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Adventure & Relaxation: Finding Balance in Desolation Sound

In Desolation Sound – where the rugged coastline meets warm, protected pacific waters – our sea kayak vacation tours are designed to create the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation. 

We understand the importance of finding balance in your vacation – the excitement of exploration coupled with moments of tranquillity. Here’s how our vacation tours look to strike this balance so your experience is both an active adventure and peaceful escape.

Embracing Active Adventure

At the heart, all our tours are active, and designed for an adventurous spirit. Staying at idyllic island camps, exploring rugged coastlines, and viewing varied marine wildlife are all part of what makes touring with us so special. 

Apart from the paddling, there is something so satisfying about setting up your camp – your home away from all stress and responsibilities – in such a peaceful setting. Moving kayaks and hauling gear makes way for scouting the forest and exploring mossy bluffs for the perfect place to pitch your tent in the shadow of the Coast Mountains and within sight of the gently lapping waves.

Whether you are making a base or moving camp in the morning, each day brings different scenes and experiences, unique conditions and wildlife opportunities, and each stroke of the paddle brings us closer to something exciting and new.

Creating Moments of Relaxation

Amidst the thrill of exploration, however, there is countless potential to find stillness and bliss. 

Picture yourself gliding on the calm ocean, with just the sound of your paddle gently breaking the surface of the water; or waking to the soft noise of birdsong (or if you’re lucky, a whale surfacing somewhere offshore). 

Imagine evenings spent eating unbelievably delicious camp meals and watching the sun set slowly over Vancouver Island, before sharing stories under the starlit sky. 

Adventure means nothing without taking time to savour the fruits of your labour. Our tours allow you to unwind and relax amongst your journey in the wilderness.

Connecting with Nature

Desolation Sound offers more than just scenic beauty; it provides an opportunity to connect deeply with our natural world. 

During your tour, there are many moments to simply be present. Observe the dance of sunlight on the water, and breathe in the crisp, invigorating air. Engage in an intertidal nature walk and discover the existence of a weird and wonderful underwater world. This connection with nature can rejuvenate and bring the world into perspective beyond the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.

Tips for Finding Balance

Here are some extra tips for our guests to help find this balance on our vacation camping tours.

  • Mindful Paddling: Practise mindful paddling, which means allowing yourself to be fully present in the moment as you kayak. Feel the gentle resistance of the water, savour the breeze on your face, and count the strokes of your paddle as you move through your day.
  • Morning Meditation: Start your day with a refreshing meditation session by the water’s edge. Let your calm, controlled breaths prepare you for the day’s adventures, finding a balance between body and mind.
  • Unplug and Reconnect: Take this opportunity to disconnect from the digital world. Leave behind the noise of notifications and immerse yourself in the sounds of nature. Engage in meaningful conversations with fellow travellers and rediscover the joy of genuine human connection. (Perhaps bring the phone along to share your experiences on social media, but be sure to turn on Airplane mode when you’re not actively making your friends and family jealous back home!)
  • Indulge in Unforgettable Camp Cuisine: Okay, this one is on us. Our guides are not only great interpreters and full of paddling tips to help make the physical effort easier on your body, but also create incredible gourmet meals prepared with love, right in front of your eyes. 

getting food prepared

Finding the balance between adventure and relaxation in Desolation Sound is not just a goal; it’s been a cornerstone of our tours for almost three decades. 

Our vacation camping tours are perhaps the classic example of this – the quintessential Desolation Sound experience that we have perfected over all these years!

Learn more about our sea kayak vacations here.

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Epic Toba Inlet & Waterfalls Expedition – New Tour for 2022!

We are excited to present a Brand New Expedition Tour for 2022: an Epic One-Way Exploration of Magnificent Toba Inlet!

Over the years we have been slowly expanding our expedition tours beyond Desolation Sound, and each season the demand for these more adventurous and remote trips eclipses that of the year past.

Our 5- and 7-day loops have been some of our most rewarding tours (for guests and guides alike!) but we’ve always been searching for a way to go even deeper into Toba Inlet – to an area very few have ever had the pleasure of paddling, right in the heart of the Coast Mountains, amongst thunderous waterfalls and impossibly blue ocean waters fed by glaciers and alpine lakes hidden thousands of feet above.

Now, with the partnership of an awesome new water taxi and transport company in Lund, we are finally able to offer this incredible and truly unique tour to our guests: our ‘Epic Toba Inlet & Waterfalls’ One-Way Expedition!

A kayaker paddles towards a large waterfall on a sunny day in Toba Inlet

Why Toba?

Toba Inlet has long been one of our favourite kayaking destinations – difficult to reach, but immensely rewarding!

J. Austen Bancroft, writing for the Geological Society to Canada in 1911, said about Toba and Bute Inlets:

“In the grandeur of their scenery these inlets surpass all the others within this area and must rival in their magnificence all examples of the fiord type in the world.”

Indeed, as you paddle here you really get a feel for the sense of helplessness that Captain George Vancouver – attempting to find a safe and accommodating passage through these mountains in 1792 – must have felt each and every time he was turned back by them.

Peaks over 7200 feet high rise steep on both sides of this fjord that cuts through the mountains at a depth of over 1600 feet below sea level. This is truly some of the most dramatic mountain scenery that can be kayaked on the entire west coast of British Columbia.

High above the inlet, icy peaks and cirques carved by ancient glaciers hang majestically above alpine lakes – and during the spring and the summer this suspended water returns to the ocean in countless streams that carve massive gorges and ravines; and in certain spots, thunder tremendously into the fjord in waterfalls hundreds of feet in height!

These cascading waterfalls are one of the highlights of the tour, a real tour de force in an otherwise silent and imposing landscape. Yet there are other reasons to visit …

Wildlife in the remote passages north of Desolation is ever present – from roving orcas and migrating humpbacks to huge pods of Pacific white sided dolphins, from eagles and osprey to massive groups of seals and sea lions hauled out on rocks and cliffs, from deer and elk in the forest to black bears – and even Grizzlies – foraging in the intertidal zone at the mouth of great river valleys, like the Brem River deep in Toba.

And as with all our tours, the service, guidance, camaraderie – and yes of course, the food – continue to set us apart as a tour provider on the west coast of British Columbia. Fresh coffee in the morning, with breakfast being prepared in the camp kitchen behind you, as you contemplate the simple meaning of life in the shadow of these great coastal mountains – where else would you rather be than here..?

Picture moment in Toba Inlet

Why One-Way?

Our previous 7-day loop expeditions gave guests a nice taste of Toba Inlet – with many groups spending two nights at our tenured campsite near the mouth of the inlet and using the base camp to explore up to a quarter or a third of the way to the head of the inlet, before returning to Okeover over the last 3 days of the tour.

This one-way pick-up tour allows us to travel deeper into the fjord and camp much closer to the head of the inlet, spending far longer deep beneath the mountains and amongst the crashing waterfalls. Still mornings, silent paddles and clear evenings amongst these giants are maximized, affording more time to truly soak up this incredible landscape.

Most trips will plan to spend 3 nights in Toba itself – though final route and campsite decisions will be made by the guides depending on many factors such as weather and group dynamic. The final morning will see the group paddle from our secret camp to the Brem River estuary – and possibly sight a Grizzly bear or two – before our water taxi arrives in the early afternoon to load up and bring everyone back to our Okeover Inlet base.

Kayaker in Toba Inlet

2022 Dates
To begin, we are offering six exclusive dates for this epic Toba Inlet exploration for 2022:

  • May 19-25 *3 Spots Left*
  • June 30-July 6 *Sold Out*
  • July 13-19 *5 Spots Left*
  • July 28-August 3 *1 Spot Left*
  • September 1-7 *Sold Out*
  • September 8-14 *1 Spot Left*

We expect these dates to fill in fast however, so be sure to check our availability calendar for remaining spots, or email us at  for any additional information you may need!

We are also offering 2 dates throughout 2022 for our traditional 5-day loop trip – however for next summer and beyond we have added an extra day to this awesome experience to give guests more time in beautiful and remote Lewis, Pryce and Waddington Channels before paddling back to Okeover. The dates for these 6-day loop expeditions are:

  • June 9-14 *9 Spots Left*
  • August 11-16 *6 Spots Left*

To learn more about these expeditions, and to reserve your spot for next summer, click through to our expeditions page and get excited for a remote adventure in 2022!

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The Surprisingly Warm Ocean Temperatures of Desolation Sound

You might have heard rumours of the warm water in Desolation Sound, often described as “the warmest ocean temperature north of Mexico”. But why is this the case, exactly, and what does that mean for your kayak vacation?

First, the facts: In the summer months Desolation Sound can have water temperatures reaching up to 24 degrees celsius (or 75 degrees Fahrenheit)! This is exacerbated by shallow bays and rising tides coming in over sunbaked rocks, and creates swimming and snorkelling conditions previously unimaginable in coastal British Columbia – wetsuits are certainly not required!

For 25 years, guests on our multi-day camping tours and eco-resort packages have revelled in these comfortable conditions. It is not uncommon in the heart of summer to have people swimming and sunbathing right up to the moment the sun sets over Vancouver Island, and there is nothing more rewarding than landing after a full day of exploring the coast by kayak and throwing yourself in the ocean to refresh yourself.

Snorkelling sans wetsuit is very common – but if you’re worried about the chill then packing along a shorty wetsuit is also an option – and opens up a world of colourful and prolific marine life just below the surface. Sea stars, anemones, urchins and sea cucumbers are all common in these waters.

And for the truly adventurous – a night time swim amongst the glowing phosphorescence is often a truly once in a lifetime moment!

The main reason for these tropical-like warm ocean temperatures is due to a fortunate quirk of geography. Located on the inside roughly halfway between the northern and southern points of Vancouver Island, Desolation Sound lies at the convergence of the tidal flow from both directions. 

This means that there is much less tidal movement or major currents in the Sound, and allows the relatively stationary ocean water to be warmed by the hot sun throughout the summer, leading to much higher seasonal temperatures.

Desolation Sound and the Salish Sea is also situated in a minor rainshadow in the lee of the mountains of Vancouver Island, often called the Georgia Depression, that is generally much drier and clearer in the summer months than other parts of the BC coast, which means we get plenty of sun from May to September to warm the ocean to perfect swimming temperatures!

And it’s not just the ocean, the upland areas of Desolation Sound Marine Park are home to many hidden freshwater lakes that are even warmer than the sea, and are popular day trips from places like the Curme Islands for kayakers.

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When is the best time of summer to visit Desolation Sound?

When is the best time to visit Desolation Sound?

Many will argue that summer in British Columbia is when this beautiful part of the world really shines, and away from winter sports in the mountains – and certainly in Desolation Sound – this is certainly true for us at Powell River Sea Kayak.

While the midsummer months of July and August are often considered to be the optimum months to kayak in Desolation Sound due to the greater certainty of perfect weather, all months in the spring and summer – from May to September – are fantastic for their own reasons.

Here are some of our favourite reasons to visit at each time of year:

 

Early Season (May & June)

At PRSK we call the early season months the ‘green season’ – but that doesn’t mean it’s always wet and gloomy. Early season trips into Desolation Sound are when the rainforest trees and mossy bluffs are at their freshest and greenest, and the temperatures are pleasant on even the sunniest days.

For wildlife lovers, much of the varied and diverse marine wildlife is present during these months, including many birds that head inland to freshwater lakes during the summer months and others that are still showing their varied winter plumage, including surf scoters, marbled murrelets, and plucky Bonaparte’s gulls. This is also a good time to view massive sea lions before they head off to their summer breeding grounds in Alaska and California.

The days are long – meaning almost endless daylight for exploring, relaxing, and socialising in one of the most beautiful areas on the BC coast. After a full day of kayaking, swimming, snorkelling, and socialising, watching the sun set slowly and beautifully over Vancouver Island to the west is a quintessential coastal BC moment on our camping tours.

Finally, from a logistical standpoint, tours before the Canada Day weekend are usually free from some of the stresses associated with summer travel on the coast – from ferry traffic (and long waits at the terminal) to busy and fully booked accommodation providers. Plus, tours before June 14th qualify for some great off-peak ‘green season’ discounts!

 

Peak Season (July & August)

The two month period between Canada Day and Labour Day are considered the prime summer months for vacationing in British Columbia – and indeed the weather on the coast during these months is generally warm, the days are still long, and the winds are (relatively) predictable.

This is the time of the classic Desolation Sound kayak trip. Day trips to freshwater lakes and snorkelling with the sea stars and the sea urchins – no wetsuit needed! Endless sunsets throwing incredible shades of red, orange and yellow across the western sky. Paddling along varied shorelines and through intricate passageways with the warm sun on your arms and your face. Delicious food served with refreshing beverages at camp after a long and rewarding day of exploration and adventure.

Peak season is certainly popular – both in Powell River and on the water in Desolation Sound – but it is popular for a reason: idyllic summer days and nights in paradise that will be remembered by friends and family for years to come.

Powell River and the Upper Sunshine Coast is also a thriving small coastal town that shines in the summer months – with multiple festivals and street parties for all ages, a burgeoning restaurant scene, a bustling weekend farmers market, and one of the best microbreweries in British Columbia!

 

Late Season (September)

Perhaps the best kept secret of paddling trips in Desolation Sound, the late season period after Labour Day in September is constantly (and sometimes surprisingly) rewarding for those who want to squeeze one last adventure out of the summer.

Critically, the weather generally remains solid during this month, with just a noticeable cooling of temperature that can often be seen as a blessing after months of heat on the water. The days are slight;y shorter, but the sunsets are no less spectacular in the evening to the west.

There is a feeling of relief in the air, a collective catching of the breath as the summer winds down. Campsites are empty, anchorages are solemn and quiet, and tours go at their own pace to the beat and the rhythm of nature. 

For wildlife lovers, this may be the best month to visit. While transient orcas can be seen at any time of year as they roam up and down the coast in search of their prey, the re-emergence in the last 10 years of the inside passage of Vancouver Island as a migratory route for humpback whales has seen a surge of these amazing creatures in Desolation Sound, and they tend to congregate more often in the later months of summer.

California and Steller’s Sea Lions are often seen returning in September after a summer away at their respective breeding grounds, an impressive sight whether they are in the water or hauled out in the sun on intertidal rocks.

Finally, our off-peak rates are available for all tours running after September 10th, and those spending some time in the Powell River area before or after the tour really get to experience a more genuine slice of life in a coastal BC community – vibrant in the waning days of summer, but not bustling at the seams with touristic fervour anymore!

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