First Family Trip with boat to Vancouver Island - Thasis or Barkley Sound?

A

andyandmarlys

New Member
Brand new member to the group, but heading up from Bellingham to visit Vancouver Island at the end of this weekend. We will be trailering our 2001 Bayliner 2452 that is setup for fishing and sleeping. (Initially I had planned on coming via water, but am trailering on ferry for our first trip).

I have a 7 and 9 year old son, and along with my wife we are looking to have some good fun catching Springs Lings and whatever else we can (never caught a halibut). We have been out to Westport, WA and have been up to the Frasier mouth several times, but this is a much bigger trip for us.

My wife and kids can deal with some chop and a little swell, but they are not fans of rough water (2ft plus = sick)

With all this being said, is Barkley Sound ( via Port Alberni launch) or a trip up to Thasis going to be a better experience for the family and kids? I personally want to head out into the ocean weather permitting.... but if fishing on the inside is good, I am not opposed to that. I am probably too big of a NEWB to hope for Tuna....but that seems really exciting to me.

I have replaced the springs and brakes in the tandem trailer, flushed the brake lines, and inspected and repacked my bearings in preparation for the trip. Going to Thasis is about 200km longer of a drive..... but I did win a week's worth of moorage at the Westview Marina at the Bellingham Salmon Derby (that expires this summer). So... its a longer drive, but I get free moorage, so that offsets the additional expense of driving somewhat. In addition... I have all week on this trip...so I can take more time than say a weekend type trip. (which makes Thasis a bit more appealing since I couldn't do a weekend trip there... but could do a weekend trip to Barkley Sound)

My son and I have caught Springs/Kings down here... but it will be new for my wife and daughter, although both have had plenty of practice with this year's pink run around San Juan Island.

My wife likes to have things to do (hikes, paddles, exploring, aquariums...etc) besides fishing. I will also be bringing along some free diving gear for me.

Since I have a short amount of time to decide where to go, I thought I'd get the opinions from other users. I know very little about Thasis.... and only a little more about Barkley Sound.

Any advice?


Also... if Thasis ends up being the place to go.... am I better off launching the boat at Gold River (its a 7000lb 24ft'er)

Thanks

Andy

boat.JPG
 
Barkley Sound is far more interesting for a family. Google the Broken Group.
 
Barkley sound for sure! Family friendly place. You can always have a shore night or two at the motel, Jeannie and the staff are great. Plus they got their own docks. The run from Port Alberni is good in the morning.
 
Just leaving after a week in Bamfield with the fam, actually two families.
Barkley sound will be awesome for you. You can go to ukie for the day or Bam. Good times.
 
Looks like 3-0 to try Barkley Sound for this trip.

Any recommendations for places that are good to stay? We are comfortable on our boat, but its great when there are things to see/do at a marina ( or anchored for that matter - we do have an inflatable dinghy)

Thanks
 
If you go to Barkley Sound, if the wife or kids get bored, you can head into Bamfield and there is some sort of observatory on the bluff that has a bunch of whale bones, and a small aquarium or something. I don't know, I was fishing and the wife took the kids. She just explained it to me, but I wasn't really paying attention!
Also Pachena Bay is an awesome beach. Not sure if you have to be staying at the First Nations campground in order to enjoy the beach. We were at the time, and the beach rivals anything in or around tofino, and we were the only people on it.
 
Fish returns to the WCVI (West Coast Vancouver Island) are predicted to be very low, with many restrictions. I'd go to Campbell River, stop in at Tyee Marine, and ask them where the fish are. Most likely the hump or the green can will be the go-to spots. Taku resort on the east side of Quadra Island has great moorage & is a short run to the above 2 fishing spots.
Manson's Lagoon on Cortes Island is loaded with shellfish. Hague Lake on Cortes Island has a white sand beach, with very warm water.

I have been to all these places. WCVI weather sucks on a good day. August is called Foggest because it can be foggy for days straight.
 
If you want to sneak offshore with the family on a good day...go to Barkley as the offshore swells on the south Island are consistently smaller than farther north and less offshore winds. Both areas offer lots of calm inside waters to fish and explore.
 
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