simple safety rules.

The first and most basic rule, naturally, is to stay off the water when conditions are questionable. Determining what is safe and what is a risk can be made by following weather forecasts and a good basic knowledge of the prevailing weather conditions. Some of these conditions are touched on lightly below; considerably more detailed attention is paid to them in the various volumes of The Wild Coast series of coastal guide books. They are a recommended companion to this series of coastal atlases, not only for the safety information, but for the additional information on camping, history, geography, ecology and services in each region. More information on The Wild Coast series can be found at www.whitecap.ca or the companion website, www.thewildcoast.ca. Keep an eye on the latter for updates that will help keep these atlases current for years to come. This atlas generally mirrors the geographic area covered in Volume 1 of The Wild Coast. Cross-references have been added throughout the atlas; the prompt “WC1-273” will direct you to the first volume of The Wild Coast series, and to page 273 for more information on this region.

When a mariner or kayaker builds up the confidence to travel the outer coast of Vancouver Island, it is an experience like no other. Each of the five major sounds has its own character, from the intricate passages of the Broken Group to the sand beaches of Kyuquot. But the greatest reward, in my mind, comes from travelling the outer coast. There is a raw wildness to places like Cape Scott and Brooks Peninsula that make them completely unique. While other coastal locations like the Gulf Islands have their charm, there is simply no comparison to the feeling of reaching a remote destination on the outer coast. There is also nothing quite like camping on a sprawling, perfect sand beach with no else in sight. Add a parade of wildlife including everything from humpback whales to tufted puffins and you have the potential for a world-class wilderness experience.
These best locations are, not surprisingly, the most difficult areas to reach, but the reward matches the effort. Many of these places can be reached only by kayak due to a barrier of offshore rocks and a lack of coastal access points by road, keeping exceptional kayaking locations such as Checleset Bay, the Mission Group and Cape Sutil rarely visited. They are all among my favourite destinations.

- John Kimantas