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• Kayak Trip - Pitt Lake & Osprey Provincial Marine Park

  • Start
    31 May 2025
  •  
    06:00
  • End
    01 Jun 2025
  •  
    18:00
  • Location
    Pitt Lake & Osprey

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  Date: Saturday May 31 to Sunday June 1

  Location: Pitt Lake, camping at Osprey Provincial  Marine Park

  Trip Leader: Rob gill (contact Rob on Club Locarno Slack for more information)

  Overview

  This is an excellent trip if you've never kayak-camped or are just wanting to get out into nature early in the season. The lake is generally calm and early season will have less boat craft. At about 16 km each way the paddle to the campsite will take several hours but we hug the lake shore and there are some opportunities to make landfall as needed. The campsite is rustic and back-country with pit toilets about the only convenience on offer. Overall this is an excellent beginner kayak-camping trip.

  Trip plan

  Meet at Club Locarno at 6am on Saturday morning to load kayaks and related gear. Drive approximately1 hour to  Grant Narrow Park at Pitt Addington at the south end of Pitt lake. There are several boat launch ramps with plenty of parking at the park. 

  Osprey Provincial Marine Park is about a 16 km paddle up the lake and there are several camping options at the park. Fresh water available from a river at the campsite, and pit toilets are also on site. Otherwise this is a rustic, backcountry campsite. Pitt Lake itself is generally considered too brackish to drink.

  Pitt Lake is tidal but being so far from the ocean the ebb and flow is generally mild. The wind typically is stronger in the afternoon so an earlier start will increase the odds of a calm paddle

  The return journey is made more interesting by hugging the western shore where there are waterfalls and old logging equipment to view along the way.  However, consideration needs to be given to the tide levels as the south western corner is very shallow. We would expect to return to Club Locarno late afternoon on Sunday.

  See this link for a trip report I wrote back in 2020: https://forums.clubtread.com/18-paddling-biking-other/6282-three-day-kayak-trip-around-pitt-lake-2.html#post851876

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• Kayak & SUP Trip - Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) Marine Provincial Park

  • Start
    22 Aug 2025
  •  
    09:00
  • End
    24 Aug 2025
  •  
    18:00
  • Location
    Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) Marine Provincial Park

  Register

  Club trip to Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) Marine Provincial Park just of Naniamo.

  This trip is aimed at kayakers who are beginner campers but others are welcome to join us if there is room. Priority will be given to those who want to gain camping experience and test their skills rolling on & off BC Ferries. We'll take up to ten kayaks (12 people assuming couples in doubles).

  This is a joint adventure with SUP fleet. SUP fleet participants can also register on the SUP Trip event.
  

  For kayakers: this is a roll-on roll-off camping trip. We will transport the kayaks to Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal (and gain experience lashing kayaks onto cars). We will roll onto the ferry, roll-off at Discovery Bay, walk the kayaks to the launching site and paddle to Saysutshun. 

  For SUP: probably need some cars to travel on the ferry to carry the SUPs. But some may be able to walk on carrying camping gear and take the bus/taxi to the Saysutshun ferry,
  

  We have a group campsite for two nights (Friday, Saturday). 

  • Friday - ferry probably 12:00pm ferry
  • Saturday - day trip
  • Sunday - morning trip 
    Return  - ferry probably 3:20pm

  For kayakers: the longest day will be up to 20 km of paddling depending on weather conditions and group skills. Depending on numbers, we may split into two groups for day excursions. Day trip destinations will depend on the weather:

  • Hudsons Rocks / Pipers Lagoon Park
  • Gabriola (East Coast)
  • Descanso Bay / Park
  • Nanaimo River
    

  This is an explorer trip: paddling will be more aimed at exploring the coastline and islands.

  We have the option of eating a supper at the Dinghy Dock Pub on neighbouring Protection Island

  Pre-requisite experience:  Level 1 skills. Some experience paddling in wind and chop. Ability to paddle at 3-4 km/h for 4-5 hours or 15-20km (with breaks). Competent in self-rescues and assisted rescue.

  We will be limited to 12 campers, so if more apply to join we will select names based on experience or at random.  There will be a trip planning meeting with all participants the week before the trip and a test paddle as a group from Jericho.  

  Transportation: we will need cars for transporting kayaks to Horseshoe Bay. We'll book as walk-on passengers (with kayaks) with BC Ferries

  Costs: Club Locarno trip fee, ferry, share of camping fee, share of parking fee at Horseshoe Bay.

  Any questions about the trip, please contact Mark at kayaking@clublocarno.com

  
  

  
  

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