Tag Archives: Courtenay

Comox Lake

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We launched our kayaks in Comox Lake with the intention of paddling down the lake far enough to see the end of the glacier-fed lake, but strong winds came up so we ended up paddling a loop around the east end of the lake only.

We parked adjacent to the campground and launched from the beach into the protected bay.     There is no charge for canoes and kayaks.

We had an audience as we paddled out onto the main body of the lake.

There was a boat upside down by the point, capsized by the strong winds/   Our ocean-going kayaks were okay in the waves and wind, but the lake is cold and open waters is not a good choice for a recreational paddle.

A loop around the east end of the lake is about 5.5 km so we did it one and a half times to get in  decent workout.

A loop all the way around Comox Lake would be 32 km, too far for one day, but it is possible to paddle down around the corner to see the end of the lake and back with a 13 km paddle, our goal for the next visit.  .

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Puntledge River to Comox Harbour

Kamloops Kayak Posted on by

The Puntledge River flows out of Comox Lake and continues right through the City of Courtenay, flowing into Comox Harbour.   Kayakers can launch their boats at a public boat launch at the end of 20th Street in Courtenay Airpark.   From  there, paddlers can either go upstream for a ways or they can paddle downstream through the saltwater estuary to the sea.

 

There was a salmon run in progress so there were many seals fishing in the waterway.   We also spotted eagles, great blue herons, and many ducks and geese.

 

 

At high tide the whole of Comox Bay can be explored but at low tide we need to follow the river channel into thebay,, heading toward Goose Spit and the shoreline of Comox.  The paddle to the spit and back is about 10 km.

Paddlers could also opt to venture past the spit over to Sandy Island Provincial Park (add an extra 14 km return) if wind conditions are favorable.  It is a shorter distance to launch from Union Bay instead.

 

 

When Comox Bay is at high tide we can paddle over the flats on the south side of Courtenay.   Comox Glacier and the peaks of Strathcona Provincial Park are visible from the bay.

 

We paddled back upstream and continued past two bridges to Lewis Park.   We landed at the Airpark, happy with our paddling experience, so much so that we returned the next day at high tide to explore the area some more.

 

Paddling the Miracle Beach Shoreline

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We brought our kayaks to paddle the shoreline of Vancouver Island.   Since we were camping at Miracle Beach, we launched from that beach.   Miracle Beach has extensive shallows at low tide so launches and landings have to be at high tide.  Even then, we had to put the wheels on our kayak to get them to the beach and down to the water.  The tide table determined our paddling times, but once in the water, we enjoyed our paddling in the rolling waves of the Strait.

The paddle north from Miracle Beach to Salmon Point and back was our favorite.   On the way is Black Creek, Saratoga Beach, the Oyster River Estuary and then the Oyster River Nature Trails.   With the nutrients from the Oyster River, kelp beds were abundant and there was more sea life in the section north of the estuary.

We were pleased to spot fish jumping and two types of jellyfish.

For people who live on the Island, this would not be destination paddling, but we only get to the ocean once a year so we want to get our kayaks wet when we can.   Last year we did the Broken Islands and future trips will be to destinations like Desolation Sound, Nootka Sound, and the Gulf Islands.