BY ROAD
To get to ‘the field’ from Victoria, we plan to be travelling in a group to Bamfield. This will be a joint effort of caravanning and transporting personal gear and project equipment. The drive takes about 5 hours with a departure from paved road and then going slow on a gravel road for about two hours with twists and turns to Bamfield. We need to give ourselves a bit of extra time as we will be towing two UVic boats and need to gas up, eat lunch etc. That evening we plan to camp on the beach in Pachena Bay. The next morning, we will then depart the Bamfield Marine Science Centre docks and leave for the Broken Group Islands which will be our home for the next few weeks. This will involve transporting our field camp, field equipment, and camping gear as well as gas and water and food. Its a big effort but will serve us well in camp life:)
We will discuss the specifics of the route and caravanning during the first few days of the course.
BY COASTAL FERRY
For folks who plan to visiting us in the field (i.e., invited guests), there are multiple ways to get to the Broken Group islands. The most efficient method of pick up is to travel to the Sechart Lodge on the Frances Barkley from Port Alberni. This ferry departs from the Quay in Port Alberni at 8am and arrives at the Sechart lodge mid-day. It only leaves on every other day however – the detailed schedule is here.
We can then pick you up by boat at the dock which is near to our home basecamp on Nettle Island. Overnight visitors should make arrangements well in advance with the project directors (Iain and Denis) so we can coordinate pick up — particularly given this is a boat trip in the middle of the work day.
By BOAT from Bamfield.
The crossing from the Broken Group to Bamfield is sometimes difficult given weather and ocean conditions and since it is a longer travel distance, we will only make this trip infrequently during the fieldwork. However, when this happens it will be via this route and the docks at BMSC.