VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 231

cor that includes lots of fish bone artwork. Local fish such as halibut and salmon are cooked
to order anyway you like (grilled, battered, etc.) and come with your choice of sides.
Information
On the rise above town to the east is Port Alberni Visitor Centre (2533 Redford St., 250/
724-6535 or 866/576-3662, www.albernichamber.ca , 8am-6pm daily in summer, 9am-5pm
Mon.-Fri. the rest of the year).
THE BROKEN GROUP ISLANDS
These 100 or so forested islands in the mouth of Barkley Sound, south of Ucluelet,
once held native villages and some of the first trading posts on the coast. Now they're
inhabited only by wildlife and visited primarily by campers paddling through the ar-
chipelago in canoes and kayaks. The islands offer few beaches, so paddlers come
ashore in the many sheltered bays.
Marine life abounds in the cool and clear waters: Seals, porpoises, and gray
whales are present year-round. Birdlife is also prolific: Bald eagles, blue herons, and
cormorants are permanent residents, and large numbers of loons and Canada geese
stop by on their spring and fall migration routes.
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. Predictably,
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 (8am Mon., Wed., and Fri. June-Sept.), dropping kayakers at Sechart, the site
of a whaling station and now home to Sechart Lodge (book in conjunction with the
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 then continues to Ucluelet, departing that village at 2pm and making another