Islands Circumnavigation Project

Trip report coming soon!

• Island Size: 7.25 square kilometres
• Date Circumnavigated: August 8, 2025
• Direction of Circumnavigation: Clockwise
• Route Summary: I completed this circumnavigation as part of a larger three-day trip around Nelson Island. I started and ended the circumnavigation at a point on the east end of Hardy Island, just inside Telescope Passage. I handrailed the shoreline clockwise from here, stopping for lunch at the BC Marine Trails picnic spot “Blind Bay North” and checking out the very rocky Hardy Island Marine Park en route (too rocky to land or camp at for me as a solo paddler). I continued around the west and north shores of Hardy, stopping at some pretty little islets on the north side for a quick break before returning to my starting point to complete the circumnavigation.
• Tide & Weather Observations: Tides were flooding with a large 4.0-metre range during the circumnavigation. I chose a clockwise route to have the building flood tides (and inflow winds) with me as I paddled east up Jervis Inlet, along the north shore of Hardy Island. I did not notice the flood tide significantly with (or against) me at any point, even though I was supposedly paddling up Jervis during the midpoint of the flood cycle. From observations, especially of wind against current, it seems the main tidal flow happens a bit farther out in Jervis Inlet, while the waters around Hardy are less affected.
• Total Paddling Distance: 9.16 nm (16.9 kilometres)
• Total Paddling Time: 2 hours 43 minutes
• Total Trip Time (Including Breaks): 3 hours 17 minutes
• Moving Average Speed: 3.4 knots
• Overall Average Speed: 2.8 knots
• Maximum Speed: Unknown
• Boat: Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 Pro
• Highlights: Deciding to do this circumnavigation as part of a larger day that included another 16+ nautical miles of paddling, and enjoying it! 🌄 Seeing a bizarre abandoned home construction project near Hardy Island Marine Park; it looked like someone was building a castle but ran out of money. 🌄 Seeing orcas spouting in the distance as I left Blind Bay to round the west side of Hardy Island. 🌄 Break stop in some pretty islets on the north shore. 🌄 Smooth sailing along the west and north shores when I was expecting windier conditions.

• Island Size: 102.8 square kilometres
• Date Circumnavigated: August 7-9, 2025
• Direction of Circumnavigation: Counterclockwise
• Route Summary: I launched at Madeira Park Dock in Pender Harbour, then paddled over to Fearney Point at the souteast tip of Nelson Island to begin my circumnavigation. On Day 1, I paddled north up Agamemnon Channel with the flood tide, then left Nelson to stay the night in Egmont in Skookumchuck Narrows. On Day 2, I paddled back over to Nelson and continued handrailing the shoreline to the Cockburn Roberts Homesite campsite on the southwest shores of the island. On Day 2, I also detoured from the Neslon circumnavigation to circumnavigate neighbouring Hardy Island. On Day 3, I paddled from Cockburn Roberts Homesite back to Fearney Pont to complete my circumnavigation, then hopscotched back over to Madeira Park via the islands in the outer part of Pender Harbour.
• Tide & Weather Observations: Tide ranges were quite large during paddling hours (3.5-4.0 metres), with the lowest tide of each day between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. I chose a counterclockwise direction to make best use of the big flood tide on Day 1, to help carry me north through Agamemnon Channel. From there it was relatively easy to time my paddling to make best use of either the morning ebb or afternoon flood. I did not really feel the tides against me until I rounded Cape Cockburn at the southwest tip of Nelson Island late in the afternoon on Day 2. When the opposing flood hit me there, it felt like I was paddling up a conveyer belt! Thankfully I had only a short distance to cover to my evening camp. Weather was hot, with daytime temperatures in the 30s. After Day 1, I opted not to wear my drysuit, as the risks of overheating were higher than the risks of capsizing.
• Total Paddling Distance:
  • 29.74 nm (55.08 kilometres) for the Nelson Island circumnavigation only.
  • 53.96 nm (99.93 kilometres) for the entire trip, including paddling to/from Madeira Park, paddling to/from lodging in Egmont on Day 1, and completing the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • 44.80 nm (82.97 kilometres) for the Nelson Island trip minus the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • By day:
    • Day 1 – 18.93 nm (35.06 km)
    • Day 2 – 25.45 nm (47.13 km)
    • Day 3 – 9.58 nm (17.74 km)
• Total Paddling Time:
  • 8 hours 56 minutes for the Nelson Island circumnavigation only.
  • 16 hours 51 minutes for the entire trip, including paddling to/from Madeira Park, paddling to/from lodging in Egmont on Day 1, and completing the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • 14 hours 8 minutes for the Nelson Island trip minus the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • By day:
    • Day 1 – 6 hours 31 minutes
    • Day 2 – 7 hours 28 minutes
    • Day 3 – 2 hours 52 minutes
• Total Transit Time (Including Breaks):
  • 10 hours 3 minutes for the Nelson Island circumnavigation only.
  • 19 hours 19 minutes for the entire trip, including paddling to/from Madeira Park, paddling to/from lodging in Egmont on Day 1, and completing the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • 16 hours 2 minutes for the Nelson Island trip minus the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • By day:
    • Day 1 – 7 hours 48 minutes
    • Day 2 – 8 hours 35 minutes
    • Day 3 – 2 hours 56 minutes
• Moving Average Speed:
  • 3.3 knots for the Nelson Island circumnavigation only.
  • 3.2 knots for the entire trip, including paddling to/from Madeira Park, paddling to/from lodging in Egmont on Day 1, and completing the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • 3.2 knots for the Nelson Island trip minus the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • By day:
    • Day 1 – 2.9 knots
    • Day 2 – 3.4 knots
    • Day 3 – 3.3 knots
• Overall Average Speed:
  • 3.0 knots for the Nelson Island circumnavigation only.
  • 2.8 knots for the entire trip, including paddling to/from Madeira Park, paddling to/from lodging in Egmont on Day 1, and completing the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • 2.8 knots for the Nelson Island trip minus the Hardy Island circumnavigation.
  • By day:
    • Day 1 – 2.4 knots
    • Day 2 – 3.0 knots
    • Day 3 – 3.3 knots
• Maximum Speed: 6.1 knots at the beginning of Day 2, paddling out of Skookumchuck Narrows with the ebb current behind me.
• Boat: Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 Pro
• Highlights: Completing my longest day on the water to date — 25.45 nautical miles in 7.5 hours on Day 2 — and still having gas in the tank for more. 🌞 Paddling off a 1:80,000 scale chart (not something I do often!) 🌞 Paddling two days without my drysuit on due to the heat — so much more comfortable! 🌞 Last-minute search for safe accommodations in Egmont on Day 1 (much floating on the water sorting things out). 🌞 Having beautiful, glassy Agnew Passage all to myself on the morning of Day 2. 🌞 Fitting the Hardy Island circumnavigation in to this trip. 🌞 Ice cream signs on the shore in Telescope Passage. 🌞The west side of Nelson Island from Blind Bay to Cape Cockburn late on Day 2 – calm waters and beautiful scenery. 🌞 Full moon making my tent glow like bioluminescence on Night 2, plus listening to a seals active overnight and hearing a whale pass through in the early morning. 🌞 Paddling around Quarry Bay and on to Fearney Point on the south shore — unique and different landscape! 🌞 The steep rocky cliffs at Fearney Point in Agamemnon Channel. 🌞 Doing this trip solo in totally unknown waters. 🌞 Completing this circumnavigation in three days, then realizing I could have done it in two days!