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Currency: The Canadian Dollar is the official currency but US Dollars are accepted in most places including the lodge.
Immigration & Customs: Guests (including U.S. citizens) must have a valid machine-readable passport to enter Canada.
Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Climate: The north coast of British Columbia experiences a varied climate from warm to liquid sunshine! Temperatures during the season range from 60°-80°F (17°-25°C) in the day to 50°-60°F (10°-17°C) at night.
What to Bring
King Pacific Lodge provides everything for ocean fishing including full floatation suits and boots. We suggest you pack comfortable casual clothes for lodge use (resort casual). The following is a list of clothing and articles you should bring on your trip for hiking, kayaking and bear viewing. It is important to go with a layering system if possible. We are located in the rainforest so it is important to be ready for these conditions.
Make sure you bring:
- Gore-Tex jacket (waterproof/breathable)
- Fleece
- Waterproof pant/convertible hiking pants (pants convert to shorts)
- Hiking/sturdy hiking boots (preferably with waterproof membrane)
Suggested to bring:
- Long underwear
- Sandals
- Swimsuit
- Hat
- Hiking socks
- Camera & film (lots!)
Optional:
- Binoculars (the lodge has a number of binoculars for guest use)
- Sunscreen
Fly-fishing Packing List:
- The Lodge has a number of fly-fishing outfits for guest use, however many prefer to bring their own equipment.
- 8- or 9-weight rod for saltwater fly-fishing for salmon
- 5-weight rod for cutthroat trout
- Fly reel(s)
- Waders to stalk estuaries and streams (preferably Goretex & wading boots)
- Fleece pants to use with breathable waders
- Hat (preferably with brim)
- Polarized sunglasses
- Wading stick (optional)
- Gloves or fingerless gloves for early & late season trips
- Thick socks
- Flies (list will be provided)
Area Attractions
Vancouver: Canadian gateway to the Pacific and one of the most picturesque cities in the world, Vancouver offers a host of attractions including Stanley Park , Robson Street shopping, Granville Island market, numerous beaches, cafes and world-class restaurants. Vancouver is also the gateway for most of the Alaska and inside passage cruises.
Victoria : This intimate, sophisticated seaside city is the vacation capital of Canada and the premiere tourist spot in the Pacific Northwest . Victoria is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island and sparkles in one of Canada 's mildest climates. The city's British colonial heritage is still very much in evidence, but contemporary Victoria has a distinctly Pacific Northwest flavor. Attractions include the Empress Hotel and the nearby Butchart Gardens.
Whistler: One of the world's top resort areas is located just a short drive from Vancouver. This international playground features more activities than one could possibly list and some of the best skiing on the planet. It's even open for skiing in mid-summer! The resort has something for everyone and the setting is spectacular.
Banff & The Rocky Mountains: For guests looking to extend their British Columbia vacations, a visit to Banff and the resort towns of Lake Louise and Jasper is a must. Awe-inspiring scenery and easy access have made this area a primary tourist attraction for over a hundred years.
Related Web Sites:
Vancouver: www.tourismvancouver.com
Whistler: www.tourism-whistler.com
Victoria : www.city.victoria.bc.ca
Banff : www.discoverbanff.com
BC Wilderness Tourism Association: www.wilderness-tourism.bc.ca
Flora & Fauna
The abundance and diversity of the flora and fauna found in the Coastal Rainforest of British Columbia is considered to be one of the world's great ecological treasures. Lush forests of ancient cedar and Sitka Spruce tower over a floor blanketed with club moss, maidenhair fern, salal and salmon berry. The forest adjacent to King Pacific Lodge is mostly old growth. As you walk through the rainforest you may notice some very large stumps. Below is a partial list of some of the animals you also may encounter during your stay at King Pacific Lodge.
virtual tours
Feathered Friends
- Auklets - gregarious black and white sea bird
- Bald Eagles - close to extinction in other parts of the continent, the Bald Eagle is plentiful here.
- Double-crested Cormorants - it often plunge-dives for fish, but more commonly performs a surface dive, swims about underwater, and comes up with its catch in its bill
- Murrelets - an endangered species
- Northern Loons - you'll hear its distinctive laughing call in the evening. The Loon is found on the Canadian dollar coin, "the loonie."
- Ravens - the "trickster" figure of aboriginal legend
- Rufous Hummingbird - 30 to 40 of these flying jewels regularly visit the Lodge's deck feeders
- Western Gull and Yellow-footed Gull - the two main species of gulls are found in this area
- Stellar's Jay - easily identifiable with its prominent black crest and sapphire breast, tail and wings.
Fish
- Bottom Fish
- Various Rock Fish
- Greenling
- Ling Cod
- Rock Cod
- Yellow Eye (aka Red Snapper)
- Halibut
- Salmon (5 species are found in the waters off King Pacific Lodge)
- Chinook (aka Spring or King)
- Chum (aka Dog Salmon)
- Coho (aka Silver)
- Pink (aka Humpback Salmon)
- Sockeye (aka Red)
Intertidal Zone & Kelp Bed Life
- Leather Stars - small, colorful stars with leathery skin
- Sea Anemones - these creatures mimic flower shapes to attract their prey
- Spiny Sea Urchins - sharp spines cover an orange or russet shell
- Sun Stars - large, multi-armed stars in a myriad of hues
Large Land Mammals
- Black Bears - medium-sized bears averaging 250 lbs
- Sitka Deer
- Kermode Bears - unique to the region, these rare white Black Bears owe their unique coloring to a double recessive gene. They can grow as large as 300 lbs
- Grizzly Bears - only found on the mainland (not on Princess Royal Island ) and only seen on heli fly-out trips to mainland areas
- Cougars - rarely seen, these big cats prefer to keep clear of humans
- Timber Wolves - quite plentiful but very rarely seen as they are shy and avoid human contact. There is a unique species of black wolf that is only found in this island group and is rarely seen.
Sea Mammals
- Porpoises - boats are often escorted by pods of porpoises
- Seals
- Sea Lions - both California and rare Stellar sea lions are found in the area. A colony of 10 to 20 animals lives not far from the lodge.
- River Otters - a family of these playful creatures makes its home behind the lodge and there are many in the inlet
- Whales - 4 species are found in the area: Orcas, Gray, Humpback and Minke. Orcas are best seen in the early season (May - June) while humpbacks and gray whales are abundant in late season (Sept. to Oct.).
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