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Location and Features of Hakai Beach

Hakai Beach is on the northwest tip of Calvert Island, which lies roughly midway in latitude between the northern tip of Vancouver Island and the southern tip of Haida Gwaii. The western shore of Calvert Island is exposed to the open Pacific Ocean. The so-called Inside Passage (the shipping route to Alaska) lies between Calvert Island and the mainland.

Calvert Island is roughly the same size as Saltspring in the Gulf Islands, or Quadra in the Discovery Islands. (For those of you who need another reference: larger than Nantucket; smaller than Martha's Vineyard.)

The exposed outer shore of Calvert Island has a chain of white sand beaches similar to (but nicer than) the better known beaches near Tofino on Vancouver Island. Two such beaches--the West Beach and the North Beach--are contained within the Hakai Beach site.

Travel Connections

Hakai Beach is roughly midway between the two points where there is road access to the Central Coast: Port Hardy and Bella Coola.

Hakai Beach is centrally located among the airports that have scheduled service to Vancouver YVR: Port Hardy, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.

Harbor and Dock

The remarkable feature of Calvert Island is Kwakshua Channel, which cuts across the island from the eastern shore and terminates within a few hundred meters of the western shore. The westernmost portion of Kwakshua Channel is Pruth Bay, where there is a sheltered anchorage and a well appointed dock.

Overnight Accommodations

The large Pruth Lodge has in the past been used to house guests during the fishing season. The nominal capacity is 36. The Pruth Lodge contains a full kitchen, dining room, lounge, laundry, reception, library, etc.

The small Calvert Lodge has in the past been used as staff quarters during the fishing season. In future it will house personnel visiting the Hakai Beach Research Station. The nominal capacity is 12. The Calvert Lodge has a small kitchen, dining area, lounge, laundry, etc.

A bunkhouse, which has in the past been used to house sports fishing guides has a nominal capacity of 16.

The total overnight capacity at Hakai Beach is therefore 64 persons.