Kayaking in the Broughton Archipelago: August 8 2017: Azure Splashes

Despite our best efforts, striking camp still took 2 hours and it was 7:30 before we were on the water. It was a rough launch! We loaded the kayaks as close to the water as possible, but the tide was still falling, which meant lifting the loaded boats into the water over large boulders - a comedy of errors culminating in "Just chuck it in there, Jonny!" and some lost gelcoat. Conditions were foggy and mild, with just a bit of headwind all the way to the Burdwoods, which came on quicker than we expected. Porpoises (dolphins?) were plentiful as we exited Tribune Channel into some interesting currents, which we had fun riding.

We stopped for lunch around 11:00 on a little clamshell tombolo near Watson Islet and met our first fellow kayakers, a group of Europeans in tandems.

Lunch on the remains of lunches past

Looking north from Watson Islet

Rode the currents through the Burdwoods, a pretty island group flanked by higher mountians, very scenic and charming. We checked out both the main site - great swimming beach, and a very developed site with a little cabin and everything! - and the "islet hideaway" site, before proceeding up Penphrase passage, hoping for good conditions as the sun began to peek out through the cloud. The water was not rough, but the wind did keep us constantly correcting course as we transited Raleigh Passage.

Looking west across Raleigh Passage

Once across, reasonably calm conditions miraculously persisted and we kept our fingers crossed that the passage behind Trivett Island was open; we didn't have a lot of faith in the charts since being stymied at Care Island the other day.

Looking south back towards the Burdwoods from a stretch stop south of Trivett Island

Lots of yachts in the anchorage behind Trivett, and - wonder of wonders - the passage between Trivett and Broughton Islands was just navigable by kayak at high tide. I wouldn't put money on it at any other time.

The "channel" between Trivett and Broughton Islands

As we trudged up Penphrase Passage the fog and cloud cleared at last to reveal stunning vistas and give us a bit of vitamin D.

Protest boat. We encountered this guy a few times.

Turning the corner into Sutlej Channel, with Kingcome Inlet on our right, the water changed to the magical aquamarine so characteristic of glacier-fed waters (such as Toba Inlet or Lake Louise). We had put on a lot of miles today and were eager to eat and rest if we could find a suitable spot. We had Cypress Harbour in our back pockets, but the description of it being buggy, gloomy and damp didn't make it the #1 destination on our list.

We decided to check out a likely islet cluster just past Woods Point. No dice! The forested bit was really forested, and the exposed bit was really exposed. The back side of the islets was choked with logs - where's Bruno Gerussi when you need him? Too bad, as aside from the fact there's no place to put a tent it'd be perfect: beautiful views in all directions.

We backtracked into Cypress Harbour, past the fish farm and the log dump, and found a nice rock ledge site facing the Provincial Recreation Site. Lat: N 50°49'48" Lon: W 126°40'05.9" Reasonably level and covered in greenery, with some nice ripe salal berries to spice up tomorrow's porridge. We did have to make a few trips with the trowel to eject a massive pile of bear scat into the water so we could put the tent up - azure splashes making trails on the way to the bottom like a lava lamp.

I'll set up the tent when I'm good and ready. And when that bear scat is dealt with.

Tent site on rock ledge

Old Man's Beard will soak up bear-scat salal juice if you need it to.

A big day, well over 40km travelled. We could hardly put enough food in us. We even ate dessert, a backpacker mudpie pudding thing. Under any other conditions it would have been inedible but tonight we were grateful for every calorie.