Paddling the Trincomali Channel
As winter approaches on Vancouver Island there are options to cope with the sense of impending doom and darkness brought on by seasonal affective disorder, lack of sunlight, rain and cloudy gloom. One can drink heavily, plan a trip to Mexico or Hawaii, or less expensively, reflect back on past Island trips and plan adventures for the distant summer of 2010.
If one is inclined to possibilities for the coming summer, my suggestion is a sea-kayaking jaunt through the Trincomali Channel to the stunning Wallace Island Provincial Park and (in the summer at least) the seemingly tropical Blackberry Point on Valdes.
I was fortunate enough to take this trip with my girlfriend Roxanne over a long weekend last June as the first warm-days of the sweltering summer of 2009 set in. After four days climbing in Squamish we hopped the ferry from Horseshoe Bay and headed for the Island. Once we landed in Departure Bay we drove south, stopping only for groceries and liquor, and made the mad dash for Cowichan and the ferry to Thetis Island.
Island hopping sea kayaking through Trincomali Channel is accessible form numerous points. Conceivably, one could start from Cowichan on Vancouver Island, from the northwest tip of Salt Spring Island, or half a dozen other possible launch points. We chose Thetis for pragmatic reasons: our good friends (thanks Tina and Malcolm) had offered us their small but spectacular waterfront cabin as a staging area and our kayaks were there. After an evening of sipping wine and a few beers and staring at the sunset over the water until it was pitch dark we awoke groggy but eager to set out on the water.
The fist night’s destination was Wallace Island Marine Park, located roughly seven kilometers from our put-in. To get to Wallace from Thetis one must weave through numerous lesser-known gulf islands in Trincomali Channel. We head south and slightly east, crossing Clam Bay that separates Thetis from Kuper Island. We make a brief stop on the north shore of Kuper where we find a nice warm beach. Kuper is a First Nations reserve and access is granted by permission only. We are careful to respect the rules of the island and never go above the high-tide line and onto Kuper proper.
The wind blew hard out of the south onto the bows of our kayaks. The persistent headwinds slow our progress and force us to paddle through choppy white caps. We find shelter by working in and out of the chain of islands that eventually lead to Wallace. First was Norway and then on to the miniscule Mowgli Island. We traverse the western shores of the Secretary Islands, pass Jackscrew and finally, after hours of battling the breeze and at moments wishing we were in a powerboat, we arrive at the northern tip of Wallace Island.
The entirety of Wallace Island is a Provincial Park. Chivers Point is on the northern tip and provides luxurious camping, complete with outhouses and picnic tables. If one is brave enough to swim in the icy water, Chivers has some nice inlets and beaches. There is a trail system that connects the length of the island. A highly recommended outing is to hike the island from the Chivers point all the way to Panther Point at the southern tip.
There are also multiple trails that shoot off from the main trail with undoubtedly provide limitless adventures.
The next morning, after cooking and swilling coffee, we head back to our kayaks for a run to Blackberry point on Valdes. Fortunately the wind has decided not to switch directions over night and we made steady progress. We cover the ten kilometers with the wind at our backs, a welcome relief from the wind battling paddling of the first day.
We traverse between the eastern side of the Secretarys and the western shores of Galiano and head past Hall and Reid Islands. The currents of Portier Pass, the channel separating Galiano form Valdes, are known to be unpredictable and hazardous to paddlers so we were careful to stay clear.
The western shore of Valdes is largely undeveloped with a remote and rustic feel. Eagles perch in the trees along the rocky shore, thick forest and steep crumbly cliffs stand guard as you paddle past. Seals poke their heads up suspiciously and loons bob for bites to eat.
We arrive tired but satisfied at Blackberry Point. We carry our kayaks above the tide line and soon the stove is humming, the tent is up and dinner is close at hand. After dinner we wander north around the point and find white sand beaches. The tide is coming in and the heat from the sand has warmed the water, which is, relative to the northern aspect of Chivers Point, nearing bathtub temperature. We plunge in and momentarily think we are in Bermuda or Costa Rica. The temperature extremes of the Gulf Islands are perplexing. In winter it’s inconceivable to swim in these waters without a drysuit. In the summer, with the sun and tide cooperating, it’s easy to forget you are north of the 49th parallel.
The next morning we awake, pack our camp into our kayaks and head out for the long crossing between Valdes to Thetis. Open water stretches evoke a sense of low-level fear and I paddle methodically, with infrequent rests until the east shores of Thetis are comfortably close. The anti-climax of hitting the beach, back at our starting point, tells us not only that our kayak adventure is over but so too is our vacation.
Story and Photography by Matt Kelley
This is inspiring - winter paddling and winter camping is a state of mind. Top two pictures are stupendous with their nearly-HDR look. Thanks.