The Roar Islets campsite is the epitome of west coast kayak camping! Beautiful gravel beaches, rockweed covered rocky shoreline, and views in all directions. We would set up in camp on one of the Roar Islets, just off the southern tip of Cecelia Island. We continued across Mathieson Channel towards the northern tip of Cecelia Island and turned south down Reid Passage, eventually spilling out into Blair Inlet. Fortunately for us, our passage was uneventful. There is also the potential of swell, so care must be taken when passing through here. We would have to pass through Percival Narrows, which is just 160 meters (523 ft) wide and currents there can run up to 5 knots. Our route would take us down Moss Passage into the southern end of Mathieson Channel. We stopped on a beach on Dowager Island to take a break and to clean a Red Rock fish the Dugald caught on the way in. The response of the customer service rep was, and I quote, “The GPS is waterproof, but the battery compartment isn’t.” WTF! Doesn’t that kind of make the whole GPS not really waterproof? Any way, from then on my GPS is always in a waterproof case and has continued to work fine for many trips.Ĭrossing Milbanke Sound on a perfect day! I called Garmin to see what they had to say when I told them my waterproof GPS seems to leak. After my first trip with this unit, not using a case, I noticed that there was some corrosion in the battery compartment. My Garmin 76S handheld marine GPS is rated as waterproof and will float if dropped in water. Even though manufacturers may rate them as waterproof, long term exposure to saltwater will take its effect. Tip:Always carry your GPS, and other electronics, in a waterproof case. ![]() ![]() You definitely need good charts and compass in these conditions! We also carry a GPS equipped with marine charts, which is great for monitoring paddling speed and confirming exactly where we are, but a GPS should never be your only source of navigation equipment. You miss out on the surrounding scenery, but it is still beautiful in a different kind of way. Paddling in the fog is always interesting and a bit surreal. We left camp and headed up the west coast of Hastings Island in thick fog. The following day we set out with empty kayaks for a little exploration of Laredo Sound. Kayaks on the beach at Milne Island – note the cleared passage through the rocks on the beach Laredo Sound This spectacular Kitasoo/Xai’xais bighouse is an important place of cultural learning and revitalization and is used for potlatches, feasts, gatherings, and tourism. While we wait, we get to watch a Pacific Coastal Airlines ‘Grumman Goose’ land in front of the ‘Bighouse’. Our arrival in Klemtu is delayed for about 30 minutes while the crew tries to get the loading ramp unstuck. Check out our post which has some pictures here: KAYAKING FIORDLAND IN THE GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST Klemtu We made the challenging launch from here on our Fiordland paddle in 2019. The carry from the unloading area down a steep embankment to the shore is difficult, and the shoreline is comprised of large, sharp blasted rock used in the construction of the terminal. ![]() So now, you will now only be able to glimpse the village as you sail by and sadly, the kayak launch at the new terminal is sub-optimal. ![]() More recently, BC Ferries has built an upgraded ferry terminal a couple of kilometres north of the village to handle the much larger ‘Northern Expedition’. The ‘Queen of Chiliwack’ used to dock at a terminal right at the village of Klemtu, on Trout Bay, and there was a convenient ramp right by the dock to launch kayaks. Today the much larger and much better appointed, ‘Northern Expedition’ makes the Port Hardy to Prince Rupert run up the Inside Passage with stops at Bella Bella and Klemtu. BC Ferries Queen of Chilliwack in Port HardyĪt the time of our trip in 2010 we caught the ‘Queen of Chilliwack’, an older and relatively small ferry.
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