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

Surf

• Bamfield surfski video
• Jordan River seakayak video
  • surf forecast
• Tofino sea kayak video
  • surf forecast
  • Mackenzie Beach webcam
  • Long Beach surfski video
• Port San Juan / 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.
  • surf forecast
• Ucluelet
  • small wave surf practice
  • Ucluelet Webcam
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Video

• Youtube video playlist Vancouver Island Downwinds and Tidal Races
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Tidal Races

Tidal Bores

• Nitinat Narrows at the narrow outlet of Nitinat Lake
  • WindGuru at Nitinat Lake
  • …

Tides and Weather

• Big Wave Dave (will probably ask you to turn off ad blocking unless you have donated and login?)
  • Wind Predictions Dallas Road (South Victoria), Gordon's Beach near Sooke
• NVS Data Explorer (address opens to PNW)
• WindGuru Victoria
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Webcams

• Harling Point, Victoria looking south at Strait of Juan de Fuca
• BigWindDave's Webcam Map of the Island
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Races

• Tuesday Night Small Boat Races Comox - Goosespit
• Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race Cumberland, BC
• Snow to Surf Race multi-leg relay Comox Valley
• Canadian Race Websites
• Canadian Race Results
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Coaches/Lessons

• ​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

• Canadian Outrigger Racing Association. Membership required to race in local small boat events
• Comox Valley Canoe Racing Club
• Comox Valley Paddlers
• Fairway Gorge Paddling Club Victoria, BC. Outrigger, Dragon Boat
• Latitude 48 Paddling Club Victoria, BC. Outrigger Canoe
• Nanaimo Canoe and Kayak Club
• Vancouver Island Paddle Sports Facebook
• Vancouver Island Surfski
  • Facebook
• Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club ​
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Rentals

General Rental Advice

• Victoria Surfski Rentals 2023 Added
• Next closest maybe in Vancouver, BC
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Dealers/Equipment

• BestCoast Outfitters Paddling gear
• Hana Hou Paddlesports Kai Wa'a Surfskis, Outrigger Zone OCs
• Surfside Paddlesports Courtenay, BC Stellar Surfskis
  • Facebook Page
• Ocean River Sports Victoria Sea Kayak, Surfski Rentals, Tours - Source of local paddling information
• Storm Surf Shop Tofino - Wetsuits
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Repair

• Dan Hund 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 Extreme Fiberglass, 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 Surfski Repair Services
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Transportation

Resources

• Blue Dog Kayaking (Sea Kayaks, but ask them about surfing spots?)
• Kayaking Vancouver Island: Great Trips from Port Hardy to Victoria Backlund, Grey
• San Juan Islands, S. Strait of Georgia, and E. Juan de Fuca Strait Water Current Atlas
• Sea Kayak Around Vancouver Island Doug Alderson
• Sea Kayaking BC's Outer Coast Interview with John Dawkins
• Small Boat Circumnavigation Recent History
• Ucluelet - Tofino Bike Surf Trail
• A Year on the Wild Side Briony Penn
• The Wild Coast 3: A Kayaking, Hiking and Recreation Guide for BC's South Coast and East Vancouver Island
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