I had heard stories about the sandy beaches on Savary Island and in July of 98 an opportunity arose to do some paddling there. We left Comox early to catch the 7:30 AM Ferry to Powell River. The crossing takes about an hour and offers a preview of Savary Island and paddling conditions. The drive to Lund from Powell River is about 28 km along a winding, paved road that offers glimpses of the ocean and the local flora.

Lund is a little community that seems to be based mostly around the old hotel, very picturesque. There are restrooms and a dive and kayak shop in the basement of the hotel, both necessary for last minute needs. Water is also available here. We recommend the bakery on the wharf; they have a large assortment of fresh baked breads, all we tried were delicious.

We unloaded the kayaks and gear on the Government boat ramp at Lund. It was convenient to use a concrete pad to unload and launch although the lady that oversees the launch told us that we could not park our car there because someone with a boat might want to use it. Pay parking is available in the Hotel parking lot.

With little or no wind the crossing from Hurtado Point to Savary takes about 30 minutes.

Savary Island is approximately 4 ½ Miles long and ½ mile wide. The long axis is aligned almost directly East to West. From Lund to the island is a little over 2 miles with less than 1 mile of open crossing from Hurtado Point. Camping is allowed below the high tide line all around the Island and there are several large sand beaches. The tourist brochures about the area claim that there are little in the way of currents and tidal streams. Flood tides from the North and the South arrive in this area at the same time and there is little "washing" effect. This is why this section of the Coast has some of the warmest water and is so popular with boaters, divers and swimmers. It is a good area for novice paddlers because only the paddle and wind influence kayak direction.

We chose to paddle the south side first to take advantage of the sun and the sandy beaches. The Island has a fairly large summer population but sections of isolated beach are easy to find. The rusting remains of a logging operation can still be seen and there are plenty of trails to explore on foot. Camping spots are plentiful with views of Vancouver and Texada islands to the south and the Coastal range to the North and East.

The north side of Savary Island is a beach walker’s delight. We found that this can be a bit of a problem if you decide to leave at low tide, however packing gear and kayaks for ¼ mile is a good stretching exercise but tires muscles needed for paddling.

The paddle from Savary Island to the Copeland Island Marine Park is about 2 ½ miles or 1 ¾ hours for a person paddling 1 ½ - 2 knots. Paddling north from Savary to the Copeland Islands was the only section of the trip where wind had to be counted into course calculations but even this was a minor consideration. The Copeland Islands are a designated marine park and are made up of three main islands and at least six smaller ones (this depends on definition and chart scale) and stretch over an area of about 2 ½ by ½ miles bordering Thulin Passage. We found four rustic campsites with tent platforms, outhouses and fire pits. The fire pits are good but great care must be taken and local authorities checked with, as the islands are very dry in the summer. I chose to use a propane burning stove for cooking instead of a fire. The islands are rocky but have good developed landing sites for small boats. The islands are full of small bays and nooks that are perfect for kayak exploring and the water is warm enough for swimming. Many of these little inlets are completely covered with oysters. Clams are also plentiful but as always, check to make sure the area is not afflicted with Red Tide before eating any shellfish. Some of the larger sheltered areas fill up with pleasure and sail boaters but shore camping is usually accessible to small boats. Thulin Passage is the main route to Desolation Sound and boat traffic can be heavy. Look both ways before crossing.

The return trip to Lund can be as enjoyable as well, Thulin Passage has more nooks and crannies to explore and West Coast architecture is always interesting. Most boat traffic stays in the center of the passage so the edges are available to small boats and kayaks. We found the wakes from the larger boats only added a little fun to an otherwise flat paddle. Still, care must be taken as these wakes can sneak up on an unwary paddler.

Our 2 night, 3 day trip around Savary Island and The Copeland Islands was very relaxing and afforded us many spectacular views. The islands fall into two categories with Savary being sandy with many beaches and the Copelands being rocky with lots of bays and channels to explore. Both types of islands have their appeal and we found that both were worth visiting. We had sunshine every day and very little wind. One of the many highlights was meeting a fellow kayaker who was paddling solo from Lopez Island in the San Juan group to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island.

Either half of this trip could be undertaken as a full day trip from Lund.

Home