North Island Kayak is located right next to the boat ramp in Telegraph Cove on the East coast of Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia (BC), Canada. Travel to our location will typically require some advance planning; the resources on this page cover some of the methods one may use to get here. Once you have found your way to Telegraph Cove, we are very easy to find; just look for the kayaks lined up ready to go.

Unfortunately there is no public transport that will get you all the way to Telegraph Cove. The closest public transport destination is Port McNeil located a 30 minute taxi ride away.

Should you have any questions or require any form of travel advice, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Our GPS co-ordinates are N50°32’49” W126°49’56”

Our Street Address is 1660 Telegraph Cove Road, Telegraph Cove, BC V0N3J0.

How to get to Telegraph Cove by car from Vancouver

Take ferry from Horseshoe Bay (West Vancouver) to Departure Bay (Nanaimo) see BC Ferries for rates and schedules. Crossing takes approximately 1 ½ to 2 hrs. An alternate crossing is available from Tsawwassen (South Vancouver) to Duke Point (South Nanaimo). This crossing is somewhat better for you if you are coming from the US border or Vancouver International Airport.
Once you get to Nanaimo get on the 19 North. It will be marked for Parksville, Campbell River or Port Hardy. Follow highway 19 all the way north to the Telegraph Cove turn off, approximately 4 hrs away. Look for the signs on the highway for the turn off and turn right, follow the road for 16km into Telegraph Cove. Stay on asphalt. If you find yourself on gravel or dirt, you have taken a wrong turn. Backtrack to the paved road and continue.

How to get to Telegraph Cove by car from Victoria

Take Trans Canada Hwy to the 19. Follow 19 north to Telegraph Cove turn off approx 6 hrs away. Turn right and follow road for 16km to the cove.

How to get to Telegraph Cove by car from Campbell River

Follow 19 north until Telegraph Cove turn off approx 3 hrs away. Turn right and follow road for 16km until you reach Telegraph Cove.

How to get to Telegraph Cove by car from Washington State

Take ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, see www.cohoferry.com for rates and schedules. Crossing takes approx 1 1/2hrs

How to get to Telegraph Cove by Public Transport

The Greyhound Bus www.greyhound.com pulls into our closest stop, Port McNeill, daily from most major towns on Southern Vancouver Island. Port McNeill is 30km north or 1/2hour drive away from TC. Take 19 south and turn left at Telegraph Cove turn off. Follow road for 16km into the cove. There is no public transportation to Telegraph Cove from Port McNeil, however taxis are available. The Taxi ride should cost approx $40.00 CDN one way.

How to get to Telegraph Cove by air

Pacific Coastal Airlines flies into Port Hardy from Vancouver and Calgary. See www.greyhound.com. Port Hardy is a 45 minute drive to Telegraph Cove. Taxi will cost you approx $100.00 CDN

Gods Pocket Marine Park in Queen Charlotte Strait lies between the east coast of Vancouver Island and the mainland. Shaped by hurricane force winter storms, this archipelago of islands sprawls across the strait and offers its wild, rugged shorelines to kayakers. The area was named accidentally by an immigrant in days of old, He spoke of the beauty of the area to a companion “if this is God’s country, then we must be in God’s Back Pocket”

Just above the 51st parallel, cold, nutrient-rich water is drawn inland from the open ocean and flows through an expanse of water called Queen Charlotte Strait. Four times a day the tidal flow picks up speed as it is split and diverted through Richard’s Channel, Ripple Passage, Gordon Channel and Goletas Channel that separate the islands groups. With this movement of water is an astounding volume of nutrients that sustains a diverse and concentrated inter-tidal and invertebrate community.

The marine life so immense and prolific that underwater life grows in mounds—fish atop shells containing crabs sitting next to barnacles combing the water for food. Huge anemones, urchins and an incredible array of starfish are everywhere. Gigantic white plumose and brooding anemones sprout up from the seafloor, and a broad selection of the 300 different species of sea stars are available here. No doubt about it, the water is cold, but with the cooler temperatures, the visibility can range from 40 to 120 feet, depending on currents and seasons and can allow those on the surface a glimpse at the astounding world below. The area is used as a major commuter route for huge schools of Pacific Whiteside dolphins and the largest resident Orca (killer whale) population in North America.

With its unique oceanographic and ecological processes, the overall significance of Queen Charlotte Strait as a representative marine area in B.C. is astounding. The area contains 2 designated protected areas including God’s Pocket Provincial Marine Park and the Duke of Edinburgh Ecological Reserve, which supports internationally and/or nationally significant populations of seabirds and marine mammals, as well as a Sasquatch-like creature that is said to live on the islands. This entire group of islands is considered to be haunted by spirits, and is truly an enchanting place to visit.

Rich in native cultural and coastal history, the islands have many archeological sites where villages once stood or legends took place. Kanekelak, champion of the ‘Transformer’ myth, appears in many of the stories about this area. His powers were incredible but so was his wrath.

A once thriving sea otter population which is slowly making a comeback brought fur traders and the Hudson Bay Company as well as settlers. At one time there was a hotel, post office, cannery, and several ships were built on these remote islands.

You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy this area but the background certainly adds a touch of mystique to what looks like untouched coastline.

Johnstone Strait is located between the northeastern end of Vancouver Island and the coastal British Columbia (BC) mainland. Johnstone Strait is internationally renowned as the finest place in the world to view the Orcas or Killer Wahles in the wild. The Broughton Archipelago Marine Park, snow capped mountain peaks, and stands of old growth forest provide a gorgeous setting for paddlers to witness the congregation of up two hundred resident and transient pods of Orcas from June to October. The temperate rainforest of the area provides habitat for an abundance of wild creatures including the magnificent Bald Eagle, Deer, Black Bear, marine life such as Salmon, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, Dahl’s Porpoises, Seals, Sea Lions and the occasional Humpback, Minke or Grey Whale. The Johnstone Strait area is also situated under the “Pacific Flyway” bird migration path, and often-unusual types of birds are seen.

The Orca gather to socialize, interact, and visit the rubbing beaches of Robson Bight and feast on the numerous runs of salmon that must pass through the strait on their way to spawning grounds to the south. Ocean kayaks provide one of the most exhilarating vantage points from which to observe the whales. Undisturbed by our presence, they will allow a close encounter of the whale kind!

The Broughton Archipelago is a British Columbia (BC) Marine Park. It is located between the North end of Vancouver Island and the Coast Mountains of mainland BC. The Broughton Archipelago Marine Park consists of hundreds of small islands, some of which are only numbered rather than named. These islands are surrounded by small channels which are spectacular to paddle by kayak. This little known part of the world is a haven for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. We believe the best way to explore this spectacular wilderness is by the silent, non-intrusive kayak.

The park is rich in wildlife.
The eastern borders are home to Killer Whales, Humpback Whales and Minke Whales, while dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea-lions proliferate throughout. Although they may look it at first glance, these islands are not uninhabited. Look up in the trees and spot the ever present Bald Eagles, look on the beaches and see Black Bears, River Otters, Mink, Racoons and Black Tailed Deer. As one would expect, there is also many sea-birds that call this their home, including Harlequin ducks, cormorants and Great Blue Herons.

The park is full of culture.
Many Coastal First Nations have lived here for thousands of years. Evidence of their aquaculture by the way of clam gardens is frequent. See the remnants of ancient village sites and midden beaches created by generations of shellfish consumption and habitation.

The park is full of scenery.
With so many islands, there is a different view around every corner. From tiny islands with a single tree, narrow passages barley wider than your kayak, to overhanging branches of our temperate rainforest eco systems. This truly is a rugged, wilderness wonderland which we can make accessible to virtually anyone.

The best access point for visitors to the Broughton Archipelago is from Telegraph Cove. As a kayaker, in order to reach the archipelago you must cross Johnstone Strait and paddle through either Weynton passage or Blackney passage. Both of these have strong tidal currents and must be navigated during the slack tide only. You should only attempt this as part of a guided group of if you are an experienced kayaker with appropriate training.

Because of its sheltered waters and abundant wilderness the Broughton Archipelago is fast becoming a Mecca for Sea Kayakers. Don’t expect to find many facilities out here, only primitive, wilderness camping is available. North Island Kayak can take you to the Broughton Archipelago Marine Park on either our five or six day nomadic sea kayaking expeditions.