by Brian C » Tue May 07, 2019 5:55 am
I have been going to Nitinat with my family for years, and can offer some advice:
The road is gravel past Youbou (at the west end of Lake Cowichan). It is a mainline logging road and the conditions vary a lot depending on recent weather and when it was graded last. It’s always a rough ride though, so a truck is preferable to a trailer for the drive in. I used to tow a tent trailer there but I had to allow extra time and drive less than 30 kph on the gravel.
It usually takes about 75-90 minutes on the gravel but allow two hours for a first-timer with a trailer. The alternate routes along the south shore of Lake Cowichan or via Port Alberni take longer and are also rough.
The camping is very rustic but in a beautiful forest on the water’s edge. Young kids love it there because the beach and forest are a huge natural playground, but older kids and non-sailing partners often hate it. If you decide to go, be sure that your trailer has a fridge (you have to take all your own food), and a toilet (because the outhouses are often in bad shape). Only go if the forecast is calling for several days of sunny weather and it is going to be hot in Port Alberni, to generate the thermal wind. Rainy days at Nitinat are pretty brutal. Also, only plan on being there a few days if it’s your first trip and you are with a non-sailor. After, go somewhere warmer and more touristy, like on the east coast of the island or inland. Finally, avoid holiday weekends because they are overcrowded.
Don’t bother with the motel. It isn’t at the beach and isn’t very nice.
Despite all these warnings, we still find it a magical place and try to go every year. I am lucky though - my wife sails too!