Kayaking Tofino BC
Since 1988 Tofino Sea Kayaking has helped paddlers explore Clayoquot Sound with tours, outfitting, and instruction. Our guided day tours at Tofino Sea Kayaking provide exceptional excursions through some of the most beautiful backdrops on earth. Create a unique and authentic west coast experience by choosing one of our guided tours that will take you on an incredible journey from the awe-inspiring inlets, islands & coastlines of Clayoquot Sound to the incredible ancient cedars of Meares Island.
Photo Credit: David LaPorte
There are two regions to sea kayak in the Pacific Rim: Clayoquot Sound which southern borders touch Tofino and Barkley Sound right next to Ucluelet. Both provide incredible scenery and both are popular places to kayak and both have guided kayaking companies that will do their best to give you a good time.
Clayoquot Sound:
Clayoquot Sound has some great kayaking which includes Meares Island and some large trees that can be hiked through via the Big Tree Trail that takes you through the island. There is also some great hiking on Meares up the Lone Cone Trail. When kayaking through Clayoquot Sound, there are many sandy beaches to land on. It is worth spending a couple days kayaking here. You can do it on your own or go with a guided group if you are new to kayaking. If you are new to kayaking and going alone, make sure you ask a guide about tidal currents and waves. While Clayoquot is a nice protected area, traveling between islands or during windy days can be challenging.
There is quite a bit of traffic to watch out for in Tofino’s harbour, so make sure you paddle close to shore and always be aware of what is happening around you. As you paddle further into the sound there should be much less traffic. Also, keep your keep a camera handy with you to record you journey. It will be worth it.
Tips for Kayaking from Tofino into Clayoquot Sound
- Make sure you take a GPS with you in case the fog sets in on you.
- Make sure you take appropriate wet gear in case it rains. July and August are the driest months, but we can get “fog rain” which is very thick mist that sets in. May, June and September has less precipitation on average and its possible to have a week of cloud and sun or a week of rain.
- The kayaking is moderate to difficult if you paddle on the outside of the coast. Paddling against the current or in big swells increases the level of difficulty.
- You can rent sea kayaks in Tofino right at the launching point or get a taxi into Clayoquot Sound.
- Do not beach your kayak on Indian Reserve, marked IR on charts, without permission from the band office.
- Bears are common on the mainland and you should always make sure you clean up any food and make enough noise when landing.
Kayaking Barkley Sound
There are more than 100 islands to explore in Barkley Sound and the two most popular areas are the Broken Group and the Deer Group. There area to explore here is quite large and most of the islands are a good distance from Ucluelet, so most people take a taxi into the Sound or launch from Toquart Bay which is the main launch point outside of Ucluelet. There are 8 campsites in the Broken Group run by Parks Canada and the small islands are patrolled regularly to cut down on unauthorized camping.
Tips for Kayaking from Ucluelet into Barkley Sound
- Make sure you take a GPS with you in case the fog sets in on you.
- Make sure you take appropriate wet gear in case it rains. July and August are the driest months, but we can get “fog rain” which is very thick mist that sets in. May, June and September has less precipitation on average and its possible to have a week of cloud and sun or a week of rain.
- The kayaking is moderate to difficult if you paddle on the outside of the coast or on the island near the coast. Paddling against the current or in big swells increases the level of difficulty.
- You can rent sea kayaks in Ucluelet from a couple different outfitters.
- Camp only in designated camping sites.
- Watch for traffic near the Ucluelet harbour or in main passage ways