Canada's Broughton Islands

The Broughtons Make a Grand Destination for Northwest Boaters

Sep 5, 2008

Lying at the northern end of Vancouver Island, the Broughton Island Group is one of the last bastions of unspoiled, undeveloped coastal beauty.

Reaching the Broughton Islands requires time and determination. Besides the rapids one must negotiate, there’s the matter of provisioning your vessel. Small boats must plan particularly well.

Traveling Canadian Waters

The farther north one travels in the Inside Passage of British Columbia, the more attention one must pay to rapids. Currents in these areas range from 7 knots to 14 knots or better. Small boats, including most sailboats, need to negotiate these areas at or near slack water. With careful planning, Yuculta, Dent and Gillard Rapids can be traversed in one passage, as can Green and Whirlpool Rapids.

If one chooses to travel north via Johnstone Straits, however, there are fewer rapids to encounter, but the ones that are present need to be very carefully negotiated.

Smaller vessels (and sailboats) will benefit greatly from traveling with the tides, whether one travels north via Johnstone Straits or the more protected, interior route. An excellent resource for determining tides and currents is Ports and Passes.

Stops North of Desolation Sound

Once north of Desolation Sound, dock facilities are fewer and farther in between, but anchorages are plentiful and less populated. Once through Cordero Channel and its rapids, Shoal Bay, with its vegetable garden, small pub and excellent anchorage and dock facilities, makes for a fun stop, as does Thurston Marine Park, although it is a bit out of the direct route.

Blind Channel Resort, only a few miles farther, offers a host of amenities, including showers, laundry facilities, grocery store, postal service, gas and diesel, restaurant fare and dock space.

Most sailors and small boat operators opt to stop in Douglas Bay in Forward Harbor before venturing into Johnstone Straits for the final leg of the journey to the Broughtons.

The Broughtons

There’s a plethora of books one can use for traveling in this area. North of Desolation Sound, by Peter Vassilopoulos, is perhaps the most succinct, easily useable reference, along with Waggoner Cruising Guide.

This archipelago of islands, islets and rocks, is remarkable for its pristine beauty and relative isolation. Half a dozen small ports provide a few amenities for boaters who like to tie to docks, otherwise there are literally hundreds of nooks, crannies, coves, bays and lagoons where one can drop one’s hook.

Food is expensive, and alcohol is almost non-existent, with only Sullivan Bay having a license for liquor sales, so plan accordingly.

Activities in the Broughtons

Hiking in the Broughtons is next to impossible because of the dense vegetation on the islands. Kayaking, however, is extremely popular. Swimming requires a wetsuit. Fishing and prawning can be superb. Most boaters seem content, however, to wander from port to port where they meet up with old friends and make new ones.

Accordingly, Lagoon Cove offers a popular prawn dinner and potluck gathering nightly for dock visitors. The port of Kwatsi also offers potlucks. Pierre’s famous restaurant is now operating in Echo Bay, where one can also find author Billy Proctor, and Shawl Bay Marina provides famous daily pancake breakfasts.

The Weather

Expect cool, sometimes windy weather. Don’t be disappointed if the sun is shrouded in clouds for the better part of the day, only beaming forth in the late afternoon to produce a spectacular sunset. Drizzle and rain are common. Basically, forget the sunblock and pack a sweater instead.

The copyright of the article Canada's Broughton Islands in Motor Boats is owned by R.L. Coffield. Permission to republish Canada's Broughton Islands in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.