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Canoe Cove Road, North Saanich, BC, Canada Explore Gulf Islands National Park Reserve!
An introduction to paddling & navigating in a coastal environment. Get ready for a friendly overnight trip while discovering the waterways around BC's beautiful Southern Gulf Islands.
The 2-night/3-day SUP expedition will take place near Sidney, BC and includes 2 nights of self-supported camping at a remote island location reached by boat or paddleboard, depending upon conditions.
This trip is best for paddleboarders who are interested in exploring their coastlines for multiday overnight trips. Participants are introduced to paddling and navigating in a coastal environment with a loaded board, route planning, campsite selection, leave no trace camping practices and much more! As always, we place emphasis on knowledge, navigation and safety skills.
The scenic waters of the Saanich Peninsula including the more dynamic waters of the Southern Gulf Islands near Swartz Bay provide the backdrop for learning and exploring that will have you confidently and safely setting off on your own paddling adventures.
You can opt to receive the Paddle Canada Coastal Touring Level 1 Skills certification too! Just let Pam know and she will ensure all the material is covered for you.
Explore the Gulf Islands
Over the course of 2 nights, we stay in campsites within the Princess Margaret Marine Park, Southern Gulf Islands, BC. Princess Margaret (Marine Park) is a part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, one of Canada’s newest national parks. The park protects a portion of British Columbia’s beautiful southern Gulf Islands – a landscape of rocky headlands, forested hills and shorelines studded with colourful tide pools. The park resembles a patchwork quilt of protected lands scattered over 15 larger islands, and many smaller islets and reefs.
LEARN TO SUP CAMP
This overnight trip is the ideal way to take your SUP skills to the next level while learning the basics of backcountry camping.
- Must feel comfortable Stand Up Paddleboarding at an easy pace (with rest breaks) for 3 to 4 hours per day with a fully loaded board
- Advanced flatwater SUP certification or equivalent experience, skills and knowledge as assessed by the instructor. Paddlers need time and practice to sufficiently develop the skills learned in the prerequisite course before registering in this course. Please contact us if you are unsure if you meet the prerequisites.
- No previous camping experience is necessary
- Age restrictions 18+ (may consider mature 16+ who are strong paddlers)
Our island campsite set within the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve will serve as basecamp for 3 days. Here we will get a taste of remote wilderness camping while minimizing the concerns that first time wilderness campers face.
Amenities include picnic tables, animal-safe food storage (don’t worry there are no large animals on the island) and a composting outhouse. It is the perfect set up for learning the basics of Leave No Trace back country camping.
Here we feel worlds away from civilization. Our campsite overlooking the ocean and a white sandy beach is the perfect vantage point to watch the sunset while we eat dinner. We will be soothed to sleep in our cozy tents by the sounds of seals frolicking in the water and owls hooting from the Arbutus trees. There will be few signs of people and lots of immersion in nature.
Your guide will review all the site amenities and functions upon arrival as well as provide reminders for safe use where necessary.
MEET YOUR SUP LEADER
Hi! I'm Pam!
I am a certified Paddle Canada SUP Basic & Advanced Flatwater Instructor, as well as a Coastal Touring 1 Instructor. My goal is to share a love of the ocean, from the perspective of paddling and ocean literacy in order to foster connections between people and between people and the sea. My teaching style emphasizes safety & technical skills while having fun in a positive, supportive environment.
Having studied Marine Biology at the University of Guelph & Commercial Photography at Sheridan College, I am blending my passions through teaching SUP in BC and ON. My love of the water has led me to many aquatic pursuits - canoeing as a child, competitive sailing, sprint canoe/kayak racing and long-distance Outrigger Canoe racing before discovering the sport of Stand Up Paddleboarding.
OCEAN SCENERY
If we get lucky, we may see some wildlife! This is a Pacific Harbour Seal, AKA Phoca vitulina richardsi. Did you know that the large eyes of harbour seals are protected by oily “tears” that help them see in deep dark waters? We will be paddling in a biodiverse region of BC so our chances for viewing a variety of sea birds and marine mammals is pretty good!
Girls On Boards Donation
As a licensed provider of Girls On Boards events, all of our other trips and programs contribute a donation towards this program. You can learn more here: https://www.girlsonboards.co/
What to Bring
The Fly-in Bundle
Register by 10 Jul 2023
The Fly-in Bundle is designed to support your adventure with all the tricky bits so you can fly-in and join us easily. This bundle includes;
- 1-night hotel accommodation in Sidney the night before your trip
- Nutritious camp meals for lunch Day 1 to lunch Day 3 (meals are prepared and packaged, you'll still have to cook them)
- Transportation includes; Airport pickup to hotel, Day 1 hotel to launch site, Day 3 landing site to airport or drop off within Sidney. *Transfers do not include transportation outside of Sidney. Taxi and bus service is available.
We recommend adding on the SUP Gear Rentals and Backcountry Camping Gear Rental to complete the ease of joining us. You can of course bring your own gear!
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When to Arrive/ Depart
Meet at 8:00 am with all gear and equipment ready (in dry bags) to be transported via boat shuttle to our island destination. On arrival, we will set up camp, have a bite to eat then head out on the water to let the fun begin. We will focus on honing our paddling skills and follow with a short tour of the area to get us ready for tomorrow’s longer paddle. We enjoy a casual evening of cooking outdoors, sharing stories, and enjoying the sounds of the ocean after dark.
After making our own breakfasts and packing our lunches we set off for the day to discover the coastline of Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. Our coastal touring instruction unfolds organically as we land on secluded beaches, float in kelp forests and keep our eyes peeled for friendly seals and curious dolphins. Midway through this 8 to 10 km paddle, we find a beach to relax, enjoy our lunch and maybe even take a wild swim in the cool waters. 
An early morning rise gives us plenty of time to make breakfast and pack up camp before we use our newly learned board packing skills to get ready for the 5km paddle back to Canoe Cove Marina. Using current and tide tables, we choose the appropriate departure time and chart a course to navigate that is safe and enjoyable for the group. Along the way, we stop for lunch on our boards and finish the expedition with a tour of the picturesque islands and inlets in Canoe Bay. This gives us an opportunity to play in the varied currents and easy eddies to get a feel for the behaviour of our boards when loaded. Don’t worry, this is a fun and gentle introduction to water movement and before long we arrive back at the docks. You will have ticked off a bucket list experience and gained the confidence to embark upon SUP camping experiences of your own.
