For those who love to kayak, Jedediah Island is a destination for exploration.    Most kayakers launch from the Sunshine Coast.    Go north of Sechelt to Half Moon Bay for a good access to a short crossing to the Thormandby Islands.   The crossing of Malaspina Strait from North Thormandby is 8km of open water and should only be attempted in calm conditions.    We returned by this route in rougher conditions and the kayaks plunged out of sight in the troughs between waves.    If conditions aren’t good, there is lots of paddling around the two Thormandby Islands and into Pirates Cove Provincial Park.

If the crossing can be done to the south end of Texada Island, another crossing is still required.   We found Sabine Channel to be good paddling, but it adds another 5km of open water.     The route from North Thormandby to Jedediah is about 3 hours of continuous paddling.    there are a number of potential landing spots on the island with Home Bay as the first choice for many kayakers.   A narrow channel leads into a protected bay with a beach and camping area.   At low tide, all of the landings will be on mud flats, awkward for unloading boats.   We observed a group that waited several hours for the bay to fill up with water before landing.   The campsite has a kiosk, outhouse, sandy beach and a grassy bench for camping.

All of the camping areas of the island are connected by trails. There are 3.5km of official trails and a few routes to viewpoints too. In Home Bay, the former home of a series of owners who eventually sold the island to the province of B.C. for $4 million sits up on a bluff. Behind the home perched on the hill is an orchard and meadows.   A herd of feral goats grazed this area every day.   Raccoons came down to the bay at low tide each morning.

Each day yachts, cruisers, and motorboats would take overnight anchorage in one of 7 bays or inlets around the island. Jedediah is a long way from the nearest vacation home so everyone seems to understand the need for a quiet stay at the island. The whole island (243 hectares) is a provincial park, and is a choice destination to visit, hike, and explore. But Jedediah is also surrounded by 30 islands for exploration by water, to be featured in another article to follow.