Salish Sea Marine Trail
- 39
- 130 NM
- 2 Weeks
- Class 2
Insert write up about Salish Sea Marine Trail.
Arriving by Car
The Gulf Islands Marine Trail has several entry points including Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Chemainus, Maple Bay and Mill Bay or you can travel to one of the main Gulf Islands.
Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo: This BC ferry route takes ~1.5 hours. Consider launching into the north end of the Gulf Islands Marine Trail from Brechin boat ramp or nearby launches.
Tsawwassen to Duke Point: This BC ferry route takes ~2 hours. Access Nanaimo or Ladysmith launches within a half hour of traveling.
Tsawwassen or Crofton to Salt Spring Island: You can reach Salt Spring Island by ferry both from Tsawwassen and Crofton on Vancouver Island. Salt Spring Island has several launches into the Gulf Islands.
Launching
There are an abundance of launch sites within the Gulf Islands — far too many to list — refer to the BC Marine Trails map to select your ideal launch site.
Most Gulf Islands offer launch sites, making the region accessible from a wide variety of start and end points.
The full trail is an expedition for veteran paddlers that could take upwards of two weeks. But we’ve also broken down the trip into bite-sized portions so you can experience different aspect in shorter, simpler journeys to fit your timeframe, skill level and interests.
LEG #1: 52.6 km from James Bay Angler Ramp to Rum Island. Some campsites are: D’Arcy Island, Sidney Spit, Isle de Lis
LEG #2: On this 92-km stretch the Salish Sea Marine Trail duplicates the central route of the Gulf Islands Marine Trail, running east and north of Salt Spring Island then along Trincomali Channel through False Narrows to Nanaimo. There are a multitude of side routes, possible, of course, with one being the inside route along the west side of Salt Spring Island through Sansum Narrows, as well as side routes through Stuart Channel taking in possibly the communities of Chemainus and Ladysmith. There are many campsites to visit. See the map.
LEG #3: 84 km from Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park, Nanaimo, to Friendship Park, Sechelt. This is the wilderness section of the Salish Sea Marine Trail, with much of the most dramatic shoreline and isolated locations. This is where to go on the Salish Sea to get away from it all. The trick is the open-ocean crossing to get here, which can be placid to downright dangerous depending on the weather. This makes it a fairly advanced route, but with attention to the forecast and timing moderate skill levels should have no issues if they can manage the distance of the crossing – about 10 km whether from Vancouver Island or the Sunshine Coast. Campsites include Pebbly Beach, Buccaneer Bay, Home Bay, Farm Bay, Long Bay
LEG #4: 59.8 km from Friendship Park, Sechelt, to Jericho Sailing Centre, Vancouver. This leg combines some great mountain scenery and the fjordlike setting of Howe Sound, the Big City climate of Vancouver and the expansive beaches of the Lower Sunshine Coast. If makes for a varied but imposing area to traverse, involving both a major shipping area (Burrard Inlet), an open water section along the mouth of Howe Sound and a lengthy shoreline journey along the Lower Sunshine Coast to position yourself to or from the crossing of the Strait of Georgia. Campsites include: Plumper Cove, Apodaca Provincial Park (in the works)
As a BCMT member you can access our trip resources page or easily find resources online at Sea Kayak Association of BC.
Hazards & Risks
The British Columbia coastline is an inherently dangerous location, and marine trail users assume the risk of navigating the BC coast. The BC Marine Trails Network has pinpointed some key locations where risks are increased due to pre-existing known conditions or possibility of risk. However, marine trail users are cautioned that risk can occur at any time at any location, and proper equipment, clothing, rescue gear, preparation and training are recommended to ensure optimal safety. Recurring safety considerations include:
Currents and rips: Conditions will be lessened if not eliminated at slack times, so check the Tides and Currents Tables to find the safest time to cross or transit difficult locations.
Ferry Lane Crossings: Several busy ferry corridors must be crossed over the course of the Gulf Islands, Salish Sea, or Sea to Sky Marine Trails. Risk can be minimized by monitoring the appropriate Canadian Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Services broadcast channels and by calling in on that same channel to alert traffic to your presence. We strongly recommend calling in for groups crossing ferry lanes or in questionable conditions such as chop, darkness or fog that could make paddlecraft difficult to see.
Shipping lanes: Be sure to know where shipping lanes are located on your charts and monitor Canadian Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Services broadcast channels to track shipping movement.
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