Twin Islands

July 9-11, 2021

Distance: 5km

Time required (paddling): 50 minutes to 1hr:15 from Deep Cove

Twin Islands are two small islands located on the east side of the lower Indian Arm. They are a part of Indian Arm Provincial Park (officially renamed as Say Nuth Kwah Yum Provincial Park). During low tide, a sandy beach connects the two islands, making it possible to walk from one to the other.

You can get to the islands any way you can think of: kayak, canoe, paddleboard, boat. You can start out from either Deep Cove or Belcerra park. The route via Belcerra is longer; likely up to 2 to 2.5 hours of paddling. I went with several friends from Deep Cove and we used a canoe. It took us about 1 hour of leisurely paddling to get to Twin Islands. There is a dock on the east side of the north island that you can use to load and unload.

There are 20 tent pads on the north island, along with two pit toilets. Camping is FCFS! There are no water sources, so you need to bring all your water. The spots fill up really quickly. When I went, there were over 100 people camping on the tiny island and it was incredibly cramped. I would definitely recommend coming on a weekday or during the off-season unless you like to be surrounded by throngs of young people.

The entrance to Twin Islands. As the sign says, there are no fires allowed anywhere within Indian Arm Provincial Park.

A couple of our tents

Where there's no tent pads, you just have to make do

There's a short trail that runs throughout the island. On the very northern tip is a lighthouse that makes an excellent spot to sit and watch the sun set.

Lighthouse and handmade bench at the northern tip of north Twin Island

On our second day, my friends and I set out to explore the Indian Arm. We could only make it as far as Silver Falls as a couple members of our party had to be back by a certain time in order to make it to their shifts.

Setting out to explore the Indian Arm

Heading north from Twin Islands to explore the Indian Arm

The old Buntzen hydroelectric power plant. It's now a tourist destination with a haunted house kind of vibe.

The side of the powerhouse. There are several ominous-looking broken windows.

A secret cave we found. I was the only one brave enough to go inside. It was pitch black.

A family of seals sunbathing on the rocks

Silver Falls on the west side of the Indian Arm

When we got back to Twin Islands, they were absolutely packed with people. It was a loud and rather annoying night, with music coming from several locations and the squeaky hinges of the pit toilet doors singing every 5 minutes.

We left the next morning. The headwinds make the return journey harder but they weren't too strong. Overall, it was a fun few days and I'm glad I went, although next time, I definitely wouldn't go on a sunny weekend in the summer.