Indian Arm Provincial Park -- Mild Kayak Trip

'just spent two nights up in Indian Arm Provincial Park. It's what I'd call suburban wilderness and worked really well for us as an initiation to ocean kayaking. The put-in is at Deep Cove, a touristy but beautiful spot in North Vancouver.The arm is a steep-sided glacial fjord, which shoots north from Burrard Inlet.

There are two sanctioned camping spots at the top of the arm, about a three hour paddle from Deep Cove. Bert's was where we wound up. If you go to Bert's and want privacy, continue slightly north past the creek. It's perfect. Granite Falls is lovely but, when we went there the next day, it looked like a frat party in progress, almost.

Make sure you go in an out with the tide. Also, in the warm summer months, a northerly wind whips up in the afternoon and makes paddling a bit of a challenge.We had more of an adventure than we wanted trying to get back around Croker Island to our campsite at Bert's.

There's loads of wildlife. Many seals, eagles, osprey, jellyfish, etc. Even some banana slugs like what you can see below. Downside to the trip was the occasional power boat and/or water skier. A reminder of how close you actually are to a metropolitan centre.

Looking north. One solitary empty house.

Looking south.

The site at Bert's. Nice.

Are banana slugs wildlife? Ew.

Calm paddle before the afternoon wind whipped up.