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Johnstone Strait – One of the main marine routes with excessive marine traffic and is most often used by many boaters in the region. The Johnstone Strait passage between the mainland of BC and Vancouver Island is very scenic with many coastal communities lined with oceanfront homes and marinas offering moorage along the way.

The waters of the strait, some say cam be very unpredictable because of the many tricky tide rips, winds and the high volume of commercial marine traffic. The Johnstone Strait is the main ocean highway of the area.

The strait begins at Chatham Point and continues for 54 miles following the northeast coastline of Vancouver Island until Blinkhorn Peninsula. A popular route for boaters, but also for some of the resident and transient orcas patrolling Robson Bight and Blackfish Sound.

An area of interest, nearby, to boaters is the ecological sanctuary of the Tsitika River Estuary Watershed and the Mamalilaculla First Nations totem poles. Please respect their culture and privacy.

The danger of Johnstone Strait is the mix match of tidal currents and winds. The flood current flows down island toward Campbell River. The ebb current flows up island towards the Queen Charlottes. The residual ebb surface current causes increasing speed and strength to the mix. Then the winds take a turn in the summer funneling down from the mountains in a westerly flow, sometimes gale force winds. A big collection of nature's powers causing havoc. We have seen sail boats flip over onto there sides. It is best to travel Johnstone Strait when the weather is calm or near calm. Always check weather conditions when boating this passage.

Boating Johnstone Strait is a thrill and always promises to be a challenge navigating choppy waters. When cruising Johnstone Strait be alert and aware of the major marine vessels as this route is widely used by cruise ships, kayakers, tug boats, barges, yachts, sail boats and fishing boats causing major wakes and shifts in the sea conditions adding to the already inconsistent patterns of swells and rip tides.

The area of Johnstone Strait is also a passage way for many wildlife especially in the areas of Robson Bight and Blackfish Sound where some of the biggest concentration of orcas (Killer Whales) survive and thrive on the West Coast of Canada.

Make sure to check the charts, and if time permits plan a course for Blackney Passage, Telegraph Cove, Blackfish Sound, Beaver Cove and Broughton Strait visiting with Cormorant Island, Malcolm Island, Hanson Island, Hambledown Island.