Travel Info

Sechelt Inlet Marine Park: a Kayaking Paradise for the Novice and the Experienced Paddler.

Planning a kayak trip can be an intimidating experience for the novice kayaker. The appeal of a short expedition is often tempered by worries of rough open water, temperamental weather and unknown territory.

An ideal location for the novice to build confidence is the Sechelt Inlet Marine Recreation Area. It offers the opportunity to paddle in relatively protected waters without sacrificing the thrill of a little choppy water, or currents in the narrows. To cross from one side of the inlet to the other is at the widest point only about 1.5 kilometres. The scenery in the inlet is incredible; the juxtaposition of snow capped mountains, lush forest and craggy inland fjords, leading down to ocean waters, has one in constant awe of the rugged beauty of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast.

The reason why this is called a ‘marine recreation area’ is because the inlet is home to not just one, but eight marine parks. Most of the parks have rustic campgrounds, and sanitary facilities. No reservations are required, and it is first come, first serve for the campsites, so it is best to try and arrive earlier in the day to nab the best beachfront spots. The parks north of Tuwanek are inaccessible by road, so the sites are not overly busy, and are truly in the wilderness. All of the parks are signed, so they make for easy spotting from the water.

A brief overview of the eight parks:

Piper Point - a small park on the west side of the inlet and is at the edge of Carlson Creek.

Tuwanek - located on the east side of the inlet, it is an 18 acre site with a small clearing for camping. There is also a lovely little beach for swimming.

Nine Mile Point - a gravel beach marks this park which is approximately 2 miles north of Tuwanek also on the east side.

Halfway Beach - midway up the inlet on the west side, and north of Skiakos Point it has a big sandy beach during low tide and great swimming. This site has lots of camping spots and is one of the few sites that gets lots of morning light. The fire rings are set in the woods just in from the beach, so bring mosquito repellent as the cool evenings bring out the biters!

Kunechin Point - just offshore of this park is the Chaudiere, a destroyer which was sunk by the Artificial Reef Society, making it one of North America’s most popular dive sites. The park is 111 acres and includes the Kunechin Islets at the tip.

Tzoonie Narrows - at full tidal flow the current through this area can reachup to 3 knots. There are lots of camping spots, and water is available. The sites are on the east side of the inlet and the sun doesn’t hit until mid morning, so bring warm clothes, even in August.


Starting Your Trip

Launching Points:

1). Porpoise Bay - a public dock located in Sechelt to the left of the Lighthouse Pub.

2). Porpoise Bay Provincial Park - great launching point, lots of inexpensive pay parking.

3). Sandy Hook - located in a residential area about 8 minutes north of Sechelt, there is very limited parking.


Destinations and Paddling Times

These times include short breaks

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park → Nine Mile Point, 3 hours

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park→ Kunechin, 6 hours

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park→ Tzoonie Campsite, 8 hours


Weather

On hot sunny days there is a geothermic effect in the inlet, which results in strong northerly winds in the mid through late afternoon. This can work well to your advantage if you are heading out from Porpoise Bay towards any of the Marine Parks. However if you are on the return leg of your journey it can dramatically slow you down. Paddling against the wind can be a very demanding and frustrating experience, especially for the novice kayaker, so take its effects into consideration. Either leave your campsite very early in the morning so you can plan lots of breaks or if you have been camping at Tzoonie Narrows or Kunechin Point, break your return journey into 2 days. This way you can enjoy the campsites at Halfway or Nine Mile Point, and keep your paddling limited to the morning or early afternoons.

Though the Sunshine Coast gets 50% more sunny days than Vancouver Island, it does get more precipitation. Therefore, when it rains, it really rains! Make sure to pack accordingly. Bring a couple of tarps: one for under your tent and one for over your tent and make sure that it is large enough for ‘huddle room’ so that you can sit outside of your tent to put on your boots, etc. without getting drenched.


Clothing

Bring lightweight quick drying layers and a waterproof top and hat, as rainy mornings often give way to bright sunny afternoons.

The mornings and evenings can also be quite cool, so even if you are planning your trip for the height of summer bring warmer clothing and a warm hat. There are often fire bans in the summer so a cozy fleece top and wool socks (even if worn with your Teva sandals) are essentials.

If you need more information about kayaking this area or other parts of the Sunshine Coast, just ask us!

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