West coast of Vancouver Island books?

[w8n4sun]

We’re planning to explore the west coast of Vancouver Island and looking for cruising guide recommendations. Anyone have their favorite to recommend? Planning now for the 2021 season. Thanks

 

[Waterford]

We did the west coast two summers ago in a flotilla with Slowboat.com. It was a wonderful trip and the slowboat team was really great. I suggest you go to their website and read the blogs of their recent trips around the island. We did the west side in three weeks, but I'd do it in six if I could.

The most useful book I found was "Exploring Vanc Island's West Coast" by Don Douglass. Peter Vassilopoulos' book is more descriptive than useful. It has lots of photos and narrative of places but no nav or anchorage info.

As I'm sure you know, weather at the north end is a big concern. For lack of VHF or online resources, we found the forecasts we got via inReach were very helpful and accurate.

Hope that helps.

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

This https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Vancouver-Islands-West-Coast/dp/093866557X


I use this, get it used from Amazon.... Beware of the Brooks Peninsula just a word of caution

 

[sunchaser]

For us, timing acceptable weather with Juan de Fuca currents is the major challenge. Plan on no schedule and obey Mother Nature's whims. The GA's ability to easily make 10+ knots is a real plus. Counter or clockwise?

 

[w8n4sun]

These are all very helpful advice, thank you!

We would do clockwise to give us more options coming back on the east side. Nice to know Don Douglass’ book is still relevant so I’ll order that one. We also have the Waggoner guide.

Now this pandemic needs to go away.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Also try the Cruising Guide to the West Coast of Vancouver Island published by Evergreen Pacific. I found that the books need to be taken as a basic guide. I don't think any of them are really up to date. I think the Douglas book still says that you can get fuel at Kyuquot. Nope. Not for about a decade (as I found out). The books also tend to have less and less info the further you go inland into the various Sounds. Probably because most circumnavigations have time limits (the most dangerous part of a circumnavigation). However, it is deep in the Sounds where the solitude and relaxation lies (if that is important to you).

Mark

 

[DDW]

These are all very helpful advice, thank you!

We would do clockwise to give us more options coming back on the east side. Nice to know Don Douglass’ book is still relevant so I’ll order that one. We also have the Waggoner guide.

Now this pandemic needs to go away.

Clockwise is into the prevailing wind and waves, which is why most people go the other way. If I returned there, these are places I would revisit: Bunsby Islands, Nutchatlitz, Tahsis (the marina there), Bligh Cove, the Broken Island group, Bamfield. Plenty of other places to visit, but those I would revisit. Between Port Hardy and Tofino, there are pretty much no facilities, very little supplies of any kind so be ready to be self sufficient. Port Alice still has a supermarket, there are only a couple of other small stores on the coast. We were there in August (peak season) and saw almost no one on the northern half, except small fishing boats trailered over the hill.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Another thing that you might consider is getting together a list of the various fishing lodges along the way (I don't have one and have never seen one). The reason is that they sometimes have an opening for a day or two. This season might be even more so because of cancellations. I found that calling a day in advance and asking (not VHF, but cell phone) you might find the possibility of a good dinner, shower, and maybe a bed for a reasonable price. We stopped at one in Kyuquot and even had free use of the laundry. One group of fishermen had just left, the next came in the next day, and we had a nice dinner with the owner, the cook, and two guides. Dinner with the two guides was worth the price just for the local knowledge. We then spent several days in the Bunsbys eating the "lunch" that the cook had packed for us.

 

[w8n4sun]

Really appreciate the tips everyone.

Is there cell service along the route? We have T-Mobile and Verizon plans.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Look at this blog too. scroll down a bit and you can read about their trip down the outside:

Slowboat

 

[C lectric]

https://www.dreamspeakerguides.com/

https://www.abebooks.com/9780969799177/Best-Anchorages-Passage-British-Columbias-0969799179/plp

They may not be exactly what you want but are well done and cover a bunch of your proposed cruise area.

We have not been down the outside but in the Broughtons many times.
As far as cell service it will be spotty, useable only near settled areas.
Text will often get through where a voice call will fail.
I know people who toute their various plans but the reality is it is still very much a wilderness area. Not all providers are supported no matter what they say.
If cell or easy contact is needed then look into other means.

Two years ago we were in Barkley Sound and had mostly excellent cell service.
Have fun planning.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

It is spotty, but it is there in some remote places.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brit...ell-service-switched-on-in-ahousaht-1.5401854

(I always thought that the town was Marktosis and the tribe was Ahousaht?.)

There is also towers that try to serve Quatsino and Nootka Sound and a little bit right out in front if you know where the towers are located. On Kyuquot, the number I called for a local lodge was a home office in Campbell River that (somehow) relayed the info to the lodge. So a cell phone isn't worthless.

 

[Waterford]

DDW is correct about the winds; I would recommend counter-clockwise. The Fleming video shows their cruise and I believe they regretted going north on the outside.

We found nearly no cell service (Verizon). Even if you find a small store, pickings are slim depending on time since last supply barge. Be as self-sufficient as you can. We do not have a water maker so we conserved from the start and topped off whenever we could. One boat in our group had engine problem and had to fly in a mechanic. Carry spare parts and books.

 

[firehoser75]

For communication you might look into an Inreach. Allows text messages, emergency contact with a control centre, and access to weather forecasts, all via satellite.

There are other options as well.

 

[Ka_sea_ta]

If you go stop in Zeballos it's a great little village. It's been a quite a few years since I was there last but if I remember there was a good harbor with gov't docks and fuel a couple of restaurants and grocery stories.

In Barkley Sound if you want a good meal, try Eaglenook resort in Vernon Bay

 

[w8n4sun]

Will look into Inreach, and the recommended books.

This group is awesome with its willingness to help with experience and knowledge. Thanks and keep the recommendations coming.

 

[DDW]

An Inreach will work out there, Verizon cell phone coverage is very limited (this was in 2016). Zabellos has a fuel dock and a very small store. Best place north of Tofino to find groceries is Port Alice. Tahsis has a small store but it is a long walk. Walters Cove has a small store. That is more or less it on the NW coast.

 

[Spinner]

Check out the Waggoner Guide. It’s updated annually, and has an entire section on cruising the west coast of Vancouver Island. A great resource!

 

[Marco Flamingo]

Here is the Zeballos store from when I was there in 2017. I didn't bother to call on Channel 06. A "restaurant" was open, but it appeared to actually be somebody's front porch and the menu was more limited than what I could scrounge up on board. Good fun.

The C-Brats :: C-Brat Albums

 

[IRENE]

T-Mobile

T-Mobile has a useful coverage map on their website that should answer your questions. We have only been as far as Estevan Point, but the T-Mobile service was as advertised on their map. Worked great (cheap phone as hotspot).

 

[sunchaser]

What is nice about going counter clockwise is you can sit in Port McNeil or Port Hardy until tides and weather are favorable for rounding the infamous Cape Scott and traversing the Nawhiti bar areas. A first light departure should give you plenty of daylight and calmer conditions (maybe) to the next stop.