Charts Charts Charts!
Back when I was paddling in Victoria I did some chart training and even had my own chart of the Victoria area. These marine charts are really important for determining navigable tides, operating in the dark or mist, or planning trips across open water. I love maps in general but it was even more special to learn how to use a proper chart for navigating more than just finding out where one road meets another.
I’ve since lost that chart, or gave it to someone when I moved away, not sure which. But now that I’m back on the island and in new waters, it is time to build up the library again and get ready for some trip planning!
I bought my first chart of the Nanaimo area from GoTrekkers, a certified Canadian distributor, and just received it in the mail the other day. I purchased chart 3443 (thanks to my cousin Lauren for helping narrow down the choices!) which covers Thetis Island to Nanaimo.
While the chart actually begins just south of my front door, I’ve already it is the best option for including both Nanaimo harbour and its islands where I already paddle normally and the northern part of the Southern Gulf Islands.
I’ve paddled twice in these waters south of Nanaimo, once this fall with the VIU Outdoor Recreation group who launched from Cedar and nosed into Dodd Narrows before going back around Round Island, and once four summers ago with Lauren and Kerry when we did an overnight trip from the same Cedar launch over to Blackberry Point on Valdes Island. That trip was an amazing experience, really my first long trip and my biggest open water crossings to date.
Gabriola, Valdes and Galiano Islands create a barrier for some smaller islands I wouldn’t have been able to name before seeing this chart, even though we went by most of them on our camping trip. A lot look prime for adventure, like Whaleboat Island Marine Provincial Park or Saturnina Island off the western tip of Gabriola. It looks like most of the small islands are fully private, so adventures that include stopping at each island may be hard, but still some adventuring could be possible!
Of course one issue with these charts is that they are really big! Since I live in a basement suite that doesn’t actually have a proper table, it looks like most of my adventure dreaming and planning will happen on the floor…
What’s the next chart I should add to my growing collection? The next in line southern half of the Southern Gulf Islands? Charts for Quadra Island and those beautiful waters?
