====== Vancouver Island, BC Surfski ====== [contributing more about this locale - [[:easy_edit|how to send info]]] Photo: tourism tofino instagram - Click to enlarge {{:locales:van_island2.jpg?direct&400|van_island2.jpg}} **Beach Near Tofino** ---- [[:canada|Main Canada Surfski Page]] [[:british_columbia|British Columbia Page]] ---- **Victoria** at the **southeast tip of Vancouver Island** is by far the largest concentration of people on the island. The **east side facing the Strait of Georgia** and mainland Canada is much **more developed** than the rugged west coast. The **west coast** has **intermittent access via roads** and has long stretches of shoreline with no roads nearby, while the island's east side has highways (1 and 19A) that generally stay close to the coast from Victoria up to Campbell River 260+ km to the northwest. ---- ===== Downwind ===== ==== West Coast ==== * [[:west_of_victoria_bc|Victoria and Nearby West]] (laps in town and downwinders along the coast on the prevailing westerlies) * [[:port_renfrew|Port San Juan/Port Renfrew]] * … ==== East Coast ==== * [[:stories:baynes_sound_royston_3_2017|Baynes Sound to Royston 3/02/2017]] ~10 km * **Goose Spit (Comox) **- out and back laps when the wind and waves are working onshore can be good, particularly in the summer when the water is warmer. * **Lantzville ** [[https://youtu.be/QCgfurKzjfA?t=7|April 2023 video]] * **Lantzville to Departure Bay, Nanaimo ** ~15 km [[https://www.facebook.com/100015143231780/videos/941729486923585/|video (facebook)]] * [[:stories:vancouver_isle_big_water_11_09_2018|Powell River Ferry (Little River/Comox) to Pacific Playgrounds 11/09/2018]] 22 km [[https://youtu.be/8v9esIp6e5c|video]], [[https://www.downwind.fun/courses/little-river-to-pacific-playgrounds-downwind|Downwindfun]] * … ---- ===== Conditions ===== * **Be prepared for COLD WATER **- usually sub 50 deg. F / 10 deg C year round * [[:cold_water_paddling|Cold Water Safety]] * [[:victoria_bc_clothing|Victoria Area Paddler's Recommended On Water Clothing]] * [[https://windisgood.com/latest.html|BigWaveDave]] wind, waves, etc. * … ---- ===== Surf ===== * [[https://www.surf-forecast.com/regions/Vancouver-Island?hr=6|Forecast Map]] * ... ==== West Coast ==== * **Bamfield ** [[https://youtu.be/5USwRmBgvrE|surfski video]] * **Jordan River ** [[https://youtu.be/CiZUsdq-xA8| seakayak video]], [[https://www.facebook.com/reel/26002213699366137|seakayak video (facebook)]] * [[https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Jordan-River/forecasts/latest/six_day|surf forecast]] * **Tofino ** [[https://youtu.be/cDZkBTzWl7s|sea kayak video]] * [[https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Tofino/forecasts/latest/six_day|surf forecast]] * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8_x-Pp4MGk|Mackenzie Beach webcam]] * **Long Beach ** [[https://youtu.be/Li89sOmV0Lc|surfski video]] * [[:port_renfrew|]] - combination of long rides on waves funneling into this bay plus an opportunity to practice in the surf when the size is appropriate for your experience/safety level/equipment (plastic surfski?) - Surf can get pretty large here. * [[https://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/Port-Renfrew/forecasts/latest/six_day|surf forecast]] * **Ucluelet** * [[https://youtu.be/3RimRbnkclk?t=53|small wave surf practice]] * [[http://www.ukeelivecams.com/|Ucluelet Webcam]] * … ---- ===== Video ===== * [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v9esIp6e5c&list=PLFADvIYspNJHvkB-zHE5MzciTsI_JETLD|Youtube video playlist]] Vancouver Island Downwinds and Tidal Races * … {{youtube>BstZe3-J2do?large}} **Welcome to Vancouver Island Surfskiing** ---- ===== Tidal Races ===== **[[:tidalrace:tidal_races#safety_-_learning_tidal_races|About Safety]]** * [[:west_of_victoria_bc#tidal_races|Victoria Area Tide Races]] ---- ===== Tidal Bores ===== * **Nitinat Narrows** at the narrow outlet of Nitinat Lake * [[https://www.windguru.cz/3609|WindGuru at Nitinat Lake]] * … ---- ===== Tides and Weather ===== * [[https://windisgood.com/|Big Wave Dave]] (will probably ask you to turn off ad blocking unless you have donated and login?) * [[https://windisgood.com/model-2.html|Wind Predictions]] Dallas Road (South Victoria), Gordon's Beach near Sooke * [[https://nvs.nanoos.org/Explorer?snapshot=6d298656ba2a1ae6f7f4a678e1a25|NVS Data Explorer]] (address opens to PNW) * [[https://www.windguru.cz/208839|WindGuru Victoria]] * **Seasonal Averages** * [[https://www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/comox_airport|Comox]] * … ---- ===== Webcams ===== * [[https://namroc.com/live/|Harling Point, Victoria]] looking south at Strait of Juan de Fuca * [[https://windisgood.com/webcam-map.html|BigWindDave's Webcam Map of the Island]] * … ---- ===== Races ===== * Tuesday Night Small Boat Races [[http://www.cvcanoeracing.ca/races.html|Comox - Goosespit]] * [[https://mindovermountain.com/momar/races/mind-over-mountain-adventure-race/|Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race]] Cumberland, BC * [[https://www.snowtosurf.com/|Snow to Surf Race]] multi-leg relay Comox Valley * [[:races:races_canada|Canadian Race Websites]] * [[:races:race_results#pacific_northwest_canada_us|Canadian Race Results]] * … ---- ===== Coaches/Lessons ===== * ​[[http://vipaddling.com/|VI Paddling]] Primarily Dragon Boat oriented, but some OCs and Surfskis sometimes * Check Clubs and Groups below - you may be able to connect with someone who can give you lessons and advice * … ---- ===== Clubs and Groups ===== * [[https://www.canadianoutrigger.com/|Canadian Outrigger Racing Association.]] Membership required to race in local small boat events * [[http://www.cvcanoeracing.ca/|Comox Valley Canoe Racing Club]] * [[https://comoxvalleypaddlers.ca/|Comox Valley Paddlers]] * [[https://fgpaddle.com/|Fairway Gorge Paddling Club]] Victoria, BC. Outrigger, Dragon Boat * [[https://www.latitude48paddling.ca/|Latitude 48 Paddling Club]] Victoria, BC. Outrigger Canoe * [[http://www.nckc.ca/|Nanaimo Canoe and Kayak Club]] * [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/vipaddlesports/|Vancouver Island Paddle Sports Facebook]] * [[https://ctessmann.wixsite.com/visurfski/|Vancouver Island Surfski]] * [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/vipaddlesports/|Facebook]] * [[http://www.vckc.ca/|Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club]] ​ * … ---- ===== Rentals ===== [[:rental|General Rental Advice]] * [[:west_of_victoria_bc#rental|Victoria Surfski Rentals]] 2023 Added * Next closest maybe in [[:vancouver#rentals|Vancouver, BC]] * … ---- ===== Dealers/Equipment ===== * [[https://www.bestcoastoutfitters.com/|BestCoast Outfitters]] Paddling gear * [[https://hanahoupaddlesports.com/|Hana Hou Paddlesports]] Kai Wa'a Surfskis, Outrigger Zone OCs * [[https://www.surfsidepaddlesports.ca/|Surfside Paddlesports]] Courtenay, BC Stellar Surfskis * [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/1046056655503148/user/100083118741378/|Facebook Page]] * [[https://oceanriver.com/|Ocean River Sports]] Victoria Sea Kayak, Surfski Rentals, Tours - Source of local paddling information * [[https://stormcanada.ca/|Storm Surf Shop]] Tofino - Wetsuits * … ---- ===== Repair ===== * **Dan Hund ** [[https://www.facebook.com/groups/1046056655503148/user/1444306329/|facebook]] Chemainus, BC as of 2022 (but longtime boat fixer in the PNW) ("Taking in Outrigger and Surfski repair work on a part time basis, evening drop off and pick up. If you’d like a quick repair on a old ski or canoe I’d rather not do that work, but if you want your newer canoe or surfski back to original condition as best possible.") * Vancouver Island has many boat repair companies (examples [[https://extremefiberglass.ca/|Extreme Fiberglass]], [[http://www.bodyshopforboats.ca/|Pacific Oceaneering & Design]]) who can probably perform simple patch jobs very well (if your job isn't too small for them), but you might want to go with a dedicated small boat shop for major structural repairs? Or one of these locals may be completely capable of major structural repairs on carbon with good paint matching etc. Do your own due diligent research and please let us know if you find someone good. * [[:vancouver#repair|Vancouver Surfski Repair Services]] * … ---- ===== Transportation ===== You have to use ferries for car travel to and from Vancouver Island. [[https://www.bcferries.com/|BC Ferries Website]] As far as getting a reservation for your preferred ferry - keep checking the BC Ferries reservation page as people often cancel their reservation and BCF adds more reservations 3-5 days before a sailing (so keep checking!). **Getting to Victoria** * Guide to Ferries from [[https://sandinmysuitcase.com/ferry-from-vancouver-to-victoria-bc/|Vancouver to Victoria]]. **Getting to Nanaimo ** (these pages have links to the return schedules) * [[https://www.bcferries.com/routes-fares/schedules/daily/HSB-NAN|Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo (Departure Bay)]] * [[https://www.bcferries.com/routes-fares/schedules/daily/TSA-DUK|Tsawwassen to Nanaimo (Duke Point)]] * … ---- ===== Resources ===== * [[https://bluedogkayaking.com/|Blue Dog Kayaking]] (Sea Kayaks, but ask them about surfing spots?) * [[https://www.amazon.com/Kayaking-Vancouver-Island-Great-Victoria/dp/1550173189/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=kayaking+vancouver+island&qid=1621710396&sr=8-2|Kayaking Vancouver Island: Great Trips from Port Hardy to Victoria]] Backlund, Grey * [[https://www.starpath.com/catalog/books/1806.htm|San Juan Islands, S. Strait of Georgia, and E. Juan de Fuca Strait Water Current Atlas]] * [[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2492643.Sea_Kayak_Around_Vancouver_Island|Sea Kayak Around Vancouver Island]] Doug Alderson * [[https://www.paddlingtheblue.com/jon-dawkins-searching-for-kayak-bill-and-exploring-the-outer-coast-of-british-columbia/|Sea Kayaking BC's Outer Coast]] Interview with John Dawkins * [[:races:bellingham_area_self_timed_races#vancouver_island_circumnavigation|Small Boat Circumnavigation Recent History]] * [[https://tourismtofino.com/plan-your-trip/business-directory/ʔapsciik-t̓asii-pathway-ups-cheek-ta-shee/|Ucluelet - Tofino Bike Surf Trail]] * [[https://www.ubviews.ca/|Union Bay Views]] Vacation Rental Home owned by surfskier (Close to Comox, Baynes Sound paddle runs) * [[https://www.amazon.com/Year-Wild-Side-Naturalists-Almanac/dp/1771512679|A Year on the Wild Side]] Briony Penn * [[https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1552858421/gonorthapacifnor|The Wild Coast 3: A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreation Guide for BC's South Coast and East Vancouver Island]] * … ---- ===== Wildlife ===== * **Orcas ** [[https://www.facebook.com/reel/875634184075202/?s=single_unit&__cft__[0]=AZWC2AuXQakGJMKWE19gEoMB8yK0IeqjdW-wDCMwCsbfK09vNbxO2tGCXTJnqOyfmpp9wVfq4wukp_PVJznuPbasypn5yWYbn0meO6WG0BBBC18nA3hT2czVlSuZHuqDBkZfXcrRJIFah84h6hxERzgZTCUn7RPP7QI97gls-M2flmj4hdm_9XauVzCRhT4ASQpwpwu5i-ESJRuGT5ZQ-SBj&__tn__=H-R|facebook video]] Sept 3, 2023 * … ---- {{:locales:canada:wildlife:vancouver_isle_orca.jpg?direct&600x406|vancouver_isle_orca.jpg}} Photo [[https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10229733077846710|Paddle Sport BC]] (facebook), Originally ? Prince of Wales Adventure Tours near Nanaimo ----