• Age: 14
• Grade: 1856410-1853481

Revised Edition Available, Spring 2010

The Pacific Coast has long attracted adventurers, explorers and environmentalists. From the early beginnings of coastal voyaging, which began with Native paddlers in large canoes and foreign explorers under sail, to modern travellers in kayaks, skiffs and private yachts, exploration has always been an integral part of life on the coast. Boat Camping Haida Gwaii, written by a modern-day explorer with environmental interests, is a practical guide for coastal explorers interested in a weekend off-shore adventure or a major expedition to remote and wild areas. With information on ancient native settlements, hidden campsites and everything in between, Boat Camping Haida Gwai offers a fascinating - and comprehensive - look at the wild beauty of the Queen Charlotte coast.

Boat Camping Haida Gwaii is the definitive guidebook for people interested in camping by boat. The book features a wide range of detailed maps of the Queen Charlotte coast, along with numerous photographs, offering a clear sense of the geography - and the majesty - of the area. Detailed descriptions are given of each campsite and special appendices are provided with helpful hints on bear safety, tides and currents. The book also contains information about the history and culture of the Haida, the indigenous people of the Queen Charlotte Islands.

Intended to serve primarily as an on-board reference, the book can be opened flat, and used in conjunction with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and chart references. Its compact size ensures the book can easily fit in kayak cockpit storage sleeves, or tossed in a backpack for day trips. It fits perfectly in zip-lock storage bags for waterproof protection.

This guide's comprehensive information will be valuable to kayakers, canoeists, those in small motorboats and everyone interested in exploring this unique area. Yachters and sailors willing to go adventuring in their skiffs will also find this guide helpful in exploring Haida Gwaii -- as will armchair adventurers.

Neil Frazer was born in Comox on Vancouver Island in 1948. Neil earned an engineering degree from the University of British Columbia, and a PhD in geophysics from Princeton University. He is currently a professor of geophysics at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. In Hawaii, a kayak is his vessel, but for the past ten summers Neil has used small open motorboats to explore the outer coasts and the inlets from Puget Sound to Glacier Bay. This book is the result of four voyages around the Queen Charlotte Islands from Langara Island in the north to Sgan Gwaii and Rose Harbour in the south. Neil lives in Kailua, Hawaii with his wife and their three teenage children.

Neil Frazer's profile page

Boat Camping Haida Gwaii: A Small Vessel Guide

This is a comprehensive marine guide to Haida Gwaii for kayakers and other small vessel operators. It divides the region into eight geographic zones, each with its own chapter. Well tested paddling and boating routes are recommended. Carefully drawn “Not For Navigation” maps highlight dangers, landing spots, detailed descriptions of camping sites, logged areas, freshwater lake elevations, buildings, roads, GPS readings and other data of interest to the small boat pilot. Each chapter references history, discovery, inhabitants and ongoing development. Safety concerns, including dealing with black bear attacks while ashore, are adequately addressed. Also included are detailed contact information, tide and current warnings, and an extensive reading list.