Early in May, my fiancee and two friends did a kayaking day trip off of beautiful Quadra Island. This trip was day 2 of the excellent level 1 kayaking skills course, arranged through Comox Valley Kayaks.
We launched at a boat ramp in Drew Harbour, which is just inside Rebecca Spit. Our planned route was a round trip totalling about 5 nautical miles to and from Hyacinthe Bay. The wind was blowing about 10 to 15 knots from the north/northwest, so we decided to stay close to shore. We rounded the point into Hariot Bay, past the ferry to Cortes Island.
Following the coast northward we found shelter from the wind behind some islands with gorgeous cliff faces. We skimmed along the bottom in places, enjoying the turquoise coloured water.
We enjoyed a nice lunch at one of the numerous landing spots in the Hyacinthe Bay area. The paddle back was equally enjoyable, especially since the wind had died down.
Launch point: boat ramp near the end of Rebecca Spit Road
Parking: free
Trip distance: ~5nm
Duration: ~5 hours including lunch
Skill level: level 1, higher depending on weather
Quadra Island is accessible by a 10 minute ferry ride from Campbell River.
