Boating Paradise?

[gonefishie]

As I was browsing Google Satellite, I was amazed by the size and isolation of Canada's northern territories especially the Nunavut territory. The Baffin Island area looks awesome from satellite. I did some digging and found that Nunavut is about the size of Western Europe but have a population of just about 30 thousand peoples. Something tells me that it's not a good place to be. Then I started to look eastward for more interesting locations. I stumbled on Ha Long Bay in Northern Vietnam. It looks like you could drive your boat around for months and still don't see it all. I wonder how the native peoples know their way around without a GPS. If I ever get rich enough, I would fly halfway around the world, rent a boat, spend a month and explore that place.

 

[DJ]

Re: Boating Paradise?

That is beautiful country.

My own "slice of heaven" is a lake in Alabama. Every time I go there I see something new and enjoy.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Boating Paradise?

...you should google 'Georgia Strait', British Columbia. One of the very best cruising waters (ocean) in the world. Some of the most beautiful and importantly (natural) scenery in the world. One of the best parts....its safe to go there. Just ask the thousands...and I mean thousands of Americans who depart the Seattle/Puget Sound area and head north in the summer to cruise it. I'll bet well over 50% of the boats/people in there in the summer are American.
This sheltered area (350+ miles) between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland has so many islands and bays it would make your head swim. Great salmon fishing, killer whales, seals, lots of great little towns to cruise into, B.C coastal mountains in the background. Its a sight to behold.
....makes me wish I had a bigger boat sometimes, at least bigger than 18ft.
BP

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Boating Paradise?

Wow, that's awesome! If I would make that cruise, I would like to start from lake Washington and follow the canal out to Puget Sound and then up. Or start out at Olympia, follow the waterway maze through Tacoma, through Seatle and then up north. Do you know if this areas of lakes, bays and connecting canal are fresh water or mix?

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Boating Paradise?

Wow, that's awesome! If I would make that cruise, I would like to start from lake Washington and follow the canal out to Puget Sound and then up. Or start out at Olympia, follow the waterway maze through Tacoma, through Seatle and then up north. Do you know if this areas of lakes, bays and connecting canal are fresh water or mix?

Most of this boating water is salt. However...they is great salmon fishing to be had in that. As well, there is some of the best Steelhead fishing in the world in a lot of the feed rivers up through the coast.
As for the route up...cutting and working your way through the San Juan Islands (U.S group) and into the Gulf Islands (Canada) would be a great route. You have to check in at customs when first entering Canada....easy stuff all in all, just leave the firearms on the U.S side. These islands are usually not more than a mile or two apart....at most.
From there you can head north for weeks. Lots of great places to stop and stay. Marine parks, bays, Harbourside B&B's, resorts, towns. It's endless...you could spend a month heading north and hardly scratch the surface on what is in there.
As well, you would be in good company with lots of U.S boaters up here.
Late July and August are best....early September can be pretty nice too...just a little cooler.
You may to train up for a few weeks before hand on Canadian beer tho'.
Oh, one other thing....Vancouver Island has many wineries and there are some great tours available in the summer and some very nice wines...for what its worth.
Cheers.
BP

 

[onenomad]

Re: Boating Paradise?

My wife and I have cruised the Pacific coast from Manzanillo, Mexico at Lat 20'N to Queen Charlotte Sound, B.C., CA at Lat 50'N. It is our thoughts that the area from the Canadian Gulf Islands north to Queen Charlotte Sound has some of the best waters and most spectacular scenery for small boat cruising. You could literally spend a lifetime there and not cover it all. Just our experiences.
Regards,
Gerry