KAYAKING PRINCESS ROYAL ISLAND

Princess Royal Island is a remote island along the Central Coast of British Columbia, Canada. This area is arguably one of the most beautiful sea kayaking destinations and yet is still so untouched. Circumnavigating Princess Royal Island via sea kayak is one of those expeditions that has been sitting on my bucket list, waiting for me to feel ready and to find someone equally as stoked to spend a spring on the rainy coast. That’s where Dawson comes in (meet Dawson here), being just crazy enough to say yes to one of my many ambitious ideas.

This expedition covers roughly 160 nautical miles (300km) over the course of 13 days. Completing an expedition of this magnitude on the BC coast during April is rolling the dice on whether you are going to get favourable paddling conditions or a stormy mess. Princess Royal Island is fairly protected along its shoreline, with only a small piece of its west coast being exposed to the open Pacific Ocean.

Princess Royal Island is only accessible via BC Ferries, landing in the remote community of Klemtu. The remoteness of this paddle creates an emphasis on the importance of self reliance. We are required to carry the equipment and be prepared to care for ourselves for the entire duration of the expedition. The island sits in the middle of the Great Bear Rainforest and is home to a significant amount of wildlife, amplifying the need to be prepared for living in that environment for an extended period of time.

This expedition is one of those experiences that is simply too surreal not to document pieces of, so come along too see a glimpse in to life while attempting a Princess Royal Island sea kayaking circumnavigation…