I have been to both Desolation Sound and Barkley Sound in BC in a sailboat and would love to return in Kayak. Does anyone have any tips as far as tips or great advice? I don't want to do any organized group in the sense that it is guided and I have to pay money. What is the road out to Desolation like? I have heard that it needs 4x4, but that is pretty vague.

We've left from Toquart Bay heading to Barkley Sound a couple of times and not needed a 4X4 though good road clearance is a plus. The road is very rough so plan on driving very slow and have your boats properly secured and padded.

In the summer the end of the road turns into a motorhome campground so arriving early enough to depart that day is a plus. In the off season we've camped (been stormbound) at the end of the road for a couple of days and been all by ourselves.

A number of years back we had a great couple of days stay in Pipestem inlet waiting for the fog to clear in the islands. We had sunshine, there were very few people, lots of wildlife and some great freshwater swimming holes. It's also a short paddle from the end of the road which is how we ended up exploring that area. I'd check to make sure camping is allowed on Pipestem as that was a while ago.

Listen to your weather radio multiple times per day. Our last trip started with a light and variable winds forcast as we shoved off. Checking at lunch winds were predicted to reach 20mph that night (we started looking at where we could get protection) By the time we arrived at the campsite the park service was telling all boats to get off the water winds predicted to 50 by 11 that night we were in a real storm that lasted for over 24 hours. In the morning my new kayak, which had been securely tied above the high tide mark, was full of sand and gravel and looked well used from the beating it took from the large waves on the lee of the island. We've hit storms 3 out of 3 trips (April, August and Sept).

Anyone had any experience paddling the Nepali shore on Kauai? I'm headed there next week and would appreciate any tips. Wondering a bit about the current, we will be paddling with it. Wave height right now is 1 - 5 feet. I think we will wait if it goes over 3-4.

There are some very good guide books to Barkley Sound available too. I've looked over lots on the internet also.
You can stay to the inner islands of the Broken Group if just getting used to the area.

You can find information about the Broken Group (including GPS coordinates, lots of photos and descriptions) at:

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=85

Info on the Deer Group can be found here:

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=1281

Hope this helps,

Dan

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com

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Here's a report of a trip that my daughter and I did to the Broken Group earlier this year:

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=2207

Dan

My wife and I did (a part of) Desolation Sound in 1997 as our second trip. Highway 101 was paved to Lund. Parking in Lund was limited, but available long term for a fee. We launched from the boat ramp behind the hotel and paddled out to Savary Island for a look before turning north to the Copeland Islands marine park for our first campsite. Next day North around Sarah Point into Desolation Sound. The park and campsites at Okeover Arm, just a few miles from Lund, were an option also, but parking is chancy there too. We got rained in on the Curmes, near Tenedos Bay and went no further on that trip.
Afternoon winds through the slot between Savary Island and Lund made our first day pretty uncomfortable in 4-6 foot seas.
We intend to go back someday to get to more of the rest of the sound.
I've also gone out to Clayoquot through Tofino, but not Barkley. I understand you have to apply for permits to Barkley now.