BC Marine Trails Network

05/26/2026

Wondering how you can get involved with Ocean Week, June 1-8?

Click in and find out!

https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/ocean-week-canada/

05/24/2026

New to the BC Marine Trails website & map: Community Routes!

These routes are submitted by members, for members.

Contents include: highlights, route map, photos, difficulty, length, First Nations Territory, skill level, duration, and more!

Routes also appear on the BCMT Member Map under 'layers' toggle on and off to see submitted routes.

Check out existing routes and submit your own today: https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/route/

05/21/2026

Join the South Island Sea Kayak Association for their annual KayakFest on June 6th!

When: Saturday June 6, 2026, 9am - 3pm
Where: Cadboro Gyro Park
What: Exhibits, demonstrations and clinics will be offered FREE to all

Topics include:
- What and how to pack your kayak for a multi day trip
- Display and discussion on Greenland paddles
- Simple kayak repairs on the fly
- Gear swap - bring your gear and cash!

05/19/2026

A big thank you to TRAK Kayaks for their recent speaker event with Frank Wolf at Valhalla Pure Outfitters - Squamish , where over $500 was raised and donated to BC Marine Trails.

Support like this is exactly what allows us to keep momentum on our important work - we cannot thank TRAK and event attendees enough!

05/17/2026

Help unlock the BC Marine Trails Board of Directors’ pledge to match up to $10,000 in donations and support impact stories like this:

“Increased funding support helped us complete a 300% increase in work on Gerald Island this April with a 17:1 volunteer-to-staff hours ratio.” - Sam Cutcliffe, BCMT Communications & Stewardship Coordinator

One of the most exciting things about supporting BC Marine Trails is how quickly funding translates into on-the-ground impact.

A small staff team helps coordinate an incredible network of volunteers contributing thousands of hours toward stewardship projects, site / map maintenance, and First Nations engagement work across the coast.

Your support helps multiply that impact: https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/matching-campaign/

05/16/2026

$3,300 matched so far with $6,700 to go!

The BC Marine Trails Board of Directors has pledged to match up to $10,000 in donations, with every contribution powering stewardship, volunteer coordination, First Nations engagement, and site mapping across the coast.

Many of our projects rely on grants, but grants rarely cover the full cost of sustaining this work. Donations help bridge the gap and keep projects moving forward.

Have your donation matched today: https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/matching-campaign/

05/15/2026

You’re reading about a far-flung paddling adventure, tracing routes on the BC Marine Trails map, or maybe a friend has invited you out for a weekend day-paddle. In an instant, you feel that familiar yearning to be out there. But lately, a part of you wonders: Can I still do this?

The answer is yes—absolutely! But maybe a little differently.

Aging doesn’t mean stopping. It means fine-tuning your travel formula to give your spirit the salt-sprayed adventure it craves and your body the kindness it deserves. For us, that’s meant a more relaxed pace, more trips with friends and family, a few extra comforts, and yes—packing a few more ibuprofen tablets for Jerry.

After conversations with many kindred spirits still paddling in their 70s and 80s, this article contains our top twelve tips for how to keep going as the years roll on.

Read the full article: https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/sea-kayaking-after-60-twelve-tips-to-keep-paddling-into-your-70s-and-80s/

05/13/2026

The category 1 campfire ban for the Coastal Fire Centre is lifting May 15th, at noon.

The BC Wildfire Service explains that this is due to improved humidity values and an overall reduction in wildfire hazard throughout the region.

Remember, that a responsible coastal backcountry fire is one below the high tide line, with wood no larger than your forearm. Allow fires to burn down to white ash, to be swept away by the next high tide.

Click in to learn more on responsible campfires:

Learn proper campfire etiquette when recreating on the BC Coast.The Marine Trails Code of Conduct empowers you to recreate responsibly in British Columbia’s ...

05/13/2026

Caitlyn Puglas is a member of the Mamalilikulla First Nation Guardian team (so is her dad David, along with seven other Guardians). Guardians are highly trained professional environmental stewards, and Caitlyn is no exception.

She recently obtained her commercial diving certification and along with Guardians from other First Nations has been sampling kelp to better understand changes in habitat and abundance and the impacts of climate change on this important cornerstone species.

“Being a Guardian and doing this kind of work is so important,” says Caitlyn. “The ecology of our coast is fragile and highly sensitive to environmental impacts. It’s good to be part of a team doing our part to protect it.”

Mamalilikulla Traditional Territory encompasses much of the Broughton Archipelago. ​Find out more on visiting the Territory respectfully: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/dcc3ae7f9fe9471190859b63bd77eb38

05/10/2026

Help us match the BCMT's Board's pledge of up to $10,000. Hear from Board Director, Jerry Kaye, on why he believes in the BCMT mission:

"As a paddler who has spent countless hours exploring the rugged beauty of our coast, I know how vital it is to protect the public access we often take for granted. I don’t just enjoy the coast; I take action to protect it, by serving on the BC Marine Trails Board of Directors, writing articles, and donating as a Trailblazer.​

The "ribbon of wilderness" along our coast requires active stewardship. BCMT is the difference between a coastline that remains accessible to everyone and one that is lost to time. We do the heavy lifting: securing launch sites, advocating for environmental protection, partnering with First Nations, and developing the mapping tools we all rely on for safe navigation. But we cannot do it alone.

Now is the time to act. This May, your impact is doubled. Thanks to our matched funding campaign, every dollar you give goes twice as far. If you care about this coast as much as I do, please take action today. Whether you volunteer your time, donate, or join me as a Trailblazer at the $250 level, your support helps ensure that the next generation of kayakers will have a wild, safe, and accessible coast to explore."

Have your donation matched today: https://www.bcmarinetrails.org/matching-campaign/

05/09/2026

This year, the BC Marine Trails Board of Directors is putting their money where their paddles, oars, or outboards are.

In a powerful vote of confidence in BC Marine Trails and the community behind it, the BCMT Board has committed up to $10,000 in matching funds.

This means that every dollar you give, starting today, will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Every contribution, no matter the size, goes twice as far.

Have your donation matched today:

Your dollars, doubled. Matching Campaign Donate to BC Marine Trails In an extraordinary demonstration of their commitment to our mission, the BC Marine Trails Board of Directors has pledged a generous matching donation of up to $10,000 to our cause. This is a match-funding initiative, where every do...