Boat Camping

[Chuck]

Hi Chuck: Generally I think you'd be best to start north and work your way down. For example Nootka peaks around the end of July into August whereas Barkley Sound is more an end of August fishery. You can access up to Kyuquot from Gold River. Fuel is available at Critter and Moutcha, Tahsis, Zeballos, Esperanza, and Fair Harbour. I'd be wary go past around Brooks, and have never done it. It would be interesting to hear from people that have done Nootka around Estevan Point as you could then duck into Hot Springs Cove and work inside to Tofino. Top down you'd also have the predominant NW'ly winds at your back. I'm looking and some of your Central Coast spots and hoping to visit a few this year!

Could definitely work the way down from the north. Good thought SW!

 

[Chuck]

Very cool adventure. Lot of guys on this forum will be following this thread - its a bucket list trip.

Running from Winter Harbour to Port Alberni would be best option as noted given weather and the usual SW swell. You don't want to run east to west into that. Getting stretches of decent weather/conditions really makes it hard to plan a trip and finish it if you have limited number of days.

Fuel will be a challenge, especially from Winter Harbour to Tofino stretch. There is no fuel in Kyuquot, but I think they may still have fuel in Fair Harbour https://fairharbourbc.com/ is a slight detour off your route - check in advance to make sure they are running. Next fuel stop is Tahsis. Bit of a long run from there to Tofino. Hopefully you have large reserve tanks or capacity.

Brooks down to Kyuquot is a particularly nasty bit of ocean, be very cautious not to press the weather. Also lots of hidden nuggets around Kyoquot to watch for. Once you are at top end of Nootka Island, you can turn and run on the inside to Tahsis and have mostly protected run through Nootka Sound. Similarly bad open stretch from south end of Nootka to Estavan Point. Once you are at Estavan you can run over to get into protected water behind Flores and home free to Tofino. I haven't run Nootka to Estavan, so can't really offer much for that section. Few of my buds run it every year moving boats up to Kyuquot and tell me its not a bad run, just to really watch the weather.

When I had the boat built stuffed in the largest fuel tank possible, 600 ltrs. and I usually carry 4-5 jerry cans JIC, saying that Chuck can run 10+ hours@28knots on the fuel tank. Might as well have it than need it and not have it! Your info will for sure be taken into account. Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

I've camped both ways in an open 16' Skookum Sealer. We only camped ashore 3 or 4 times. The main issues were
- anchoring the boat so its retrievable [we used a clothesline system but it tangled with kelp, etc]
- dragging camping gear up and down thru slippery intertidal
- finding enough level ground in inlet country
After that, we set up the boat so we could sleep under a tent fly, and secured a Coleman stove to the gunwale. We did well over 200 nights in 10 years - all over the coast - northern Gulf Islands, Renfrew, Bamfield, Clayoquot, Kyuquot, Queen Charlotte Strait and the Broughtons, and 3 trips into Bella Bella and the Central Coast. We chose tiny anchorages and never dragged anchor. Managed to catch a couple of fish, too

Wouldn't waste the time and energy camping on shore always stay on the boat and try and find tight anchorages in the right conditions.

 

[Rain City]

On the hook would be camping on the boat. Have been doing it for many years now and for obvious reasons important to find nice tight hideaways for the night.

WellI screwed it up once and tied to someone elses moorning ball in a sheltered cove. Well the wind changed overnight and I ended up against a cliff face at 4AM in the pitch black, pissing rain and 3 foot swells while I was still tied to the damn thing. I don't ever want that adventure again! Lol

 

[Chuck]

At Nootka right by the Lighthouse just East a mile or so is a great amazing protected moorage (Anchorage). It shows on the chart as Gurtrdis Cove but I think it goes by another name as well. It’s tight getting in but I’ve seen large boats in there. It’s nice and close to the Lighthouse, Maquinna, Wash Rock etc for quick fishing access. You can moor at Friendly Cove on the hook as well but it is slightly exposed from the South. Fuel would be 25 minutes away at Critter Cove, East.


View attachment 101564View attachment 101565

Yes I've seen some larger boats on anchor in Getrudis it is a smaller anchorage but my boat is not large so I'd anchor there in the right conditions.

 

[Eden Island]

Yes I've seen some larger boats on anchor in Getrudis it is a smaller anchorage but my boat is not large so I'd anchor there in the right conditions.

You probably know all about the anchorage in behind Critter Cover

 

[Chuck]

For sure anchor and rode
I believe that’s part of have a plan and charts

And the hook properly set!

 

[Chuck]

You probably know all about the anchorage in behind Critter Cover

View attachment 101708

I've been into CC but didn't realize there is anchorage there! On Navionics now dropping pins at any anchorages.

 

[VWT3]

Past several seasons have fished Campania, Rennison, Aristazabal, Price, Milbanke, Shearwater, Hakai and at times run further south to Rivers all while boat camping. A great trip, great fishing for the most part and incredible spots on the hook for the many nights camping on the water.
This season or next thinking up a plan to fish WCVI. Launch in Alberni or Gold River run up and hit Barkley working north fishing Tofino, Nootka, Esperenza, Kyuquot, Winter Harbour and possibly up to Cape Scott. Fully understanding running and fishing the outside could be much more nasty than running the Central Coast but could be a great trip but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it!

Any recommendations for fuel stops and where to hide while on the hook overnight in these areas?

Thanks,

Hi we’re heading to Hartley bay from Kitimat in beginning of Aug. wondering if the trip down to south end of Campania is worth the fuel for springs? I presume 40km or so?
Cheers

 

[Chuck]

Hi we’re heading to Hartley bay from Kitimat in beginning of Aug. wondering if the trip down to south end of Campania is worth the fuel for springs? I presume 40km or so?
Cheers

June through Aug I always like to fish outside but we're camping on the boat so minimal running once out there. Campania, Trutch, Aristazibal. When I'm out there I'm not worrying about fuel. Couple hundred bucks either way isn't going to break me.

 

[VWT3]

June through Aug I always like to fish outside but we're camping on the boat so minimal running once out there. Campania, Trutch, Aristazibal. When I'm out there I'm not worrying about fuel. Couple hundred bucks either way isn't going to break me.

Yes we stay on the boat as well. I was just curious where the best places are normally. A couple hundred in gas is the least of my problems. To many spots to try with too little time is normally the case. I watched Big Coast and they were fishing Campania, that’s why I was wondering about it. Cheers

 

[Damn Ugly]

This is a nice protected anchorage near the fishing grounds at Nootka. Bring snorkle gear and check out the nearby tidal lagoon. 49.649511, -126.515911

 

[Alan Wilson]

Winter Harbour has fuel and a great anchorage.