Khutze Inlet, a B.C. Park?

On our way south we met a young man who has been a Khutze Inlet all summer long. He is doing research for B.C. Parks on the impact of visitors on bears, fish and other wildlife. Last year no one visited Khutze. So they have a baseline.

This year he stated he has seen as many as 13 boats spending the night.

B.C. Parks also shut down crabbing for everyone, recreational, commercial and First Nations.

Parks is considering limiting the number of boats allowed in the Inlet at one time. Eliminating commercial crab and other measures to preserve the Inlet.

So Khutze Inlet is our favorite place in Canada. I am for taking measures to preserve and care for Khutze I just hope they don't over do it. But I also can see loving it to death to.

Khutze Inlet is part of the Khutze Conservancy under BC Parks

Tom, where do you anchor in Khutze? If you go all the way to the end, about the only spot that isn't really deep is between the creek and the waterfall. It's ledge anchoring, going from 10 feet to 100 very quickly. Knowing the state of the tide is crucial for not anchoring too deep or going aground at low water, which I've seen a few times. How do you anchor in Khutze? We go in nose first to sound it and then turn around and head out until the depth is right, attempting to have the boat settle at around 50 feet at mid tide.

Ken E. said:

Tom, where do you anchor in Khutze? If you go all the way to the end, about the only spot that isn't really deep is between the creek and the waterfall. It's ledge anchoring, going from 10 feet to 100 very quickly. Knowing the state of the tide is crucial for not anchoring too deep or going aground at low water, which I've seen a few times. How do you anchor in Khutze? We go in nose first to sound it and then turn around and head out until the depth is right, attempting to have the boat settle at around 50 feet at mid tide.

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I normally anchor in 80-100ft. The scope is 3-1. It's a deep anchorage for sure.

rochepoint said:

Khutze Inlet is part of the Khutze Conservancy under BC Parks

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Wow. Thanks I love the map and had no idea. Good stuff. So they maybe looking at tighter restrictions.

rochepoint said:

Khutze Inlet is part of the Khutze Conservancy under BC Parks

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I also looked at the website. The "important notice" about the need for a visitor permit shocked me. No there boaters would have known about it either.

Good catch..........Looks like that came into effect on August 5, 2021 and they have a boat "Northern Twilight" on station at the entrance.........

rochepoint said:

Good catch..........Looks like that came into effect on August 5, 2021 and they have a boat "Northern Twilight" on station at the entrance.........

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So I guess the B.C. Park dude was the watchman too?

Doesn't sound like a permit is needed, you have to be accompanied by a permitted guide. Would this also apply to anchoring just inside the spit, as I have done a couple of times?

DDW said:

Doesn't sound like a permit is needed, you have to be accompanied by a permitted guide. Would this also apply to anchoring just inside the spit, as I have done a couple of times?

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DDW, you are correct, permits are not needed; this topic is a knee jerk to a misread notice and second hand “I heard” dock talk.

This project is of roughly three months duration, focusing primarily on the river estuary, salmon and bear habitat, including this year’s unprecedented freshet and resultant destruction.

This research should not now, nor in future, affect the Green Spit anchorage. I doubt you would make it up there this year, but if you did, you might have your intentions questioned and be closely observed by Coastal Guardian Watchmen.
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Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

The "important notice" about the need for a visitor permit shocked me. No there boaters would have known about it either.

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Being “shocked” and permits being required is nonsense. You have not read the “important notice” correctly and certainly neither BC Parks nor First Nations feel obliged to post notices in every marina from San Diego to Ketchikan.

Further, your guess “the B.C. Park dude was the watchman too,” supports the notion your knowledge of the BC coast and understanding of First Nations culture, are less than you think they are.

This is a joint BC Government, Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nations research project. It is the (First Nations Coastal) Guardians who are the watchmen; both First Nations, non-indigenous researchers and BC Parks can be permitted guides into the estuary.

The ultimate authority lies with BC Parks and any regulations or restrictions, permanent or otherwise, would be announced and enforced by them; at present.

The closure of K’ootz was to have occurred later, but when AK bound boaters strayed into Kynoch in April and overstayed, it was decided to restrict access to them both. Is that what it means to “love it to death?”

As it is with most West Coast wildlife (shellfish, crustaceans, salmon, whales, pinnipeds, etc.) brown bear habitat and foraging habits are evolving at a concerning rate.

A pandemic during the 2020/21 K’ootz brown bear season, with near zero human interaction, created the most opportune time for baseline research.

It is not up to recreational boaters or tourists to decide whether a natural habitat is “loved to death,” or if protection is overdone.

A bit of open minded, focused research, absorbing what is read and heard, will serve well and this is a good place to start:
https://coastalfirstnations.ca/our-environment/programs/coastal-guardian-watchmen-support/

DDW said:

Doesn't sound like a permit is needed, you have to be accompanied by a permitted guide. Would this also apply to anchoring just inside the spit, as I have done a couple of times?

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I don't know. I am just repeating what the BC park guy told me. He also stated based on this year's research BC parks may start restricting the number of boats allowed in the inlet at any one time.

DDW said:

Would this also apply to anchoring just inside the spit, as I have done a couple of times?

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What it is today, may not be what it is later on. Always best to go to the source rather than social media.


https://coastalfirstnations.ca/

This pdf tells the correct story of the K ’ootz/Khutze Conservancy, activities, guidelines and restrictions.
https://klemtu.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Khutze-Brochure.pdf

For further information, contact:

Kitasoo/Xai ’xais Stewardship Authority
Phone: 250 -839 -1096
Email: admin@kxsa.ca
Web: www.klemtu.com

Re anchoring in Khutz Inlet: I was there in 2019, the only boat in the Inlet. I anchored over by the waterfall and the shallows, knowing I needed to move before the early morning low tide. All went well, and my very early departure time rewarded me with a view of a young Grizzly Bear trying to catch the seals who were hauled out on the dry river outflow!

I did note that my charts weren’t too accurate as far as the very large drying mudflats were concerned….

Spinner said:

Re anchoring in Khutz Inlet: I was there in 2019, the only boat in the Inlet. I anchored over by the waterfall and the shallows, knowing I needed to move before the early morning low tide. All went well, and my very early departure time rewarded me with a view of a young Grizzly Bear trying to catch the seals who were hauled out on the dry river outflow!

I did note that my charts weren’t too accurate as far as the very large drying mudflats were concerned….

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The flood rearranged the mud flats and now is a deep anchorage.

Good to know that the Khutz is a better anchorage now!

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

I just hope they don't over do it. But I also can see loving it to death to.

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Will the words "lack of wisdom" in this piece be lost on you?
https://globalnews.ca/video/embed/8371045/

DryDoc said:

Will the words "lack of wisdom" in this piece be lost on you?

https://globalnews.ca/video/embed/8371045/

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Yeah OK. The first thing to enhance salmon streams would to ban fish farms.

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Yeah OK. The first thing to enhance salmon streams would to ban fish farms.

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Amen

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Yeah OK. The first thing to enhance salmon streams would to ban fish farms.

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I'm curious to see if a fish farm appears in the mouth of the inlet. Over the past few decades the waters within 30 miles or so of Klemtu have seen a few. Klemtu has a good commercial fisheries ice house.

sunchaser said:

I'm curious to see if a fish farm appears in the mouth of the inlet. Over the past few decades the waters within 30 miles or so of Klemtu have seen a few. Klemtu has a good commercial fisheries ice house.

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I hope not.

There are four finfish aquaculture facilities on the central coast in close proximity to Klemtu. There are 72 on the south coast.

Access to supply chains dictates the logical placement on the south coast and there are still hundreds of miles of available coastline south of Cape Caution.

The purpose of posting the video was not to deflect to fish farms but to nudge dialogue and awareness of individual accountability.

The decimation of the environment and salmon stocks began long before fish farms and entitlement is no small part.

This comes as no surprise to many.
https://tinyurl.com/2u42wrne
Hoeya Sound https://mapcarta.com/24297328