Summary
The Broken Group Islands
A lonely dusting of islands on the west coast of Canada, the Broken Group Islands are a kayaker’s dream destination. The group, which includes more than 100 uninhabited islands, is a secluded marine wilderness that offers adventure for paddlers of all ages and skill levels.
The sheltered waters of the inner islands provide calm and clear paddling for hobby kayakers who are more interested in seal spotting and enjoying the scenery than battling the elements.
The outer islands, teetering on the edge of the wide-open Pacific Ocean, provide a thrill for more experienced kayakers, who don’t mind taking on wind, waves, and currents in the name of adventure.
There are sandy beaches, lagoons, sea caves, and quiet coves to explore. Harbour seals play hide-and-seek off the side of your kayak while bald eagles soar overhead and fish dart through the clear waters below. Quiet forested islands provide ample secluded camping spots, and the west coast sunsets are exceptional.
Because it is remote and only accessible by water, this idyllic kayaking destination manages to remain peaceful and pristine, despite its fame. With no electricity, fresh water, or shelter available, a kayaking trip in the Broken Group Islands requires careful planning to ensure a safe and enjoyable adventure.
When I set out on a kayaking trip with eight adults and seven kids, I anticipated arguments and tears – the usual behavior when traveling with a large group. However, the adults remained happy and well-behaved for the entire trip – and so did the kids.
Tips for Broken Islands Kayaking
Here are my top tips for not only surviving but actually enjoying a family kayaking trip.
1. Plan Like Your Life Depends on It
Usually, on my adventures, I tend to avoid excessive planning, instead allowing the wind to take me where it may. However, when traveling to a location devoid of food, water, or electricity, careful planning is crucial to ensure a memorable adventure without unforeseen survival challenges. To avoid sleeping in a tree or drinking your own urine, several weeks of planning before heading to the Broken Group is essential.
Start by making a master list of all the gear you will need, a list of what is provided by your kayak rental company, and a list of all the food and water you will pack. Depending on the size and configuration of your kayak, space will be limited, so just winging it is not an option.
Here’s our kayaking packing list for the Broken Group Islands to get you started.
2. Follow the Leader
Our group was fortunate to have a natural-born organizer and leader in the form of my sister-in-law, Sara, who spent a year on a sailboat with her family of five. Not only did she initiate the plan, but she also invited the families who joined us and organized hotel stays, ferry rides, kayak rentals, and park passes. She determined our first-day destination and identified the best island for our large group.
Although several of us were type-A organizers ourselves, we happily followed her lead, trusting that she would manage the details of the journey.
Nominating a group leader indeed places considerable stress on that person, but Sara’s effective planning allowed for smooth coordination, minimizing the time spent debating options via email.
Our communications often went something like this:
Sara: I was thinking it would be smart to camp on a single island and take day trips from there.
The rest of us: Sounds great!
The catch? If you don’t partake in the planning and organization, you relinquish the right to complain if anything goes awry.
3. Stay in One Place
Had my husband Stephen and I ventured to the islands alone, we likely would have treated it as a mini-tour, moving from island to island each day. However, with a group of 15, remaining on one island and taking day trips makes much more sense.
The volume of gear, water, and food we needed to transport was overwhelming, and fitting everything through the kayak hatches was a mind-bending exercise. Limiting our packing to just two instances – once outbound and once returning – proved to be a smart strategy.
4. Let the Kayaking Group Split
Remaining on one island also allowed us to explore individually. While paddling en masse to our campsite was fun, it often led to a slow pace. Teenagers in our group frequently found themselves waiting more than paddling, while parents with kids in double kayaks had to exert twice the effort to keep pace.
Once we set up camp, we enjoyed the freedom to choose our activities. Some of us were keen on longer day trips to the outer islands, while others preferred to stay on the beach, playing in the sand or snorkeling in the clear waters. Still, others opted for gentle paddles through the tranquil waters of the inner islands.
5. Come Together for 5pm Appetizers
The success of the entire adventure hinged on this one brilliant idea, another contribution from Chief Organizer Sara. With four afternoons to spend on the islands and four families traveling together, each day, one family was responsible for preparing a group-wide appetizer that we could relish in the late afternoons.
After a full day of kayaking, this snack was essential to keep hungry kids (and adults) content while we prepared dinner on our tiny camp stoves.
6. Divide and Conquer at Mealtimes
Ever attempted to plan a meal for 15 people with varying dietary preferences? Not an easy task. Now envision preparing dinner for 15 with no water or electricity in a makeshift kitchen made of driftwood, shells, and sand – daunting, indeed.
To avoid that unwelcome scenario, we divided into family groups at mealtimes, each family preparing their own food around a central “kitchen” area set up on the beach. We dined as a loose group, with each person digging in as their meal was ready.
Another round of applause goes to Sara, who shared a daily meal plan about a week before we embarked. The other families, including us, followed Sara’s menu, coordinating our meals. One night, we delighted in Japanese curry, while one morning featured a pancake cook-off on our four camp stoves. Here’s our meal plan for the trip.
This approach minimized envy when meals were served, allowing for a pleasant way to share a group meal while distributing the cooking responsibilities. Similar to the 5pm appetizers, desserts were also a group effort, provided by a different family each night.
7. Get Playful
If your kids (or adults) are accustomed to the comforts of modern technology, the long evenings on the beach might initially feel lackluster. To keep everyone entertained, consider bringing along a few games for your family kayaking trip in the Broken Group.
Select games that appeal to a wide audience, have a lengthy playtime, and rely more on imagination than complicated components that risk being lost on the beach. The role-playing game The Resistance was a hit with our group.
Even the 9-year-old girls actively participated! A simplified version of Dungeons and Dragons also kept the older kids engaged late into the evening.
8. Bring Wetsuits and Snorkel Gear
While some individuals report needing wetsuits for kayaking in this region, we found the weather warm enough, and we were comfortable in t-shirts and shorts. However, as the water around the Broken Group connects freely with the open ocean, it remains extremely cold, averaging around 10C (50F) year-round.
In such frigid waters, most of us struggled to immerse ourselves without wetsuits, let alone stay in long enough to observe the underwater creatures. For those keen on swimming and snorkeling, wetsuits are a must.
Practicalities of a Broken Group Island Kayaking Trip
Depending on your starting point, reaching the Broken Group Islands involves a combination of planes, boats, cars, and, of course, kayaks. First, you must arrive at Vancouver Island.
Getting to the Broken Group Islands
If you’re departing from Vancouver, catch the ferry to Nanaimo either at Horseshoe Bay or Tsawwassen. Alternatively, you can fly from Vancouver to Nanaimo or Tofino. From there, you’ll need to drive to one of three kayak launch points for the Broken Group.
Launching from Port Alberni
We booked with Lady Rose Marine Services, who operate out of Port Alberni, BC. They offer a ferry from Port Alberni to the Broken Group launch point at Sechart Lodge, a journey of about three hours.
If traveling from Tofino, you can board the Lady Rose ferry in Ucluelet instead. Lady Rose rents kayaks that come fully equipped with safety gear, including life jackets, spare paddles, and paddle floats.
Boarding the ferry with enough food, water, and camping gear for a week may seem daunting. To simplify the process, Lady Rose provides large plastic bins for loading in the parking lot. They then transport the bins onto the ferry and unload them dockside upon arrival.
Once we reached Sechart Lodge, our rental kayaks were prepared and waiting for us. From the dock, it is a one-hour paddle to Hand Island, a popular first-night campsite. We elected to camp on Willis Island, located about a three-hour paddle from Sechart.
Secret Beach Kayak Launch
If you prefer to avoid ferry hassles, launching from Secret Beach, around 45 minutes from Ucluelet, is an option.
Getting to Secret Beach involves navigating 13 km of gravel road, so drive cautiously and allow ample travel time. There is a paid parking lot at the launch location and a large campground available. The paddle from Secret Beach to Hand Island, the nearest campsite, takes approximately three hours.
Water Taxi from Ucluelet
A third option to access the Broken Group involves a water taxi from Ucluelet. The ride takes between 45 minutes and an hour, and you can also rent kayaks through the water taxi company, Broken Island Adventures. They will transport you and your gear to one of the islands and pick you up later at a prearranged time and location.
Camping Fees
If you plan to spend the night in the Broken Group Islands, you’ll need to acquire a camping permit. Find out more about fees and payment methods here.
When to Go to Broken Group Island
High season in the Broken Group begins mid-July and extends through the end of August. We visited during the last week of June, right after the kids finished school – an ideal time, as we enjoyed superb weather and nearly empty campgrounds and waterways.
What to Bring on a Broken Group Island Kayaking Trip
Here’s our kayaking packing list to get you started. The Broken Group Islands Paddler’s Preparation Guide from Parks Canada offers a comprehensive packing and gear list.
How Much Water to Bring?
There is no fresh water on the islands, so you must bring sufficient water for your stay. The recommended amount is a gallon of water per person per day. Everyone in our group brought about 10% more, resulting in several gallons of extra water during our return trip.
Despite the extra weight, we appreciated having a buffer of water. Packing most of our water in one-gallon containers enabled us to utilize the small storage spaces on the kayaks. Larger containers are notably more challenging to manage.
- Check out the free Travel Planner’s Cheat Sheet by My Five Acres.
Do you have questions or tips about family kayaking? Share them in the comments below, and we’ll do our best to assist!
