216 Saanich-Sidney Kayaking and Boating Map

About this region: This area is a beautiful location for novice kayakers to get their feet wet, so to speak, thanks to the relatively short distances required to reach a destination, the placid waters once on the way and the many accessible places to start a trip. Pristine locations such as Sidney Spit, D’Arcy Island and Portland Island can all be reached with little more than an hour or two of padding – an achievable itinerary for almost every skill level if you pay attention to the weather forecasts and rules regarding prevailing conditions.

The star, of course, is Portland Island with its three camping areas, anchorages, trails and rich intertidal life to view on a low-tide circumnavigation, a definite highlight for the area. However, D’Arcy, Rum and Sidney islands offer their own unique features that make for a wonderfully accessible yet rewarding circuit.  

About this mapsheet: This mapsheet covers the waterways on both sides of Saanich Peninsula, and so includes Saanich Inlet to the west and Haro Strait to the east. This makes it the ideal travel companion for trips out of Sidney, Island View, Swartz Bay, Brentwood Bay and Mill Bay to destinations such as DArcy Island, Sidney Spit, Isle-de-Lis and Portland Island. 

The mapsheet layout: The layout is a regional overview on the full page of one side, and on the other side a detailed closer-perspective view of the complex waterways around Swartz Bay and Coal Island to Portland Island. Also included are planning details such as expected water conditions, what to see and do, the First Nations context, launching locations and background on the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.

The mapsheet construction: The mapsheet is created by Wild Coast Publishing using some of the latest technology available to provide a high-quality printed image on waterproof/durable synthetic polymer stock. The stock is picked as the best for the purpose, and is significantly thicker than most papers at 10 mil weight.