Location: On the southern part of Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). 640 km north of Vancouver off the central coast of British Columbia.

Season: All Year-round, the warmer months are see by far the most vistors.

Climate: Cool & relatively dry (with the emphasis on relativly) from May to Sept. Sea fog Is commo and rain is a fact of life particulary in the winter. August's average temperature is 14.4 C.

Size: 90 km. from south end to north with an overall sice of approximatley 1,470 sq. km of land.

Backpacking: There are no trails or designated campsites. Visitor services within the protected area are very limited. On the Island you camp were you please: ( The exceptions are at Tanuu Village, Ata Naa, Copper, Rankine or SganGwaii Island or Slug Islet). Ask at any of the Watchmen base-camps for advice on choosing a suitable site. The beaches are the best place to practice no trace camping. (Choose your spot well above the daily high tide mark.)

Hiking: There are no trails or designated campsites. Visitor services within the protected area are very limited.

Kayaking: Gwaii Haanas has some of the best sea kayaking in Canada but sea kayaking Gwaii Haanas is not for novices. It is made up of 138 Islands. The islands sit at the edge of the continental shelf, separated from the British Columbia mainland by the width of the notorious waters of Hecate Strait. The use of guides is common and definately encouraged. For 24 hour weather information for north coast water there is the VHF Continuous Marine Broadcast stations on: 62.40 MHz (WX2, or Weather 2), 161.65 MHz (Channel 21B), 162.55 MHz (WX1, or Weather 1), 162.47 MHz (WX3, Weather 3). You can also call the continuous marine weather broadcasts in Prince Rupert. Fog is an ever present hazard!

Nature: An estimated 750,000 seabirds nest in Gwaii Haanas. These include the rhinoceros auklet, ancient murrelet, tufted puffin, horned puffin, Cassin's auklet, and Leach's fork-tailed storm petrels, common murres, pelagic corrmorants, the bald eagle and Peale's peregrine falcon. You may also see killer whales, humpback, sei, finback and minke whales, dolphins, porpoises and Steller's sea lions.

Books: Burch, David. Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation (Second Edition). The Globe Pequot Press, Old Saybrook, Connecticut.1993. / Dowd, John. Sea Kayaking. Douglas and MacIntyre, Vancouver. 1988 / Hutchinson, Derek. Derek Hutchinson's Guide to Sea Kayaking. Pacific Search Press. / Canadian Hydrographic Service. Symbols and Abbreviations used on Canadian Nautical Charts.

Gwaii Haanas

Gwaii Haanas is jointly managed by the Government of Canada and the Council of the Haida Nation.The park consists of 138 islands with a rich and fascinating diversity of life. The park promotes the protection of the Haida cultural legacy which has been nurtured by them for hundreds of generations. Since Gwaii Haanas is a protected area, the number of visitors entering each day (during the warmer months) is limited, reservations are available and recommended or you can vie for one of the first come, first served spots. All visitors must participate in a mandatory orientation session and must abide by the code of ethics which are outlined by the park. Contact the park through their website for further infomation.

Out-There's British Columbia
Out-There's Vancouver
Out-There's Whistler
Out-There's Vancouver Island, Victoria and Pacific Rim
Out-There's Gulf Islands

British Columbia Tourism
Northern BC Tourism
Queen Charlotte Visitor Centre
Haida Heritage Centre

Accommodations

• Gwaii Haanas Guest House
• Moresby Explorers

Tours & Rentals

• Gwaii Haanas Guest House - Kayak Tours
• Maple Leaf Adventures - Sailing Tours
• Moresby Explorers - Kayak Rentals
• Queen Charlotte Adventures - Kayak Tours & Rentals

Related Links

Gwaii Haanas National Park & Haida Heritage Site - From Wikipedia
Gwaii Haanas - From Flickr
Gwaii Haanas - From YouTube
Queen Charlotte Islands - From Wikipedia

Queen Charlotte Weather
Tides - From the Canadian Hydrographic Service
Topographical Maps - From the Centre for Topographical Information

National Parks in British Columbia

• Glacier National Park - BC Interior, Revelstoke
• Gulf Islands National Park - Gulf Islands, Sidney (Victoria) & Tsawwassen (Vancouver)
• Kootenay National Park - BC Rocky Mountains, Radium Hot Springs
• Mount Revelstoke National Park - BC Interior, Revelstoke
• Pacific Rim National Park - West Coast Vancouver Island, Ucluelet & Tofino
• Yoho National Park - BC Rocky Mountains, Field

The islands that make up the park are situated a good distance off British Columbia's central coast. The park is only accessible by boat or plane.