These guys are badass.... they run the taxi and charge based off of how many people need it. If…read moreyou need one person to go to West Redonda alone, it might be $200, but if you need to go to Cortes with a group, it could be as little as $15 each. Fair price with awesome service in a world where ferries aren't always an option. Thanks guys.... you were fantastic. On time, waited for us when we were a couple minutes late.... friendly, informed, interesting... and some good down to earth Canucks. Cheers.

From the owner: Discovery Launch Water Taxi has been offering water taxi services from Campbell River to remote…read moreIsland and mainland coast destinations since 1998. Our staff is great at ensuring that you get to where you want to go in as timely a manner as possible and are genuinely interested in acquainting you with the area.

Rick and Roxy were great! Will definitely use them again. They were very professional and on time.read more

fantastic group of people here. I am not an avid fisherman by any stretch, and both Rick and…read moreRoxanne were extremely patient and helpful with everyone in our group. Most importantly, Captain Rick knew exactly where to find the fish. I would highly recommend these folks for anyone looking for a fun and exciting trip.

We chartered a trawler for a week to see some of Desolation Sound (a week is not nearly enough)…read more The boat was in excellent shape, gave us no concerns at all (we left a small list of minor items they needed to look at), and completely suited our purposes. Very enjoyable holiday. Strongly recommend.

We recently returned from chartering a trawler from DSYC for a week of exploring Desolation Sound…read more Every aspect of the experience with DSYC was first rate and handled with friendliness and professionalism by everyone from the front office to the dock. We opted to have DSYC provide a skipper and we included the instruction and certification. I have been through many certification programs over the years for both profession and recreation and Rick was perhaps the best instructor that I have ever had. Of course, we were concerned about having a stranger literally living with us for a week in a somewhat confined space and we realized that if it were the wrong person, it could have been a disaster. Rick proved to be a wonderful traveling companion as well as an extremely knowledgeable skipper, who not only didn't get in the way of a good vacation, he helped make it an exceptionally great vacation. If you haven't toured Desolation Sound by charter boat - you got to do this! Truly one of the best vacations my wife and I have ever had, and we have traveled all over the world. It was so great, that my wife is now trying to talk me into buying a trawler! Now guys, that's a bonus on the deal that's worth the price of admission all by itself.

Captain Darrell was extremely accommodating. My Father-in-law, wife and two young boys had an…read moreamazing time. Captain "D" made sure we went out at a time that would maximize the experiance for the boys' first Salmon fishing trip. Good water, lots of laughs and lots of fish. We did have to release some but of course not on the Captain. So anyone upset about that would just be silly. We caught 3 keepers, 1 coho and 2 king salmon (one 15 pounder). My father in law has been fishing salmon his whole life and Captain D had just as much knowledge. He was amazing.

Captain Darrell Jobb can fish!…read more If you want an awesome fishing experience on the beautiful east coast of Vancouver Island, at French Creek Harbor, you must call Darrell Jobb at Western Star Charters. Captain Darrell caters to both serious fisherman and families with children who want a fun and safe day on the water. Captain Darrell came very highly recommended to me by the helpful owners of the French Creek Marina store. I was very impressed with Captain Darrell's professional and safe operation. Captain Darrell does an excellent job of monitoring the weather and water conditions. Listen to him, his main goal is to help you have the best experience possible. If he suggests that conditions are not ideal, take his advice and reschedule for later in the day or for another day. My 12-year-old son and I really enjoy bottom fishing for rockfish and lingcod. Captain Darrell did an excellent job of getting us into some real hot spots. Kids love fishing for rockfish because it gets them super involved with the equipment. Darrell is a very knowledgeable and patient teacher with children and inexperienced adults. I have now chartered with Captain Darrell several times. I find his prices are very reasonable and we've always had an awesome day on the water with him. Book early with him. He's very popular and his summer schedule fills up fast. PS - don't kid yourself, lingcod might not look like much, but those bad boys are delicious! When Captain Darrell gets through cleaning them you will never have seen such beautiful, white (with sometimes very light greenish hue), delicate flesh. I prefer over halibut.

I have spent nearly a month now touring Vancouver Island and there are many fabulous sights and…read moreactivities, but #1 without question has been the cruise with Archipelago. In fact, their cruise is both #1 and #2 in my book as I went on the tour twice. Both times the scenery and wildlife were incredible; both times Alan & Toddy did a top-notch job as guides and hosts; both times the cruise provided a connection to the natural surroundings and to fellow travelers that you just don't get on the other tours. If you make it to the area, Archipelago should be #1 on your list (and #2).

Al and Toddy were great hosts. They are passionate about their lifestyle on the water and were…read moreanxious to share their knowledge of Ucluelet, it's history and wildlife. The boat is pretty luxurious, well maintained and very clean. Within five minutes of launching, we saw a bear, bald eagles and then sea lions. Later in the Broken Islands, we saw a couple of whales, harbor seals and lots of marine birds. I highly recommend taking this cruise, we saw so many things that we would never have seen if we didn't venture out into the waters of Barkley Sound.

Nice easy hike that is safe for dogs. However, this hike does have some rocky sections. There's…read morelots of wide open spaces, bodies of water, and some wild life.

Beautiful waters here! Short hike, easy access, be prepared to swim…read more PARKING It's a small parking lot, maybe 10 spots, with overflow on the road around it. I've been here in the afternoon on a weekday in July and midday in a weekday in August. Both times we were lucky and one spot was open. Generally there's turnover since it's a short hike and you can get a spot. AMENITIES There is a bathroom at the trailhead, no water. There are tons of educational signage about the wildlife and plants in the area. DIFFICULTY & TIME Short hike, very little elevation change. You can get to the actual Smuggler Cove in about 30-40 minutes with a 4 and a 6 year old in tow (this is right before the loop starts). I've done the entire full lollipop loop in exactly one hour with only adults. SHADE The hike is 95% shaded. RECEPTION I had 5G reception for most of the hike (T-mobile). CROWDS It was busy but not too crowded both times I went. It was more empty when I went in the afternoon (July 2023). There were many more swimmers during my midday visit in August 2024, but still easy to get your own little private small cove to swim in. SWIMMING In August, we went swimming in the cove. It's not tropical, but it's not nearly as cold as other parts of the ocean. Lots of people were swimming, and a lot of people brought inflatable stand up paddleboards or kayaks.