Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The archipelago extends almost 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) out to sea from
Sechart, the starting point for
kayakers.
The protected islands of
Hand, Gibraltar,
Dodo,
and
Willis
all hold campsites and are good destinations for novice paddlers.
Farther out, the varying sea conditions make a higher level of skill necessary. Pre-
dictably, a westerly wind blows up early each afternoon through summer, making
paddling more difficult.
The best way to reach the Broken Group Islands is aboard the
MV
Frances
Barkley
(250/723-8313 or 800/663-7192,
www.ladyrosemarine.com
)
from Port Al-
berni or Ucluelet. Based in Port Alberni, this sturdy vessel departs Alberni Harbour
Quay(8amMon.,Wed.,andFri.June-Sept.),droppingkayakersat
Sechart,
thesite
ofawhalingstationandnowhometo
Sechart Lodge
(bookinconjunctionwiththe
tour boat; $150 s, $235 d per day, including meals; no children under 14). Origin-
ally an office building for a local forestry company, the lodge was barged to the site
and converted to basic but comfortable guest rooms and a restaurant. The
Frances
Barkley
thencontinuestoUcluelet, departingthatvillageat2pmandmakinganoth-
erstopatSechartbeforereturningtoPortAlberni.InJulyandAugust,anadditional
Sunday sailing departs Port Alberni at 8am, stopping at Sechart and returning dir-
ectly to Port Alberni. The one-way fare between Port Alberni and Sechart is $35;
between Ucluelet and Sechart it's $26.
The company that operates the boat also rents kayaks ($45-60 per day), which
areleftatSechartsoyoudon'thavetopayatransportationcharge.Ifyoubringyour
ownkayak,thetransportationchargeis$20-25eachway.Thetripoutonthisboatis
worthwhile just for the scenery, with the Ucluelet sailing passing right through the
heart of the archipelago.
Many visitors who choose to stay in Ucluelet do so for the fishing, particularly for
Chinook salmon (Feb.-Sept.) and halibut (May-July). The fall runs of Chinook can yield
fishupto20kilograms(44pounds),andthetown'sbusycharterfleetoffersdeep-seafish-
ing excursions as well as whale-watching trips.
Accommodations and Camping
If you're looking at sharing inexpensive accommodations with an outdoorsy crowd, re-
$28, $49-129 s or d), contained within a restored home along the main road into town.
