Cruising The Broughtons

Cruising to the Broughton Archipelago means negotiating a series of tidal rapids through the Central Vancouver Island area. The kind of vessel you charter, sail or power and negotiating slack waters at the rapids will determine how much time you need to get to the cruising area. Typically, on a full displacement power yacht or larger sailing yacht, you should plan on 3 to 4 days travel each way. This will give you ample time to stop and explore and for easy cruising days. You can of course do the trip faster if you take the direct route and cruise at a faster speed. This would allow for more time in the archipelago.

The tides flowing around the ends of Vancouver Island, meet in the middle, which is the Desolation Sound area.  This is what causes the warm waters of the sound.  But it is important to note that just north of Mittlenatch island, the ebb and flood change direction

In Comox, the EBB tide flows south, and the FLOOD tide flows north. North of Mittlenatch Island, the EBB tide flows north, and the FLOOD tide flows south.

It is important to remember when planning your passage, that the optimum time to arrive at the rapids is just before the current turns in the direction you want to travel.  For example, you would make  passage northward and time your arrival at Seymour Narrows late on a flood  ( flooding south but becoming minimal ) , then catch  the EBB  going North and then you can carry on  for a number of hours on the north ebb tide.

Fog is common during the summer months on North Vancouver Island. The relatively warm moist westerly wind blowing over the cool water created fog which forms in Queen Charlotte Strait and is then funneled eastward into the sounds., channels, passages and inlets. On most days, the fog will burn off and clear by noon. If fog is forecast, best to seek refuge before it begins to envelope our boat and threaten visibility (particularly in busy Johnstone Strait). Do not attempt to travel with poor visibility through this area

There are essentially three ways to travel north or south through the mid Vancouver Island area.

OPTION 1 SEYMOUR NARROWS/JOHNSTONE STRAIT west route (not recommended)

If the tide works out to be a middle afternoon slack, turning to ebb at Seymour Narrows you can depart Comox  early on your first morning and head to Campbell River, get through Seymour Narrows and stop at Brown’s  Bay marina, you must read the sailing directions before going through the narrows. We recommend being there 1 hour ahead of time to catch the ebb going north.

OPTION 2 SURGE NARROWS (BEASLEY PASSAGE), OKISOLLO CHANNEL middle route   2^nd choice

Another option is to take the middle route. Travel from Comox to Rebecca spit anchorage or tie up at Heriot Bay, Quadra island your first day. Be ready to catch the slack tide turning to Ebb (north) at Beasley passage (Surge Narrows). Then you can negotiate Okisollo channel through to Johnstone strait.

OPTION 3 GILLARD PASSAGE, DENT/YUCULTA RAPIDS east route   1^st choice

Cruise to Squirrel Cove your first day and plan to catch the next slack turning too Ebb (north) at Gillard Passage.  When travelling through Gillard passage and the Yuculta/Dent rapids one must respect the currents.  Timing is extremely important.  Even for a fast boat.  Due to the strength of the currents in these areas, one should not attempt to navigate any of these passages at any time other than at or near slack water.  Strong tidal streams with overfalls and sometimes violent eddies, whirlpools, will develop in the period between 2 hours after the turn to flood and 1 hour before turn to Ebb.  Once through this double set of rapids you can carry on to Greene Point rapids. You could however stop over at Shoal Bay or Blind Channel Resort and on the following day, negotiate Greene point and Whirlpool rapids.