I solo paddle the Salish sea often, and the stretch between Victoria and the Discovery Islands twice yearly. North in April, south in September. I've made the 350 mile trip five times, the last four of these by canoe. The first by kayak. While there are most definitely challenges along the way, I feel that with good seamanship, and conservative choices, the trip is quite approachable by canoe with good planning, and weather-days (rest-days) expected, and planned for.

My last trip down took me eight days, seven days on the water, and one weather day. My quickest trip to date. Felt pretty-good about that as I pushed hard. Most days were fifty-ish miles.

If I'm vague(-ish) about some locations it's because I was a guest of friends, camping near(-ish) the location mentioned.

Day 1 - Outer-Islands (Okisollo) to Southern Quadra Island through Surge Narrows.
Day 2 - South Quadra to Seal Bay-ish (Discovery Passage crossing).
Day 3 - Seal Bay to Denman Island. Cape Lazo direct to Filongley Park.
Day 4 - Filongley Park to Rathtrevor Park.
Day 5 - Rathtrevor Park to Thetis Island-ish.
Day 6 - Thetis Island-ish to Sidney
Day 7 - Sidney to Cadboro Bay.
Day 8 - Cadboro Bay to Discovery Island off Oak Bay. (Short one-hour crossing)

I paddle a 17'6" x 34" Hellman Prospector, rigged for solo with whitewater air-bags bow and stern. Coming south I travel light and fast, heading north loaded and somewhat slower.

The stretch from Gabriola Island, south through the Gulf Islands has many good places to camp, and has sheltered paddling if required, and exposed paddling if desired. Lots of camping choices here. Water is hard to come by in dry seasons though.

The stretch from Quadra Island to Nanaimo however, is exposed and offers very little protection from the long-fetch-winds that blow-up the strait. Parksville is particularily problematic as it has it's own winds in the 'Qualicums', that blow off-shore and can create dicey conditions on the shallow, and extensive, sand-beaches - Especially so when it clashes with the dominant NW and SE winds. I've been grounded here by winds for days, on almost every trip. The well-to-do elderly population of the town of Parksville WILL call the police on anyone they deem suspicious. "There's a canoe on 'my' beach". I rarely get past this place without a visit from authority. Being polite yet assertive (and knowing one's rights) is highly useful in these conversations.

Wow, that is an impressive trip and some big mileage days! Thanks for posting a rough outline and what to expect for other paddlers. Do you have any photos you're willing to share showing how you've rigged your canoe or typical paddling conditions?

Thanks for your kind comments sthwaits.

It's a very nice stretch of coast to paddle by canoe, and from Nanaimo south there are lots of ways to switch-up the route.

Timing the tidal rapids, currents in passages and narrows, sea-state and daily winds can be a logistical challenge. Marine traffic adds to the difficulties. I'd happily share what I know.

This last time I was heading for False Narrows - but missed my tide and couldn't make headway. Currents are fairly strong in this area. Sea-conditions were good, so I paddled out and around Gabriola Island, admired the beautifully-sea-etched sandstone shore, and surfed and side-slipped the most-perfect-following-seas all the way to Gabriola Passage - as the sun went down. I caught the sunset here 49.125623,-123.681341 and then ferried across a beefy current to the Valdes Island side of Gabriola Passage. In the dark - in the search for familiar and more-sheltered waters - I ran the passage by ear... didn't hear the overfalls nor the whirlpool behind it until I was almost on it. Managed to slip sideways across the reef, round the bend, and get sucked-into the whirlpool, also managed a port-heel and a starboard cross-bow to pull-out of it. Whoosh. Next time sticking to the Gabriola side of the passage might be wise. Lots of little bays to duck into for safety there. Running the passage did allow me to travel extra miles that night though. Worth-it.

The canoe is a standard Duralite Hellman Prospector. Nice and light with seats removed. The air-bags are spares from my Whitesell Piranha, and fit perfectly. They fill the space from flotation-tank to thwart nicely with their blunt ends. I've an old tarp that I cut-down, and cover the bags with. They are held in by Paracord laced across the gunnels every five-ish inches. The rivet's are spaced nicely and only a few needed to be drilled-out. The cord fits nicely. Plan is to put a thin aluminum backing-plate along gunnels to stop flex because of removed rivets.
The seats have been removed - I paddle kneeling, usually sitting against the thwart, or sometimes on a 30 litre pack between my legs.
A blue foamy doubled-over is my kneeling-pad, and sleeping-pad. I did try a trip up with the Perception saddle (out of my Whitesell) jammed under the yoke at the front, and the lashed at the thwart. Control was awesome - yahoo sea-cowboy kinda awesome. unfortunately though, it limited my choice of strokes, didn't allow me to use my chines properly, and made adjusting trim with body position difficult. It (I) also bent my gunnels. Back to an open cockpit - I prefer the space to move around. Two years of almost-daily service takes it's toll. My camoe deserves a trip to Bob Hellman's shop for the back-to-new treatment, maybe next year.

Fully-loaded for three to four weeks camping. Gear is loaded in the mid-sections of the canoe, and not the ends.
Three 10 litre square blue water jugs across canoe, and under yoke (positioned forawrd or back to trim) - Two more of the same water-jugs in front of them. 125lbs. of water. This gives me a generous two weeks of water (and ballast). A 75 litre/75lb dry-pack bag sits in the front-middle. A 20L/20lb dry-bag each side. An empty 5gal. bucket tucked-in. Snacks, cut-down gumboots, and two, two-litre drinking waters are stashed in voids, and close at hand.
Cockpit is clear, except the 30L/30lb. dry-pack I squat over, my sleeping/kneeling pad, and the tails of two 20L/20lb. dry-bags stuffed into the chines under the air-bags, behind my feet.
There are two 15' floating painters, bow and stern, tied-off to the yoke with highwayman's hitches for fast access. A bailer. Whistle. Throw-bag. Second paddle. Map or chart and a tidetable. Compass.

That's pretty much my full-loaded setup, although things get shifted a bit as supplies dwindle and I consolidate the dry-bags. Coming down-island light, I carry three of the water containers, the two dry-packs, and one dry-bag.

For day and overnight-trips, one 35L dry-pack, four litres of water, and a 20L dry-bag are all I take.

That's impressive. I'm uneasy solo at times on large open water when the going gets rough. I don't think I'd be comfortable doing what you have done. Kudos to you. Your process is well-thought-out. Thanks for sharing.
GG

_________________
A smart man learns from his mistakes,
A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.
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email: geraldguay@hotmail.com

Very impressive for sure. The Hellman Prospector is a big boat for one person but I expect it feels good to have a big boat on the big water.
Very well thought-out outfitting.

Thanks @boat_mouse, inspiring stuff. Your story about the whirlpool is wild! At night, no less... Yikes.

I was wondering, how do you like the Hellman Prospector for your saltwater trips? I've been doing a fair amount of canoe tripping with my wife and daughter for the past few years, and we'd like to begin to explore the coast a bit more. Howe Sound, Sunshine Coast, Southern Gulf Islands, Octopus Islands, Desolation Sound... We're working up to it

Anyway, our current boat isn't really suitable for this sort of thing, so we're starting to look around at other options. We've been thinking about the Hellman Slocan. I'd be interested to hear what you'd look for in a good ocean-going canoe & why you chose the Prospector in particular.

Unbelievable!
I can't even imaging myself paddling this area in a canoe.
Sometimes I am contemplating a kayak trip in that area, but never a trip in a canoe.

I've done a little canoeing on some of these waters, but I can't imagine doing a lot of canoeing on all of these waters - hat's off to you!

@2tothe8 - I think of a Hellman Slocan is a good river tripper. Mine is fairly lightweight for its size, and has a decent amount of rocker... I'd expected it get blown around very easily. I'm not experienced on the ocean, but my assumption is that most open water canoes would trend towards less rocker than a Prospector, not more. If I picture ocean/lake canoes, I think of boats that have a flatter keel line, with more boat in the water.

P.

_________________
Learning to paddle is like learning a language:
It's easy to learn the basics, but will you be understood in a strong wind?

Thanks for the acknowledgment folks. Canoeing in ocean had me starting at bottom and rebuilding a new skill-set. Took five years of regular paddling to get where I am now, and I'm still learning. Canoes are more at the whim of the sea than kayaks. I work those conditions to my advantage.

Two2the8 - I prefer 'river' canoes as I'm a Canadian Freestyle paddler - side-slipping is just about the most fun I can have in a canoe. As I paddle a lot in current, I also prefer the Slocan, and would have it for pick-up trucking around Surge Narrows. The ocean there is essentially an ever-changing river. For putting on miles, the Prospector is a very good design, efficient, nimble, fast, and useful. The downside is that it tends to plant it's bow in 4' short-period boat-wakes. The Slocan would rise-up out of the trough better. For exposed-coast the Slocan would be a lot of boat for a solo paddler. For experienced tandem paddlers it would be ideal. A lot of folks here like Clippers, specifically the Sea Clipper, and Tripper, they track well, are efficient, and for most paddler's in calmer conditions - quite fast. The downside is the hard-chines - tripping over them, or having them bite-in on a side-slip can be un-nerving. Like all canoes it's always a compromise, one thing for another. I really like Hellman's symmetrical designs, and his Scout, and Solitude are also canoes that I'd love to own. The Prospector I paddle is a good compromise for what I use it for, and fit's nicely on the coastal wave-periods. If you buy the Slocan you'll be in a good safe canoe. Extra ballast in the center will make it behave when things are spicey.

Like most padders - I built up to bigger water slowly.
I've come to canoeing from kayaking. Coastal Expedition kayaking is what 'seasoned' me. The first, and most-treasured book I owned on kayaking was by John Dowd. Old school. I watched 'This is the sea'. I read about 'Kayak Bill' Davidson. Then joined a locally based paddler's forum at Westcoastpaddlers - who were wonderful people BTW. I beginner-paddled to the the WCP Spring get-together, it snowed. Dan Milsip brought his massive MSR shelter. Such fun! I was hooked!
Next came preparing myself for solo paddling. Then came solo paddling. I like my own company - most of the time. It wasn't a difficult transition.
My favourite Victoria area, canoe accessible paddles are Sansum Narrows and Saltspring Island. Albert Head and Witty's lagoon (off metchosin), Sidney to Dock-islets.. Goldstream boathouse, Squally Reach, Todd Inlet. Beaver Lake. Portage Inlet. Listed most exposed to least-ish exposed. Ish.
Sometimes the best route is running along the rocks, and other times it's three miles exposed. The choice gets easier with wisdom, curiousity, and watchful-eyes. Being nervous is part of it. Pre-launch butterflies are the worst. Once I'm actually on the water it's all good. Air-bags, a safety-line to canoe, and a solid (practiced) self-rescue provide peace-of-mind.
Picture a 9 year old child, me, hanging over the gunnels, staring into the deep green ocean, looking into the endless green - my father explaining 'depth', imagining myself sinking, sinking, sinking. It terrified me. It still does, and I think that driving fear, above all, keeps me from doing stupid things on purpose. Fear keeps me safe, and I listen to it.
Out there? I'm smiling and squinting, struggling and singing, smelly and smoky. I'm in the shimmering layer of in-between, dancing under the sky and over the water. Until. I'm in over my head - it's too much or too risky - I get off the water fast. Simple. Conservative. Safe. Sometimes the wait is a few hours, sometimes it's one, two, occasionally three days (sorry parksville).
In these situations I find it best to stay out of sight, stay quiet, and be as discreet - as possible. I don't tent, only a tarp I raise and lower. I believe this keeps me on better legal footing. One night most folks understand, two nights they start asking questions, three nights they call the police. Weather systems are often three day events. A Qualicum fisherman told me that three days of Northwest winds are often followed by as many of good weather. I find this to be often true in spring and fall, on most of southern Vancouver Island. More days of poor weather and only one or two days of 'good' on northern Vancouver Island.
First Nations land-rights are to be respected. Without permission please treat reserve land as off-limits.

Thanks @boat_mouse, it’s really helpful to have your take on the Slocan. It’s also great to hear more details about your approach and lessons learned… Much appreciated. Gonna bookmark this thread for future reference

You are welcome @two2the8.
Happy to answer any questions, or add more to this thread if there is interest. It's a lot of coastline, and I know it fairly well.

As an aside, I am studying for the RCABC Instructor course, and while digging through the manual discovered they offer a multi-level Ocean Canoe Paddler certification program, as well as an a multi-level Ocean Canoe Instructor certification. Closed deck canoes are not specified, nor are they required. Air-bags are recommended/mandatory, no mention of spraydecks that I could see. The Instructor course prerequisites are Lakewater II Instructor, Ocean Canoe 2 for one year minimum, Moving Water III or IV, 21 days Ocean experience - including five consecutive days of camping and experience in at least 3 channels during variable currents exceeding 5 knots. Pretty thorough stuff, and yes, Ocean Canoeing is a 'thing'.

There is a bit more protection if you paddle on the mainland side of the strait east of Texada up to Cortes Island . It would still involve a fairly long crossing to Lasqueti via Ballenas and Sangster Islands .

Well done though , paddling by canoe , old school