We have done several trips now--most are one to three weeks in length. We are firm believers in not forcing schedules in these waters (on account of both safety and flexibility). You did not ask for them, but I am including some sample itineraries for the region. Also, I have interjected some updates/comments/hints to the archival posting below: 1) San Juan Islands: One week minimum starting from either Anacortes or Sidney, BC (you can take the daily international ferry from Annacortes to Sidney). There are good provisioning and shoreside entertainment/activities in Friday and Roche Harbors, but to escape the summer crowds, we like Stuart and Sucia Islands best. One must clear customs in either Roche or Friday Harbors if coming from Sidney. Beware fast building fog and live by the current tables/current atlas. If need be, you can bail out at one of several islands served by ferry (walk-on to either interisland or to/from Anacortes) and retrieve your tow vehicle/trailer. For those with limited timeframes, you can ferry and launch from one or more of the larger islands closest to your preferred cruising grounds. 2) Sidney BC and Southern Gulf Islands: One week minimum starting from Sidney or nearby harbors (harbours!!), or could be tacked onto a San Juan Island trip (clear Canadian Customs in Bedwell Harbor on South Pender, or in Sidney). This area is often sunny when the San Juans are fogged-in, and offers great trips in protected waters with line-of-site navigation, plenty of protected anchorages, and harbours/shoreside attractions. Our favorite diversions are a trip down the Saanich Inlet to Brentwood Bay for special backdoor (dinghy dock) landing for Butchart Gardens (great on summer evenings), Ganges on Saltspring for the farmers and art markets, and several small anchorages such as Annette Inlet on Prevost Island, Clam bay between Thetis and Kuper Islands, etc. As with any of these trips, you still have to live by the current charts, and there are a few potentially dangerous passes (only if you insist on ignoring tidal and current information). 3) Princess Louisa Inlet (via Egmont): Five days to one week (not including ferry travel and driving time from Vancouver). One of the 'Holy Grails' of Northwest cruising. Descriptions such as 'Yosemite flooded with seawater' don't do it justice. Truly inspiring, but a bit of work to get to/from. Closest starting point is Egmont, BC--a mere hamlet on the north intersection of Sechelt and Jervis inlets. There is a ramp (if you can call it that) at the Egmont Marina Resort just north of 'Downtown Egmont.' It is a gravel/rock affair behind the restaurant, and is of quite shallow angle. I used my tongue extension and still had my truck's rear tires in the water. Watch your ties, and use big fenders--the current that rips through this harbor is astounding. After you ready/launch your boat, reward yourself with a hike to Sechelt (aka 'Skookumchuck') Rapids at max ebb or flood. The 15+ knot current and 8-10' standing waves/overfalls will serve to drive home the importance of timing your passages at slack water (again, you should be safe if you adhere to the current charts--and mind the daylight savings time differences where applicable). The trip to Princess Louisa is 35nm +/- ONE WAY. You MUST carry enough fuel for at least 80nm of motoring, as there are no refueling opportunities once you leave Egmont. Don't count on sailing. If it happens, great, but you are in a series of fjords, and the winds are fluky at best. You will likely get a few good moments each day, but expect to motor most of the time. You will need to plan this trip long in advance, as you can only enter the Malibu Rapids (gateway to the actual Princess Louisa Inlet) at slack water (preferably high slack). Do not try to enter at any other time. It may look like a fun thrill ride, but is very dangerous on account of low buoyancy in the frothy water of rapids, eddies, and whirlpools. Your best bet is to schedule the trip up-inlet for a day with a high slack water in the late afternoon. Arrive a little early and wait outside the rapids. Schedule your exit for a morning high slack. There are no real protected anchorages between Malibu Rapids and Egmont, so make sure the weather forecast is favorable prior to setting out in either direction. Once inside, prepared to be amazed by towering mountains (snowcapped early in summer season, cascading waterfalls (some thousands of feet), and amazing geology. It will take a while to get all the way to the head of the inlet. If you are running late, you can tuck in behind Macdonald Island to port about half way in. At the head of the inlet is Chatterbox falls--a huge roaring waterfall in most years. There is a long BC Marine Park dock just to starboard of the falls. If you don't have a dinghy, you might want to tie up and stay here. If you do have a dinghy, you can anchor/stern-tie a distance from the madding crowds on the dock. You need the dinghy here because the water is incredibly deep with precious little shelf for anchoring. The idea is to drop your bow anchor and row ashore with your FLOATING line (I use Regatta Lite). Wrap this around a tree or rock well above the high tide line, and return with the bitter end to your boat (it helps to have someone on board paying out line). This serves the dual purpose of keeping you from dragging off of the shelf and keeping the boat securely fastened and ready for an emergency departure (release bitter end and go). You can anchor directly off of Chatterbox falls, and the resulting flow should hold you bow-to. I tried this once in a bigger boat, and have to say that the deafening noise got to me after a while. Also, I have seen boats anchored here overcome by a really strong up-inlet wind. I favor the north side of the inlet for anchoring/shore-tie. It is a short dinghy paddle to the dock where you will find water (non-potable--use your purifier), onshore toilets (primitive), and a trailhead to the falls and a more extensive hike to the old Trapper's Cabin. I would recommend the hike to the cabin--not so much because of the structure--but for the view. It is a strenuous hike/climb. At some points, you must climb tree roots to keep going, and the trail is often muddy and washed out, but you will feel on top of the world when you arrive. Take your camera. Your boat will be the tiny speck in the stunning bay below. Oh, and watch for bears. They frequent the upper trails. If you have time on the return trip, you can add a nice two-day side trip to Harmony Islands in Hotham Sound before returning to Egmont. 4) Desolation Sound: One to two weeks starting from Lund (the northern terminus of highway 101). Lund is a great starting point for exploring the entire Desolation sound area. It is a charming little town that has been going through fits and starts for as long as I can remember. There is an excellent (new as of late '90's) launch ramp, and secure parking for your tow vehicle/trailer at Lund Automotive & Outboard (call ahead to reserve space). Just don't leave any food in your vehicle, as bears have come for visits. Another cautionary note: DO NOT TRY TO TURN RIGHT FROM THE RAMP WITH YOUR MAST UP!! I speak from experience here. It is possible that they have removed that low power cable since my last visit, but then again I think it provided endless entertainment for the locals. Once launched, the harbormaster will find you a place to tie-up. Get used to rafting, as that is the primary way of accommodating the high summer traffic. At one harbor, I was rafted out four boats from the dock. Believe me, you don't want a three hundred pound fisherman crossing your M15 in the middle of the night! Usually they can find a solo spot for such small/shallow draft boats as the Montgomery. Head north from Lund into the Thulin passage between the mainland and the Copeland (aka 'Ragged') Island group. If the conditions permit, find a little cove and explore these beautiful little rock islands. You might be surprised to find the water to be quite warm here. We escaped the summer heat by swimming between two small islands. Continue North around Sarah Point, and take a right down into Malaspina Inlet. Head for Grace Harbour and grab an anchorage on the starboard side of the bay (beware the covering rock mid-bay). This is a delightful bay. We have twice been there when the jellyfish are in. Millions upon millions of these beautiful, translucent creatures drift through the clear waters. At night, we would sit in the cockpit and watch the stars above and below. The jellyfish activate the phosphorescence in the water, and the resulting 'stars' in the water transform your little boat into a spaceship adrift in the heavens! There is a trailhead to a small lake at the east end of the bay. Watch/smell for bears. Next, head back out of Malaspina Inlet and go east toward Tenedos Bay. This protected anchorage is a great place to tuck into for a day of land-based exploration and fresh water swimming in Unwin Lake. I favor the shallow anchorage on the North side of the island, as close to the drying bar as possible (other boats won't dare venture in here, but with the M15, it is not a worry). The trailhead to Unwin is on the east side of the bay. Upon exiting Tenedos, don't try and do a shortcut to the north--there is a sizable rock out from shore. Head North around Otter Island (alternately, you can shoot the narrow channel between Otter and the mainland if conditions/tides are correct, but be careful) and head for Prideaux Haven. Prideaux Haven is supposed to be the quintessential Desoloation Sound destination, and it beautiful. It is also, alas, one of the most crowded destinations in the whole of BC. This is where you tend to see the highest concentration of mega-yachts. While there several years ago, there was a modest 200+ footer anchored right outside Eveleigh Island. After dinner, the guests sauntered up to the upper deck to board the helicopter for an evening tour of the surrounding mountains and fjords. I think you get my drift. I still suggest spending a night in either Melanie or Laura Coves, as both have shoal entrances that keep the monster boats out. This area is now a 'no-discharge zone.' In the 'old days', it was not unusual to see a parade of feces float by while you were eating dinner. This should at least happen with less frequency. I would reserve my swimming for later. After you have had your fill of the high life, head for the more sane waters of Roscoe Bay on the east side of West Redonda Island (across the Homfray Channel from Prideaux). You will want to time your arrival to clear the bar near the entrance to the inner bay. With an M15 or M17, you likely won't have to wait for a full high tide. I usually take the dinghy ahead to sound it out. At full high tide, you can easily get in/out. Traditionally, I anchor on the north side of the inner bay just a little past the drying bar. Again, most boats don't consider this due to draft, and seem to concentrate at the head of the bay (west end). Take your dinghy to the trailhead, and do the short hike to Black Lake. Keep going beyond the obvious end of the trail. This stunningly clear lake is flanked by perfect south facing (read warm) slabs of rock that slope down to the water. The water is not always warm, but it feels good to get rid of the salt accumulated while in Prideaux. We usually waste a day swimming and lounging around on the solar-heated rocks--usually in complete solitude. Black Lake is also a great place to watch/hear loons. From Roscoe Bay, you can head back out the Homfray Channel to Refuge Cove on the Southwest tip of West Redonda Island (provisions), and if you still have time, head further north up the Lewis Channel for Teakerne Arm (more great swimming and a waterfall). Points north of Desolation Sound tend to be less crowded, but fuel, provisioning, and water are harder to find.