Kayaking in Deep Cove, Canada

Deep Cove overlooks the vast expanse of Indian Arm, a 15-mile-long fjord that empties into the Pacific Ocean through the Strait of Georgia. Less than 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, Deep Cove is an ideally situated launching spot for kayakers who want to explore the fjord's deep, clear waters. Despite its proximity to a major metropolitan area, Indian Arm is surprisingly secluded, and parts of its northern shore are accessible only by boat.

  1. Getting Out on the Water

    • Deep Cove is home to several kayak launching sites, including to waterfront parks. You can start your journey at Deep Cove Park, at the end of Gallant Avenue, which spans 12 acres and has a long wharf from which visitors can launch kayaks and canoes. The park also includes restrooms, parking, a swimming beach, shoreline walking paths and a boat launch from larger craft. Neighboring Panorama Park has similar facilities, and an ample stretch of open shoreline near its parking lot, so you can carry a kayak down and launch directly from the bank.

    Points of Interest

    • Deep Cove sits near the southwestern tip of Indian Arm, where the shoreline is dotted with cottages and homes. Paddling north, the landscape becomes more remote, and signs of life on the shore become increasingly sparse. By the time you reach Best Point, about halfway up the western shore, the houses will have been almost entirely replaced by tree-lined shores and rocky cliffs before a backdrop of mountains. The northern shoreline of Indian Arm is part of Indian Arm Provincial Park, a remote wilderness park with few roads and no running water. The park includes several primitive backcountry campsites near South Granite Falls, on North Twin Island and on either side of Bishops Creek that are open to kayakers on an overnight trip. Many of these sites are accessible only by water.

    Rentals, Lessons and Tours

    • If you don't have your own kayak, you can rent one at the Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Centre just south of Deep Cove Park. Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Centre also provides kayaking lessons and guided trips for paddlers who don't want to venture out alone. Nicé Kayak Deep Cove Kayak Tours also has guided trips that depart from Camp Jubilee Retreat with camping overnight at Indian Arm Provincial Park.

    Know Before You Go

    • Indian Arm largely is sheltered from prevailing winds by the mountains that surround it, but the water still can get rough, so those kayaking should use caution. Sea kayaks are more stable and less likely to capsize in rough waters than recreational kayaks and sit-on-top models. For the most part, tides in Indian Arm are fairly mild, but they can be much stronger toward the upper end of the arm. In this area, you can work with the current by heading up the arm during a rising tide, and head south during a falling tide. Tide charts are available online.