A beautiful day for kayaking on the Salish Sea! The bright sun and the glassy sea are perfect for a paddle from Sidney to Portland Island. Eagles, seals and other wildlife welcome you on the journey circling the island. Enjoy the day trip with TIDES and one of our adventure group members!
Heading out from the beach, herons watch from the rocks. Standard procedure for kayakers in this area is looking out for ferries. The route passes right by the Swartz Bay ferry terminal where major routes converge. One part of the paddle to Portland Island crosses the bigger ferries’ inbound route. Best to pause at Coal Island to wait for the ferry to pass and paddle into the wake quickly making the crossing to Pym Island. It’s a short but vital crossing; once this crossing is done, the rest of the paddle to Portland Island is out of the ferry lanes.
What a jewel this island is! Definitely stop at a shell beach on the south end to check out the ancient Salish midden. From here, circumnavigating the island is a pleasant cruise. Near the north side, often one can see seals bask on the rocks enjoying the sun…. ..and eagles watch from their tree perches.
After paddling around Portland Island, follow the same route back to the “mainland” of Vancouver Island. Cast a look back to this magical place. A remarkable paddling experience!
Credits
Original story by John Herbert, adapted by Steve Duck
All Images Are © John Herbert – All Rights Reserved
This post was originally published at Kayak Yak
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