Yoho National Park on the British Columbia/Alberta

border is home to waterfalls, glacial lakes, snow-topped

 mountain peaks, roaring rivers, deep silent forests,

and spiral tunnels inside the mountains.

Through erosion, nature has carved some of the most

 dramatic landscapes in the country.

 

 See the natural rock bridge spanning the Kicking

 Horse River, and visit the Kicking Horse Pass National

 Historic Site.

 See the Hoodoos, immense boulders balanced atop tall

 pillars of glacial till.

 

By the time Hwy 1 reaches the park’s headquarters

in Field, a distance of about 18.5 miles (30 km),

the tone of the landscape shifts to one of glaciated

 Rocky Mountain peaks.

The east gate of the park is at the British Columbia

-Alberta border on the Continental Divide.

 

 Total distance between the two gates is about

 30 miles (48 km).

 

 About 1.5 miles (2.5 km) west of Field, Emerald

 Lake Road leads north from Hwy 1 to the parkin

g lot beside Emerald Lake, the largest lake in

Yoho National Park.

Yoho National Park is open year round.

 

All major travel routes are maintained throughout

 the year, although temporary closures may come

into effect in the event of adverse weather conditions.

 

The peak season in the park is during July and

August.

 If you are planning a trip to Yoho National Park

 during these months, be sure to book your

 accommodation in advance.

 

 The Parks Canada administration office in Field is

 open year-round, except holidays, from Monday

 to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Yoho National Park has campsites that range from

 vehicle/tent sites to walk-in wilderness campsites.

 

 Kicking Horse Campground, located 3 miles (5 km)

 west of Field and handy to hiking trails and the

 Takakkaw Falls, could be considered the main site,

with its playground, amphitheatre, and nearby

 grocery store.

 Open from May to October; amenities are the

same as Hoodoo Creek campground with the

 addition of hot showers, a wheelchair accessible

washroom with shower.

 In July and August plan to arrive early as the

 campground is usually full before noon.

 

 Effective immediately, all users of the Kicking Horse

 Campground are required to boil their drinking water

I heard a quote the other day and it reminded me of this Great Proving B.C

NOTHING IS SO STRONG AS GENTLENESS AND NOTHING IS SO GENTLE

AS STRENGTH.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO TOOK THESE

MARVELOUS PICTURES.  I COULD NEVER HAVE DONE SUCH A SPECTACULAR

JOB AND AS THE OTHER EXPERSSION GOES.

  “YOU DON’T MESS WITH A TICKING WATCH”

CHERYL YOUNG, REALTOR AND BLOGGER

SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY

VICTORIA B.C WWW.CHERYLYOUNG.CA

Telegraph Cove is tucked away on the eastern coast

 of Northern Vancouver Island.

 In 1912, Telegraph Cove was a one-room station,

 the northern terminus of a telegraph line that began

 in Campbell River and stretched from tree to tree

 along Vancouver Island’s east coast.

 

Next to the arts and crafts gallery stands the home

of community pioneer Fred Wastell, whose father

 purchased most of the land around the cove.

 Together with Japanese investors, he established

 a chum salmon saltery and a small sawmill.

These days, the tiny town is a major destination

during the summer months, when the snug little bay

bustles with boaters, anglers, campers, kayakers and

whale-watchers.

 

 With its colourful buildings and peaceful inlet setting,

Telegraph Cove, one of the last boardwalk

communities of eastern Vancouver Island, is worth

 a visit even  if you’re not planning to do any

 offshore exploring.

Population: 20

Location: Telegraph Cove is located on the eastern

 coast of Northern Vancouver Island, 30 minutes

south of Port McNeill and 11 kilometers off the

 Island Highway  via Beaver Cove Road.

 

The top half of 280-mile-long Vancouver Island is

 served by a maze of logging roads, and Highway 19

 (north Island Hwy), which links Telegraph Cove

 and Campbell River (2.5-hour drive).

Explore the North Island’s Kwakwaka’wakw

 culture.

 Archeologists have dated the first residents of this

 area to around 8,000 years ago!

Radio listeners within 15 kilometres of this killer

 whale sanctuary can tune into the all-whale

 radio station.

The Whale Interpretive Centre was established

to increase public awareness about marine

mammals in the area and the threats facing them.

 Its “Bones Project” exhibit includes complete

 skeletons  of various species, including two types

of whale,  a sea lion, seal, dolphin and otter.

 

 You can also see the jaw bones of a blue whale,

 the largest animal ever to inhabit the earth.

North Island Discovery Centre is a foresty

 interpretive centre offering displays and free

 forestry tours in the summer, providing visitors

with the opportunity to learn about the mighty

 forest industry in British Columbia.

 Check out a working fish incubation box and

spawning redd, or find out what a Madill tower is

 all about.

 

 Located at the junction of Highway 19 and the

 road to Telegraph Cove.

Gateway to Robson Bight Provincial Park, an

 ecological  reserve – up to 200 Orcas arrive each

summer to rub  on the barnacle-encrusted rocks at

the mouth of the  Tsitika River.

 As the top predator on the inland-water food chain,

they are also attracted by the annual salmon runs

 that  funnel through Johnstone Strait beginning

in late June.

 

Whale watching and wildlife-viewing companies are

also based in Port McNeill, Alert Bay, Sointula,

 Sayward and Port Hardy.

 Stubbs Island, located off Telegraph Cove, is a

popular and fascinating dive site, featuring terraced

 ledges, sheer drop-offs and an opportunity to see

 orcas, dolphins and other marine mammals.

 Golf: Golfers can head to the public, 9-hole, Par 35

 Seven Hills Golf & Country Club in nearby Port

Hardy,  the northernmost golf course on Vancouver

Island.

 Seven Hills offers the golfer meadering fairways and

 undulating greens, with scenic views of the North

 Island  Mountains.

 Open year round.

 Golf Vacations on Vancouver Island.

 Fishing: The fishing areas around Telegraph Cove

 are  not only surrounded by spectacular scenery

 and  sheltered waters, but also contain some of

 the most  consistent saltwater sports fishing on

the BC coast.

Across the strait from Telegraph Cove is Broughton

 Archipelago Marine Provincial Park, a wilderness

 area  consisting of a maze of several small islands,

numerous  inlets and adjacent foreshore at the

southern extremity  of Queen Charlotte Strait, off

the west coast of Gilford Island.

 

The islands in Broughton Archipelago are

undeveloped  and are largely undiscovered.

 

 Facilities are limited to a day-use recreation.

 

The numerous remote, solitary islands incorporated

 in the park provide unlimited and unique fishing

 and  swimming opportunities, and are fabulous

 for exploring  by kayak.

Telegraph Cove is the place to begin exploring

 Johnstone Strait.

 

 You’ll find a boat launch and moorage, as well as

 fishing licences, tackle and bait for sale.

 

This is a prime staging area for kayak departures.

 

 Long-term parking can be arranged here for those

setting out on extended boating trips in Johnstone

Strait.

Accessible only by boat or float plane, the mostly

 uninhabited Knight Inlet is located due north of

 Johnstone Strait and the small communities of

 Telegraph Cove and Sayward/Kelsey Bay on

 Vancouver Island.

 

 Knight Inlet cuts eighty miles through the remote

 Coast Range of Mountains to the head of Knight

Inlet, and  Mt. Waddington, the highest mountain

located totally  within  British Columbia.

 Grizzly bears around Knight Inlet emerge from

 hibernation in spring (starting in April) to feed on

the succulent new spring growth.

 Viewing peaks during fall (late August) when the

 salmon are running, as grizzlies converge on the

salmon spawning  streams to feed on the salmon

and stock their fat  reserves in preparation for

 winter ahead.

 

CHERYL YOUNG, REALTOR

 

SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY

WWW.CHERYLYOUNG.CA  

CBYTHESEA@SHAW.CA

VICTORIA B.C

Johnstone Strait is a deep and narrow glacier-carved

 passage located between the east coast of Vancouver

Island  and the British Columbia mainland, extending

roughly  from Telegraph Cove in the north to

 Rock Bay in the south.

 Johnstone Strait serves as an important thoroughfare

 for marine vessels that include cargo freighters and

cruise ships bound for Alaska in the summer months.

Bordered by the Queen Charlotte Strait to the west

and Discovery Passage to the east, gentle conditions

 prevail in the sheltered waters of Johnstone Strait,

where the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations are the

traditional gatekeepers, having lived here for thousands

of years and still call the area home.

To experience a tranquillity that passes all description,

paddle these waters where whales rub and salmon run

 in summer months.

Sea kayaking is fabulous in these protected waters.

 

 There are several staging areas, including Telegraph

 Cove, which is the place to begin exploring Johnstone

 Strait and Robson Bight.

At Telegraph Cove you’ll find a boat launch and moorage,

 as well as fishing licences, tackle, and bait for sale.

 

This is also a prime staging area for whale-watching

tours and kayak departures.

 Long-term parking can be arranged here for those setting

out on extended boating trips in Johnstone Strait.

 

Johnstone Strait is home to the largest resident pod of

 killer whales (orcas) in the world, with a population

 of approximately 200 whales.

 There is no better place to view these amazing

marine mammals.

 

In addition to the orcas that can be viewed around

 Robson Bight, Johnstone Strait offers up a wide variety

 of other marine life, including minke, humpback and

 grey whales,

 Pacific white sided dolphins, harbour porpoises,

Dall’s porpoises, harbour seals and Steller’s sea lions.

 Bald eagles and an abundance of seabirds will also

be encountered in the area.Location:

 Johnstone Strait is located off the east coast

of Vancouver Island, bordered by Queen Charlotte Strait

 to the west and Discovery Passage to the east.

 

 The 87-kilometre waterway stretches from Chatham

Point to Hanson Island, with Vancouver Island to the

 south and the rugged coast of the BC mainland to

 the north.

CHERYL C YOUNG

SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY

SIDNEY B C. www.cherylyoung.ca

 

The gateway to Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast and

 central Vancouver Island, Horseshoe Bay is a quaint

and picturesque seaside village on the North Shore

of Vancouver.

Located to the northwest of Vancouver, Horseshoe Bay

is best known for its BC Ferry terminal, serving Snug

Cove on Bowen Island, Langdale on the Sunshine Coast,

 and Departure Bay in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.

Ferries glide in and out of Horseshoe Bay, and the wake

 from the larger boats creates surf as they hit the

 shoreline.

 

Modest though these waves are, it’s an unusual sight

 in these sheltered waters.

The bedroom community of Horseshoe Bay is also the

 starting point of the intensely scenic Sea to Sky Highway

 (Highway 99), which winds through the Coast Mountains,

 from coastal rain forest at Horseshoe Bay, through

 Squamish, alongside Garibaldi Provincial Park, through

 the Resort town of Whistler and on to Pemberton and Lillooet.

Journeys began and ended in Horseshoe Bay long before

 the arrival of the first Europeans.

 

 For Native people, Horseshoe Bay was a traditional

 meeting place, used both as a seasonal fishing

 encampmentvand a place to spend a night when

 travelling between villages on the Squamish River

 and Burrard Inlet.

 The sheltered bay was called ch’xay or Chai-hai, after

the swishing sound made by schools of little fish stirring

up the waters of Horseshoe Bay.

 

 In 1991, it was discovered that Horseshoe Bay Park

 stands atop an ancient shell midden.

The pleasant waterfront of Horseshoe Bay offers

 quaint cafés, a wide variety of restaurants, shops and

 boutiques, with great views of the surrounding

 mountains, islands and scenic Howe Sound.

 

 Recreation in and around secluded Horseshoe Bay

 includes sea kayaking, scuba diving, boating, hiking,

skiing and cross-country skiing.

Location: The Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal is located

on Highway 99, on Howe Sound, 12.5 miles (20 km)

 northwest of Vancouver.

 North of Horseshoe Bay is the community of Lions Bay.

Situated at the head of Howe Sound and surrounded

 by mountains, Squamish is cradled in natural beauty

as only a West Coast community can be.

 

 Growing in fame as the Outdoor Recreation Capital

 of Canada, visitors will discover the abundance of

attractions, activities and opportunities to explore in the

 community of Squamish.

 

Before the white man came to the Squamish Valley,

 the area was inhabited by the Squohomish tribes.

 

 These Indians lived in North Vancouver and came

to the Squamish Valley to hunt and fish.

 

The first contact the Indians had with the white man

 was in 1792, when Captain George Vancouver came to

 Squamish to trade with the Indians near the residential

area of Brackendale.

 

During the 1850s gold miners came in search of gold and

an easier gold route to the Interior.

 

 Settlers began arriving in the area in 1889, with the

majority of them being farmers relocating to the

 Squamish Valley.

 

The first school was built in 1893 and the first hotel

 opened in 1902, on the old dock in Squamish.

 

Squamish means Mother of the Wind in Coast Salish, which

is testimony to the winds that rise from the north before

 noon and blow steadily until dusk, making Squamish

 a top wind surfing destination, and host to annual

PROAM sailboard races.

 

The Stawamus Chief, the second largest freestanding

 piece of granite in the world, has made Squamish one

of the top rock climbing destinations in North America

CHERYL YOUNG REALTOR,

SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY

VICTORIA B.C

www.cherylyoung.ca

Camping space is limited along the shores of Howe Sound.

Wherever you decide to overnight, be prepared to share

 it with sounds from the nearby highway and railway.

 

 So close do freight trains come to the sites in Porteau

 Cove Provincial Park that you might imagine they’re

 rolling right through your tent.

 Take heart in the thought that it’s a notch more

 attractive than having a bear charge through, which is

 not unheard of elsewhere in the woods of BC.

 

 During the summer months, BC Rail’s steam locomotive

 the Royal Hudson skirts the boundary of the park on

 its way to Squamish, and the Skylight Dinner Train

 travels up the coastline and makes its stop at Porteau Cove.

 

As you approach the park, the beach and jetty are

 what first catch the eye. Only in winter, once the leaves

are down, is it possible to see through the surrounding

 forest into the little cove itself.

 Porteau Cove Provincial Park provides an incredible

 setting, especially if the weather is in favour, the views

from the campground of the Sea to Sky Highway

 are spectacular.

 

As you turn into 50-hectare Porteau Cove Provincial

 Park, you pass information signs, directed at divers,

that detail the location of several marine vessels scuttled

 offshore specially for underwater exploration.

 

 Marine life is attracted to such wrecks, making a dive

 even more exciting.

 

 At Porteau Cove an artificial reef network has been

constructed from chains of tires, hollow concrete piles,

concrete blocks and steel H-beams.

 In 1985, the Nakaya (41m.), a former minesweeper,

was scuttled at the northern edge of the diving area.

 

Three additional shipwrecks were sunk near the reef

 network in 1992.

 

 The Granthall (28m.) was a steel-hulled CPR tugboat

 built in Montreal in 1928.

 

 In 1967 the superstructure was removed and the

Granthall became a herring packer.

 

The other wrecks are an 11m steel dredge tender,

 the Centennial III, and a 15m-ferrocement-sailboat hull.

 

Flat-calm, Howe Sound is an inviting place to paddle,

 but beware the outflow winds that build on summer days.

 

 The Sound is a channel for winds drawn out to the

 ocean from cooler inland regions.

 

 Kayakers will have an easier time of it than canoeists

 when the winds rise.

 It’s worth heading offshore to enjoy the views of the

 Howe Sound Crest and Britannia ranges that are not

revealed from land.

 

 The 1.2-mile (2-km) paddle north from Porteau Cove

 to Furry Creek is a pleasant workout.

 

 Watch for pictographs painted on the rock face on the

 north side of the small bay just past Furry Creek.

 

 (Keep an eye out for errant golf balls that may shank

 your way from the nearby golf course.)

 

 The boat launch at Porteau Cove Provincial Park is

 the only public one accessible from Hwy 99 between

 Horseshoe Bay and Squamish.

Porteau Cove Provincial Park provides 44 vehicle

camping spots and 16 walk-in sites.

 

 The park provides wonderful amenities such as showers,

flush toilets, and a sani-station.

 

 As this is the only provincial campground on the Sound,

 campsites are in constant demand from late May

 to early October.

 

The park is usually full, even on weekdays, with little

turnover of campsites in the morning.

 

 If you’re intent on staying here, arrive early in the afternoon.

 

A sign posted on Hwy 99 informs travellers when

 the park is full.

Although the vehicle/tent sites go quickly throughout

the summer and on Friday and Saturday nights at

 other times of the year, there is usually a good chance

 of getting one of the walk-in sites even if you arrive late,

except in the months from June to August.

 Open all year, fees are collected from March 1 to

 October 31 with full services.

 

 A winter fee begins November 1 to February 28 with

 limited services.

 

As soon as you enter the campground, bear right to

see if any of the oceanfront sites are vacant.

An amphitheatre is located between the drive-in and

 walk-in campsites.

 Interpretive displays are presented here on summer

 evenings, one of the most scenic locations in the park.

 

 Because there is so little level land, most sites are

relatively closely spaced compared to other provincial parks.

 

 Tucked in behind the walk-in sites is the cove itself.

A stone wall on the west side is one of the few remaining

 signs of a small settlement that once stood here.

 

 There’s a charming sense of formality where an open lawn

 is laid out beside the cove and a small bridge spans the

 narrow backwater.

 

A pebble beach slopes gently into Howe Sound in Porteau

 Cove Provincial Park

 

. On summer days when the tide is low and the sun high,

the warm rocks heat the incoming waters, making

 swimming here a pleasure.

 

For those who brave the ocean, there are hot showers

 nearby in the changing rooms.

 

 Exploring the rocky beach at Porteau Cove can be an

 exciting and rewarding experience.

 

 No fishing, shellfish harvesting or removal of other

marine life is permitted at the park.

 

If you are just visiting Porteau Cove Provincial Park

 for the day, park beside the jetty.

 

 This is a wonderful place to enjoy the spectacular

 views of Howe Sound while watching wet-suited divers

 enter or emerge from the cold waters of the Sound.

 

When “Porteau” (porte d’eau) is translated from French

 into English it means “Water’s Gate”.

This name dates from 1908 when John F. Deeks began

 mining the extensive sand and gravel deposits here to

supply Vancouver.

 

A small community of employees lived here until the

 beginning of the Depression, enjoying good housing,

 a schoolhouse, tennis courts, and daily ferry service

 from the Union Steamship Company.

Porteau Cove Provincial Park is located 24 miles (38 km)

 north of Vancouver and 12.5 miles (20 km) south of

Squamish on the Sea to Sky Highway 99.

 

 The park is open year-round and is usually full during

 good weather.

CHERYL YOUNG, REALTOR

SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY

VICTORIA B.C   www.cherylyoung.ca

The popularity of these islands with paddlers and boaters has soared over the past decade, much to the dismay of  longtime observers.

 

Barkley Sound lies south of Ucluelet and north of

 Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island,

 covering an area of approximately 800 square

 kilometres that includes hundreds of islands, none

 of which is larger than 2 kilometres across.

The sound was explored and named in 1787 by

Capt.Charles William Barkley of the Imperial Eagle

 a British Trading vessel sailing under Austrian

 colours .

 Barkley was accompanied by his 17-year-old bride,

 Frances, the first white woman to see British

Columbia.

The ease with which less-experienced sea kayakers

 can reach the Broken Group Islands on the MV

Frances  Barkley from Port Alberni and Ucluelet

contributes greatly to their allure and charm.

 

 The best paddling is from April to October, and if

you must visit during the peak season in July and

August be sure to reserve space for your kayak or

canoe on deck well in advance.

 

 Consider adventuring here in any month other than

July and August, particularly if you value solitude.

Kayakers usually begin their exploration at Gibraltar

 Island and make their way through the chain, stopping

at campsites on Gilbert, Clarke, Turret, Willis, and

 Hand Islands.

 

 All of these sites are easily reached within a day’s

 paddle (or less) of each other.

 

 Camping is also allowed on Gibraltar Island and

 Dodd Island.

Numerous kayak operators lead tours through the

 Broken Group Islands.

 

Camping was discontinued on Benson Island in

 May 2009 out of respect for its cultural significance.

 

 Archaeological research dates traditional use of

Benson Island for over 5,000 years.

Tseshaht First Nation’s oral traditions name this site

 as their origin place where the first Tseshaht man

 (Naasiya’atu) and woman (Naasayilhim) were

created.

 

It became the site of their principal village

 of Ts’ishaa.

 It is from this village that the Tseshaht derive their

 name, as Tseshaht literally means “people of

Ts’ishaa”.

 Visitors are encouraged to visit Benson Island

during the day and return to designated campsites

 for the night.

 

The MV Frances Barkley is based in Port Alberni,

 with routes that lead through the Broken Group

Islands in Barkley Sound to the fishing ports of

Bamfield and Ucluelet.

 

In the course of a day’s trip the sturdy wooden

packet freighter drops mail, groceries, supplies,

and the occasional passenger along the way at float

 homes  and the Sechart Whaling Station.

 

At times you’ll definitely feel the motion of the ocean

swells, but the better part of the journey through

Barkley Sound is not as exposed as that experienced

 when you travel on the MV Uchuck III to Nootka

Sound from Gold River.

 

The trip makes a pleasant outing in itself or can be a

 link for paddlers to the Broken Group Islands.

 

The west coast of Vancouver Island is exposed to the

 moisture-laden westerly winds blowing off the

warmer Pacific Ocean.

 

 The warm air masses are forced up by the island’s

mountain ranges, resulting in considerable

 precipitation falling on the Pacific Rim region

during the winter months of September to March,

while summers are relatively dry.

 

The abundant rainfall and mild temperatures

 account for the lush vegetation and the wonderful

rainforests found in the region.

Location: Barkley Sound is located south of Ucluelet

 and north of Bamfield on the west coast of

Vancouver Island.

 

 The sound is either accessed from these two

 communities or from Port Alberni by travelling down

Alberni Inlet.

 

The route of the MV Frances Barkley, based in

Port Alberni,  leads through the Broken Group Islands

 in Barkley Sound to the fishing ports of Bamfield

 and Ucluelet.

 

 CHERYL YOUNG, REALTOR

SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY

VICTORIA B.C www.cherylyoung.ca

  Bamfield, a tiny resort hamlet nestled quietly in a

 protected inlet on the south shore of Barkley Sound,

 is best known for its superb salmon fishing adventures.

 

 This tiny fishing and harbour village, heavily populated

 by marine biologists, is a quiet, unassuming village

 where the love of the land and sea prevails.

The Bamfield community, with a population of around

 200, is surrounded by Crown land, Indian Reserves,

 and portions of the Pacific Rim National Park,

ensuring protection of unspoiled marine environments

 from excessive development.

 

Being part of the Pacific Rim, Bamfield offers a challenge

 for the explorer, nature lover and experienced hiker.

Despite its size, Bamfield boasts a variety of well-equipped

 shops, restaurants, galleries, equipment rentals and

accommodation, and is an enchanting place to

 begin kayaking, canoeing or scuba diving.

Bamfield is divided into two sections, separated by

 about 200 yards of the Bamfield Inlet.

 

 The west side of Bamfield is linked by a waterfront

 boardwalk that connects all the homes and docks on

the harbour side.

 

The east side of Bamfield contains most of the businesses,

 including a pub, a market and café.

To cross between the two sides of town, you can call a water taxi.

The Nuu-chah-nulth people occupied large villages

 in the Broken Group and Deer Group Islands and

 at Execution Rock, Cape Beale and Grappler Inlet.

 Prior to contact with Europeans, the native population

 of Barkley Sound is estimated to have been between

 3000 and 5000.

 Village sites, middens, fish traps, culturally modified

trees, lookouts and fallen longhouses remain as part

of the rich cultural heritage.

 

Bamfield had its beginnings as an outpost for fur

trading and a fishing community in the late 1800s.

 Shortly thereafter the Pacific Cable Board chose

 Bamfield as the Eastern terminus for their trans-Pacific

 cable, sponsored by the Commonwealth governments

 who wanted a reliable and secure means of communication.

The Bamfield Cable station was constructed in 1902,

 with an underwater cable laid in October of the

 same year, spanning nearly 4,000 miles of the Pacific

 from Bamfield to Fanning Island, a tiny coral atoll

 in the mid-Pacific.

 From there the cable ran to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia.

 

In 1926, a second building was constructed (which now

 serves as the main laboratory for the marine station),

 and at the same time, a duplicate cable was laid

 to Suva, Fiji.

 In 1953, the two cables were extended up the Alberni

 Canal, and on June 20, 1959 after 57 years in operation,

 the Bamfield Cable Station was closed.

 

In 1965, the old wooden buildings and surrounding

 houses were demolished leaving only the concrete

 cable station (designated a historic site and monument

 in 1930), two cable storage tanks and adjacent building.

 

The West Coast Trail runs for 77 kilometres along the

 west side of Vancouver Island between the hamlets

 of Port Renfrew in the south and Bamfield in the north,

 and lies within the southern boundaries of Pacific Rim

National Park.

 

 The trail was originally created in 1907 to assist in the

 rescue of shipwrecked passengers and crews who ran

 aground in an extremely rugged area that has deservedly

 earned the reputation as one of the graveyards of the Pacific,

 with more than 60 ships lost over the past two centuries.

As harsh today as then, less-endangered people willingly

 subject themselves to this legendary trail’s test

 of endurance.

 Such a reputation adds a wild spice to adventuring here.

 

  Venture with care and you’ll come away with wonderful

 memories of your time spent by the shoreline, where

 many creatures live in splendid harmony with the

 ocean’s deep rhythms.Population: 200

Location: Bamfield is located in the heart of the Pacific

Rim National Park on the West Coast of Vancouver Island,

56 miles (89 km) from Port Alberni and 77 miles (123 km)

 from Lake Cowichan.

 Bamfield is reached from either of two directions, both

 of which require several hours drive on gravel logging roads.

 

 You can drive to Bamfield on black top as far as

 Port Alberni, and thereafter over 56 miles (89 km)

 of well-maintained gravel roads south of Port Alberni

 to Bamfield, or along a 77-mile (123-km) route west

of Lake Cowichan via Nitinat Lake.

The gravel logging road takes about two hours to travel,

and is mostly used by logging trucks during the week

 so caution is required.

 

Visitors can also fly by chartered floatplane from

several locations on Vancouver Island, including

Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Victoria and Vancouver

on the mainland.

 

The most scenic way to get to Bamfield is to travel 

 board the MV Frances Barkley in Port Alberni and sail

 down the Alberni Inlet to Bamfield.

 

 the Broken Group Islands

 in Barkley Sound to the fishing ports of Bamfield

and Ucluelet.

 In the course of a day’s trip the sturdy wooden packet

 freighter drops mail, groceries, supplies, and the

occasional passenger along the way at float homes

 and the Sechart Whaling Station.

View maps of the area:
Map of the Pacific Rim
Map of the Pacific Rim / West Coast Trail

 

Bamfield is home to one of the most exciting musical

concerts anywhere in the world.  

www.musicbythesea.ca

CHERYL YOUNG, REALTOR

SAANICH PENINSULA REALTY

SIDNEY  B.C  www.cherylyoung.ca  

This unit totals 10,607 hectares, of which only 1,350

 hectares is land.

 The larger of the forested islands are Effingham,

Turret, Turtle, Dudd, Jacques, Nettle and Gibraltar Island.

 The Broken Group is known internationally for

awesome kayaking  and wilderness camping enjoyed by

 organized adventurers seeking escape to the remote

 and desolate islands within the park.

 Natural features of this tranquil group of islands include

 lagoons, sandbars, blowholes, arches and secluded

anchorages.

 Ancient native middens, village fortifications, stone

 fishtraps and archaeological sites stimulate the

imagination of visitors  to this traditional territory

 of the Nuu-chah-nulth people.

    

 Canoe and kayak access to the Broken Group Islands from

 Bamfield  or Ucluelet is not recommended due to the

 exposed  passages.

 Boaters and ocean paddlers can access the Broken Group

 Islands via Toquart Bay in northwest Barkley Sound.

 The unsigned road turnoff is located about 12 km

 northeast  of the junction of Highway 4 and the Tofino-

Ucluelet Highway.

 

A BC recreation campsite is located at Toquart Bay on the

North side of Barkley Sound providing a boat launch for

access to the islands.

The popular Torquart Bay Recreation Campsite sees a

lot of traffic from kayakers heading over to the Broken Islands.

 

 There are about 15 oceanside open tent sites, as well as

 RV areas, a cement boat launch, and lovely south-facing

 sand beaches.

 There is a parking fee for those who wish to park at the

 site but not camp there.

 

 From Port Alberni follow the Tofino Highway 4 for

 about 50 miles (80 kms).

 

 Turn left at the sign for Torquart Bay on to the Maggie

 Lake Forest Service Road and follow it for 15.5 km.

 The MV Frances Barkley will transport paddlers, kayaks

 and canoes to Sechart, on the fringe of the

 Broken Group Islands.

 

The passenger and cargo vessel travels between

 Port Alberni, the Broken Group Islands, Ucluelet and

 Bamfield during the spring, summer and fall,

      The West Coast Trail Unit of the park includes the

 section of coast southeast of Barkley Sound between the

 villages of Bamfield and Port Renfrew.

 

 This 25,640 hectare strip contains the 75 kilometre

 historic West Coast Trail, originally constructed for the

 rescue of unfortunate mariners shipwrecked off the

 treacherous west coast of Vancouver Island.

   This internationally acclaimed hiking trail largely

 retraces an old telegraph route first established in 1890,

 and follows a rugged shoreline where approximately

66 ships have met their demise along this stretch of the

 ”Graveyard of the Pacific”.

 

 The old telegraph line once connected Victoria with

 Cape Beale near present day Bamfield.

 

Shipwreck survivors followed the rough and arduous trail

 in either direction, finding shelter in wooden cabins

 constructed at intervals along the route.

·         The land of the West Coast Trail unit is temperate

coastal rainforest dominated by old-growth spruce,

 hemlock and cedar.

 

 Some of the tallest and largest trees in Canada grow along

 the West Coast Trail and in the adjacent Carmanah

 Walbran Provincial Park.

 The topography of the region features natural wonders

 like the Hole-in-the-Wall, a natural sandstone arch carved

 by relentless wave action over time, the Tsusiat Falls

 at the mouth of the Tsusiat River, the Nitinat Lakes and

 Narrows and countless caves, creeks, coves, tidal pools

 and rocky headlands.

 

·         Recreation is decidedly of the wilderness variety!

 The merits of hiking the challenging West Coast Trail are

 known around the world.

 

Of equal stature in the paddling world is the Nitinat

Triangle Canoe Route, a gruelling battle against the

 wilderness, winds and extensive portages.

 Access to the West Coast Trail unit of the park is via

the trailheads at Bamfield and Port Renfrew.

 

    * The weather in the Pacific Rim area has a profound

 effect on any planned activities, as precipitation along

 the west coast of Vancouver Island is amongst the heaviest

 in the world.

 

 Match the season with your desired activity, and come

 prepared for rain, awe-inspiring winter storms and

 glorious sunshine!

 Visit the Park Information Centre for information

 on all Visitor Services.

THIS SITE IF BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF

CHERYL YOUNG, REALTOR

SAANICH PENINSULA RALTY

SIDNEY B.C

BE SURE TO VISIT MY WEBSITE AT

www.cherylyoung.ca