Getting to Coast Mountain Expeditions BC Kayaking Tours and Lodge

Sea Kayaking Vancouver Island Adventure Tours and BC Wilderness Lodge

We are located in the Discovery Islands – a sea kayaking paradise in a rainforest island wilderness archipelago between Vancouver Island and the mountainous British Columbia mainland about 150 km north of Vancouver BC Canada. It's easy to get here! – If you would like help figuring out best transportation, please feel free to contact us.

Coast Mountain kayaking Vancouver Island tours depart from Quadra Island, near the small city of Campbell River on Vancouver Island.

• Most of our multi-day Vancouver Island kayak tours begin with a Coast Mountain Expeditions boat ride from Heriot Bay, Quadra Island to Coast Mountain Lodge on Read Island.

• Multi day sea kayaking Vancouver Island tours as well as our marine park kayak day trips, kayak rentals and B&B hostel accommodation are all available from Discovery Islands Lodge at the end of Surge Narrows Road on Quadra Island. You can come to the Discovery Islands by air or land & water. (See TRAVEL INFORMATION & USEFUL LINKS at bottom of this page.)

DRIVING OR BUS: Take a ferry to Vancouver Island at Victoria or Nanaimo. Ferries come to Vancouver Island from Vancouver BC and from Seattle and Port Angeles, WA. Drive Highway 19 to Campbell River; enjoy the 10 minute ferry to Quadra Island.
Ferry & driving time from Vancouver, BC … 4-5 hrs
Ferry & driving time from Seattle, USA 9 … hours
Bus service connections from
• Seattle, WA
• Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, B.C.

AIRPLANE: Fly to Campbell River or Comox on Vancouver Island (from Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Seattle); take airporter service & ferry to Quadra Island.
Travel time from Vancouver, BC … 2 hrs
Travel time from Seattle, USA … 3 hrs

SEAPLANE: From Vancouver & Victoria (Canada) to Campbell River; and from Seattle (USA) direct to Quadra Island BC.
Travel time from Vancouver & Victoria (Canada) … 1 hr
Travel time from Seattle, USA … 2 hrs

Notes for Flying: Our closest airport is at Campbell River, BC. Comox Airport, 35km away, has scheduled Westjet service. There is good airporter-bus service from both airports to the Quadra Island Ferry terminal in Campbell River.

Notes for Driving: • Campbell River is located 153 km (95 miles) north of Nanaimo, and 265 Km (166 miles) north of Victoria on Highway 19 or 19A Oceanside Route. • We recommend the scenic Oceanside Route Highway 19A from Nanaimo to Campbell River. Please note that the new Inland Route (Highway 19) is faster. • If you are driving via the Inland Highway 19, take the Jubilee Exit just before Campbell River, and drive down until you reach 19A at the ocean. Turn left, and take the Oceanside route to City Centre, watch for sign (right turn at the lights) to the Quadra Ferry. • Line-ups at ferries and border crossing are unpredictable! It is possible to make reservations with BC Ferries.

Notes for Quadra Ferry: The Campbell River to Quadra Island BC Ferry runs approximately every hour between 6:40 am and 10:30 pm, with 11:30 pm sailings Friday & Saturday. The crossing takes approximately 10 minutes. Round trip fare is $17.25 Cdn for car and driver, and $5.25 Cdn for passengers.

How to Get to Discovery Islands Lodge on Quadra Island - Please Note:
• Some Coast Mountain Expeditions multi day kayak trips (Discovery Islands Tour, Marine Park & Outer Islands Tour, Xwemahlkwu Bears Expedition) start from Discovery Islands Lodge.

• Discovery Islands Lodge is also Coast Mountain’s location for marine park kayak daytrips, B&B hostel accommodation and kayak rentals.

• Our other kayak expeditions (Octopus Islands, Desolation Sound and Fjordlands) start from Heriot Bay public wharf near the ferry on Quadra Island. Getting here is part of your vacation adventure! From Campbell River on Vancouver Island, take the 10-minute BC Ferry to Quadra Island. You can drive or take the island taxi ($50 Cdn) to Discovery Islands Lodge.( If you are arriving for a multi day kayak tour and do not have a vehicle, we can try to arrange a ride share.)

From the Quathiaski Cove ferry landing follow signs to Heriot Bay. (Turn right at the stop sign/gas station corner, then next left turn just past the school at the police station, then straight ahead to HB). At Heriot Bay fire hall, turn left onto Cramer Road and then stay on this road all the way 22 km to Discovery Islands Lodge. (The road name changes - from Cramer to Hyacinthe Bay to Village Bay Lakes and finally becomes Surge Narrows Road for the last 5 km or so).

You’ll enjoy a beautiful drive through classic British Columbia wilderness and Quadra Island’s Main Lakes Provincial Park. This winding road will take you through Quadra Island’s temperate rainforest, ending near Discovery Islands Lodge, our B&B kayak hostel. At the end of the road you will see our sign and parking area, and driveway down to the Lodge and kayaking dock.

Please be careful driving the Surge Narrows Road! It is a wonderfully scenic British Columbia route through mature Douglas fir forest, but the road is narrow, some places single lane, and there are corners with poor visibility. The road is well maintained and fine for 2-wheel vehicles. Just drive slowly and watch for on-coming traffic!

Travel Information & Useful Links Airlines
Pacific Coastal (Vancouver to Campbell River) 800-663-2872
www.pacific-coastal.com
Helijet (Direct flights from Seattle to Campbell River BC)
www.helijet.com
Air Canada (Vancouver or Seattle to Campbell River) 888-247-2262 www.aircanada.ca
Westjet (western Canada to Comox) 800-538-5696
www.westjet.com
Central mountain Air (Flights from Vancouver to Campbell River BC) www.flycma.com
Seaplane Services to Quadra Island Northwest Seaplanes (from Vancouver BC & Renton WA ) 888-287-8366
www.air-rainbow.com
Kenmore Air (from Seattle area) 800-543-9595
www.kenmoreair.com
Soundflight (from Renton WA & Sea-tac Airport) 800-825-0722 www.soundflight.com
Ferries BC Ferries From Vancouver to Vancouver Island -- Tsawassen & Horseshoe Bay routes; also Campbell River to Quadra Is. 888-223-377
www.bcferries.com
Black Ball Transport (Port Angeles WA to Victoria BC) 360-457-4991 (WA) - 250-386-2202 (BC)
www.northolympic.com/coho
Victoria Clipper (Seattle to Victoria - Passenger Only) 800-888-253
www.victoriaclipper.com
www.ferrytraveller.com

The complete how to get to Vancouver Island and smaller islands, using the ferries Buses Vancouver Island Coachlines /Laidlaw (Bus schedule from Vancouver or Victoria or Nanaimo to Campbell River) 888-223-3779 www.victoriatours.com

Vancouver City Buses (How to get around Vancouver using inexpensive city transit systems to & from airport, ferry, bus depot etc.).
www.translink.bc.ca (very helpful website)

Airporter services Campbell River Airporter (250) 286-3000
Meets all incoming flights at Campbell River and provides transport to downtown CR and the Quadra Ferry. Forest Bus Tours Airport Service 888-248-4525 Meets incoming flights at Comox and provides transport ($25) to Campbell River and Quadra Ferry.