Boating and Kayaking
guide to the Southern
Strait of Georgia
Take care of yourself
The Southern Strait of Georgia is
dotted by the Gulf Islands. Strong currents, particularly
between the islands, can make water travel challenging.
Please take care, follow the weather forecasts, familiarize
yourself with the tides, and bring appropriate charts. Be
safe and have fun!
Take care of nature
In the Southern Strait of Georgia, nature seems strong
and healthy. The whales and dolphins may even seem
invincible. But these mighty animals are in fact very
sensitive to disturbance and can be
unpredictable. Please use your
binoculars maintain a viewing
distance of 100 metres.
Explore the proposed national marine
conservation area
Map inside!
Beautiful but fragile
The Southern Strait of Georgia needs protection.
You can help.
Please contact your local politicians about the proposed national
marine conservation area. We must safeguard this precious
marine area for future generations.
Beloved by humans, needed by nature
Long a marine playground for humans, the stunning
waters between Vancouver and Victoria nurture a
fantastic array of sea life. From endangered southern
resident orcas, to large cormorant colonies, sea lion
haul-outs and glass sponge reefs, this ocean is special.
It’s earmarked for conservation. Once protected, the
Southern Strait of Georgia will take its place as one of the
great marine “parks” in the world.
Yours to explore — an ocean adventure awaits
For more information:
Clean Marine BC
www.georgiastrait.org
Marine protection for the Southern
Strait of Georgia
To really know this world, you must take to the ocean.
From kayak, canoe, boat or yacht, this
marine area will reveal its secrets.
You’ll see the sudden breaching
of a whale, the fierce fishing of
seabirds and the playful antics
of young seals. It is nature in
the raw that few ever witness.
Canadian Parks and
Wilderness Society
www.cpawsbc.org
Photography: Richard Cannings, Chris Cheadle/Parks Canada, Brent Cook, Sabine Jessen,
Clockwise from top right: Seagulls, warbonnet,
great blue heron, orcas, octopus and diver, clown
shrimp climbing an anemone.
Enjoy your
adventures!
Håkan Karlsson, Marilyn Kazmers/Shark Song, J. McCulloch/Parks Canada, Jason Puddifoot,
Dale Sanders, Dean Van’t Schip.
Design: Roger Handling, Terra Firma Digital Arts
Printed in Canada on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper.
Southern Strait of Georgia – A Marine treasure
Natural adventure in the Southern
Strait of Georgia
Watch for these wonders…
Seabirds and shorebirds: Two million
birds! Pacific migrations bring both
tropical and Arctic species.
Whales and dolphins: Orcas,
humpbacks, grey whales and Pacific
white-sided dolphins all frequent
these waters. If you’re lucky you may
even see a minke whale!
Schools of fish: The orcas chase the Chinook salmon,
but many other fish travel below the surface.
Watch for diving birds!
Creatures living on the edge: Sea
stars, anemones, octopus, rockfish,
and abalone—to name a few. All
hug the intertidal waters, where
land meets sea.
Amazing kelp forests: Near certain
islands, the kelp grows dense
and lush. Many creatures live,
hide and prey in these marine forests.
Created by the sea
Geography and global currents create the unique world of
the Southern Strait of Georgia.
> Strong tidal currents within narrow island channels
produce upwellings, rips and whirlpools, creating a
nutrient-rich marine environment.
> Lush kelp forests, sea grass beds and remarkable
glass sponge reefs provide nurseries for a vast
array of marine life.
> The seabed rises to jagged
underwater peaks and then
smooths to sandscapes; the
underwater topography is
varied and complex.
> With numerous Gulf Islands
dotting this seascape, the animals
inhabit a true land-sea ecosystem. For instance, a
sea lion feeds in the water, but rests on shore.
Seals and sea lions: The mighty Stellers
roam in wintertime, as do the smaller,
darker Californian sea lions. Plenty of
harbour seals and river otters year
round too.
Top to bottom: Sandpiper, harbour seal,
humpback whale.
Top to bottom: Anemone, double-crested
cormorant drying its wings, kelp forest.
Top to bottom: Wolf eel, kayakers hauling
out on Princess Margaret Beach, Steller
sea lion colony.
Top to bottom: Crab, black oystercatchers
search for food, a portion of a glass
sponge reef.
Please note: Highlighted areas are only a sampling of the excellent
recreational experiences you can enjoy in the region.
GABRIOLA
ISLAND
LULU ISLAND
GABRIOLA
PASSAGE
MUDGE
ISLAND
VANCOUVER
ISLAND
VA N CO U V E R
Southern Strait of Georgia:
Proposed National Marine Conservation Area
Pacific Great
Blue Heron Nests
Harbour Seal
Haul-outs
STRAIT OF
GEORGIA
FRASER RIVER
VALDES ISLAND
DE COURCY
ISLAND
Black Oystercatcher
Nesting Sites
LEGEND
Orca travel routes
CANADA
PORLIER PASS
Herring spawning area
THETIS
ISLAND
Great diving, anemones
Dense kelp forests
UNITED STATES
Pigeon Guillemots
Seagrass beds
KUPER
ISLAND
Glass sponge reefs
Glass Sponge Reefs
Diverse intertidal pools
Shipwrecks
Tri
n
Black oystercatchers
co
m
ali
Pigeon guillemots
Great blue heron nests
Cormorants
Harbour seal haul-outs
Sea lion haul-outs
Ch
an
ACTIVE
PASS
GALIANO
ISLAND
ne
l
PREVOST
ISLAND
Double Crested
Comorants
Orca travel routes
MAYNE
ISLAND
SALTSPRING
ISLAND
Great bird watching –
part of Pacific Flyway
SAMUEL ISLAND
NORTH
PENDER
ISLAND
PORTLAND
ISLAND
Home of the Orcas
SATURNA ISLAND
SOUTH
PENDER
ISLAND
MORESBY
ISLAND
B.C.’s endangered southern resident orcas chase
their favourite Chinook salmon through these
waters. When these orcas breach, their leaping
bodies create the greatest iconic images of B.C.’s
marine environment.
The national marine conservation area will help
protect these orcas, along with countless birds,
fish, marine mammals… and humans. Nearby
residents in Vancouver, Victoria and the Gulf Islands
will benefit from the pollution monitoring and
protection of wildlife breeding grounds.
STUART
ISLAND
SPIEDEN
ISLAND
JAMES
ISLAND
Sea Lion
Haul-outs
Great Bird
Watching Spot
HENRY
ISLAND
SIDNEY
ISLAND
D’ARCY
ISLAND
SHAW
ISLAND
SAN JUAN
ISLAND
LOPEZ
ISLAND
VICTORIA
Protection needed urgently
We all need to make sure that we tread lightly. A
conservation area would encourage recreation,
while banning heavy or destructive industry.
Under government study since 2003, it’s time to
finally protect these waters with a national marine
conservation area. We need to act soon.
ORCAS
ISLAND
MANDARTE
ISLAND
Saanich Inlet
The Southern Strait of Georgia is under threat. It’s the
busiest body of water in British Columbia. Along with
ferries and fishing operations, much shipping traffic
passes by on its way to a port in Vancouver. Fewer
than 100 resident orcas survive and many other
creatures, including “old growth” rockfish, are at risk.
WALDRON
ISLAND
JUAN DE
FUCA STRAIT
Pump-out stations are available
in Nanaimo, Ganges, Tsehum
Harbour, Sidney and Victoria.