Explore: Calvert Island Conservancy

If you’re looking to branch out and explore new stretches of water, above and below, the area surrounding Calvert Island Conservancy is a must-see.

Location

The Calvert Island Conservancy is located about 95 kilometres north of Port Hardy, 118 kilometres southwest of Bella Coola and about 55 kilometres south of Bella Bella. This conservancy shares its boundaries with Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy.

Photo by daddio630820/Instagram

Access

Access into Calvert Island Conservancy can be achieved by boat or seaplane. There is scheduled air service and chartered boats available from Vancouver, Port Hardy, Bella Coola and Bella Bella. Visitors can also use BC Ferries’ Discovery Coast Passage service between Port Hardy and Bella Coola, disembarking at Bella Bella.

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Small crafts can find protected anchorage in Pruth Bay and Safety Cove. Pruth Bay is on the north side of the island and can be reached through the Kwakshua Channel, while Safety Cove will be the first protected anchorage you see upon entering Fitz Hugh Sound.

Park size

The conservancy measures 15,558 hectares.

About this park

Safety Cove was first used for anchorage back in 1788. Namu, the First Nations village site closest to Calvert Island, dates back about 10,000 years. Currently, First Nations people from Bella Bella harvest countless marine and terrestrial resources from Calvert Island and its surrounding waters.

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Wildlife in the area

The Calvert Island Conservancy is a fisherman’s dream location, offering large runs of Chinook, coho, sockeye, chum and pink salmon. You’ll also find halibut, lingcod, red snapper and rockfish. If you bring your binoculars and want to do a bit of bird watching, you won’t be disappointed here – the conservancy is home to loons, cormorant, kingfisher and sandpiper, and 100 other bird species have been identified in the neighbouring Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy area.

You’ll also find the waters surrounding the conservancy are home to many species of marine life – harbour seals, sea lions, orcas, minke, gray and humpback whales, as well as porpoises and dolphins. Mammals inhabiting the island itself include black-tailed deer, wolves, river otters, mink, beavers and black bears.

Photo by peter.h.mitchell/Instagram

Why you should go

If you’re interested in exploring stunning stretches of water, the Calvert Island Conservancy is where you need to be. Not only are the fishing opportunities unsurpassed, this area is ideal for exploration by experienced sea kayakers and the waters surrounding the conservancy are the finest in the world when it comes to SCUBA diving and snorkeling opportunities. There are exceptional viewing opportunities year-round for underwater exploration.

Campers will find that waking up to unpolluted, vacant stretches of white sand beaches is an experience they want to keep coming back to.

Notable information

Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is available, but there are no facilities.

Photo by @davies.hailey/Instagram

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