Recommendations for southwest coast of Vancouver Island

[southofvictor]

Chris and I are planning to head out to the southwest coast of Vancouver Island after the rendezvous at Deer Harbor. If the weather cooperates we’d like to make it as far north as Hot Springs Cove and then double back. Having never been there, I thought I’d check with the forum in search of some knowledge beyond the guidebooks. Does anyone have recommendations on what not to miss, what to avoid, or other wisdom to share? Thanks in advance!

 

[DeanT]

Take a look at the cruising guides available from SalishSeaPilot.com. Very detailed info on Vancouver Island, Desolation Sound, Gulf islands and easy to use, even without a phone or internet signal. I downloaded all 7 guides on a fire tablet, including Vancouver Island for $60. Around 1,000 pages with deep local knowledge, advice on hazardous crossings, maps of every harbor, etc, etc.

Wish I could meet you at the rendezvous but I had to cancel. My E36C gearbox is stuck in reverse!

Please let me know how your trip to Vancouver island goes. I plan to do that trip this summer, and circumnavigate next year.
Cheers,
~Dean (still in Portland)

 

[southofvictor]

Thanks Dean I’ll check them out! Sorry about the mechanical trouble, wish you were here.

 

[southofvictor]

Dean we are having a great trip so far, more to follow in a blog post. For now I wanted to give you a heads up that the the Ucluelet customs office is still closed (has been since COVID) and there’s no way to check in on the west coast. Nearest spot is Victoria. We checked in at Sidney since we were already in the San Juans for the rendezvous.