Nitinaht Lake: Kite 'n' Camp Awesomeness

Nitinaht Lake is probably the greatest spot to kitesurf that I’ve yet had a chance to check out. When you’re there, the surrounding atmosphere is amazing. The lake is nestled within a valley on the west coast of Vancouver Island and the land is covered by a deep, green, huge, amazing, overwhelming forest.

There is a theme amongst my TrekStorm experiences that might not be very obvious. Well, it’s kitesurfing. I’ve been to La Ventana, the Gorge, Idaho, and a few other places, but I have to say, Nitinaht has been my favorite place to kite so far.

Why?

Kitesurfing reasons: Firstly, the area is known to get a good thermal wind during the summer. From what I gather from the local kiters, if there is clear skies, it’s going to blow. That theory was never wrong. Even with a couple clouds in the sky, it would still get windy. And when the skies are clear, it is very hot and windy :). I’ve only kited there in mid-August, but I imagine their season is open for a few months over the summer. The winds in Nitinaht have also been some of the smoothest winds I’ve kited – there is very little gust. So, in short, the wind is awesome in the summer! The wind is almost on a schedule. As it warms up, the wind starts. Usually at 11am-noon. You can just walk out to the shore and see the wind line slowly making its way over – it’s beautiful.

The launch isn’t the best, but it’s do-able. If you are concerned at all, ask some of the local guys for some tips. The shore has a bunch of a little pebbles and there is drift wood and up-rooted trees in some areas (check photos) – actually makes for a great atmosphere.

Camping reasons: there are many camping sites located at the main campsite. The campsites improve every year. There is a fee, but I can’t remember exactly how much it costs. I think it was $20 per campsite, but multiple parties can fit in the single site (don’t quote me on this :). There is no electricity, water, hook ups, or garbage. There are pit toilets and you must bring in what you need and bring out everything. There is a shower up at the gas station if you are feeling urban. Alot of people also camp right on the beach.

Getting out to Nitinaht is something to plan before you go. The road is paved all the way until Lake Cowichan from Duncan, but after you pass through this small town in Lake Cowichan, the road turns to log roads. So they are bumpy, slow, and no signage. Keep in mind that the log trucks own the road and you have to give right away and bring a spare tire incase. When I go, I would just look on Google Maps and zoom in close to see the log roads display and print out pictures of it. Another option is to use a GPS device or you can also just follow the “road most used”, but method could possibly fail.

If there is no wind, there isn’t lots to do, but there are a couple hikes in and around the main campsite (check photo – River Loop). Or Why?

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