Broken Group Islands Kayaking: Camping Islands, Permits and Paddling Safety

What you reserve

You reserve nights at the designated camping areas. Parks Canada asks you to have ready your first and alternate dates, your preferred and alternate islands, the place you will start paddling from, the number of campers and an email address. Book the exact number of tent pads for the tents you bring; there are no real pads in the islands, but the count sets how many tents you use at each area.

Your confirmation letter is your permit: Broken Group campers do not register in person. Carry it, with your entry pass, the whole trip. Tseshaht Beachkeepers patrol the islands in summer and check permits. qaaha (Willis Island) is closed until further notice by Superintendent Order after a November 2024 windstorm, with no camping, day use or landing.

Getting to the islands

The islands are reached by boat only. Paddlers can park and launch at the Toquaht Nation's Secret Beach Campground and Kayak Launch, which is closed in winter and spring. Broken Islands Lodge carries paddlers and boats on a schedule to the protected waters just north of the islands. Licensed transport companies may drop you in some areas, but not at the designated camping islands; Keith Island has a dock for drop-offs with the Beachkeepers' permission.

Parks Canada does not recommend paddling from Bamfield or Ucluelet, because of the exposed Imperial Eagle and Loudon channels. Expect moderate to severe chop in Coaster Channel in the middle of the day, and cross it when winds are light, usually early morning.

Skills, water and wildlife

Parks Canada says your group must be able to plot a course by chart and compass, pilot in fog, read marine forecasts and tide tables, handle your boat in rough water on crossings that can take 3 hours or more, and perform group and self-rescue. The water is 7 to 15 °C, and survival time in 10 °C water is 2 to 3 hours. File a written trip plan with someone at home.

There is no drinking water in the islands: bring 4 to 6 liters per person, per day. Store food and garbage in kayak hatches or rodent- and crow-proof containers; hung items go at least 4 m off the ground. Black bears, wolves and cougars live in the islands. Fires, when no ban is on, stay small, below the high tide line, driftwood only. No dogs except service animals, no generators, and keep 400 m from killer whales.

Fees and cancelling

The Pacific Rim fee page, which the Broken Group page links for current fees, lists backcountry camping at CA$15.00 per person, per night. The reservation fee is CA$11.50 online or CA$13.50 by phone and is not refundable. An adult daily entry pass is CA$12.25.

Cancel at least 3 days before arrival and you get a full refund less the reservation fee and a cancellation fee. Cancel later, but before 2 pm on your arrival day, and you also lose the first night's fee.

What PermitSnag does here

Each permit page says whether you can set a PermitSnag alert for it, and links to the agency that sells it.

Questions