I went snorkelling with salmon in B.C. Yes, you read that right. When the idea floated across my desk, I was immediately intrigued. Fishing made sense, but snorkelling? Was this actually a thing? I’m not sure I have the answer yet, even after doing it. But wow, did I have an experience.
It all started innocently enough with a pampering stay at Naturally Pacific Resort, a swish new hotel in Campbell River on the east coast of Vancouver Island. The resort is the brainchild of Amanda Mailman, whose family went from being chicken farmers in Campbell River, to local real estate entrepreneurs to national real estate moguls. Having had the opportunity to stay at beautiful hotels across the globe, Mailman says, “I had a vision of bringing the world here. We have sea life that is rich like the Galapagos. Plus in the same day you can golf, go skiing 40 minutes away at Mount Washington which is 1600 metres high, fly-fish for salmon or fly to see glaciers.”
Tucked between the foothills of Strathcona Provincial Park and the dramatic shorelines of the Discovery Passage, Campbell River is certainly breathtaking. It is also a launching point for all of the activities that draw people to the vast wilderness of Vancouver Island, from grizzly bear and whale-watching tours to backcountry skiing and salmon fishing. An added draw? The hotel also has an award-winning 18-hole golf course and something I’ve never tried before: a virtual golf bar and restaurant, Velocity Lounge & Driving Range. I know, it sounds weird, but it was so much fun. You get a booth and can whack golf balls out over the driving range using Toptracer-equipped bays that let you take a virtual swing on some of the world’s best courses.
For a less athletic dinner, the hotel’s restaurant, Carve Kitchen + Meatery, is excellent and does what it says on the label, with lashings of meat, from bison to pistachio-encrusted lamb, and three choices of steak in different weights – ribeye, Tomahawk and Chateaubriand. This extravagance makes perfect sense when you meet Mailman, a striking brunette who drives a custom Maserati with iridescent purple paint and wore sky-high Louis Vuitton heels and a sharp-shouldered black blazer over a peek-a-boo crop top to our dinner. Wonderfully incongruous for the granola crowd that this area of the world is better known for. Her indulgent touches are everywhere, from vast terraces dotted with convivial firepits, where guests sit swaddled in blankets while enjoying delicious B.C. wine, to the large, luxurious rooms, fluffy duvets and soft waffle robes for padding over to the mosaic-tiled immersion spa.
As I sallied forth the next morning for my snorkelling adventure, I had been lulled into complacency by the high-thread-count sheets and calming views over the fairways. At the Ocean Fix dive shop, the fascinating and unlikely owner, Stephne Neff – a retired physicist who worked at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland – kitted me and the two other journalists in our group out in thick, full-body wetsuits and booties. He then showed us a map of the river and explained how to navigate our two-kilometre “float” with remarkable nonchalance. “The fisherman will be on your right when you start off, you’ll see their lines underneath you – kick away towards the other bank as they can get annoyed by snorkellers. Don’t go too close to the left bank as there are lots of rocks there. When you come to the whitewater section just do the Superman position to get over the boulders. When you see a brown wooden fence, head in towards the shore or you’re out to sea.” I tried to emblazon all of this information in my head, but wasn’t sure what was going to stick. Neff then mentioned that the river’s current travelled at around 19 to 20 knots. I asked for a kilometre conversion. “Around 35 to 37 kilometres per hour,” he replied, unfazed. The numbers didn’t compute in my mind, so I chose to be equally nonchalant. However, I felt the beginnings of nerves. But I love water and swimming, so how bad could it be?
We drove to the edge of the riverbank and strapped on our flippers on its gravelly shore, feeling a bit absurd next to the wader-clad fisherman. As I awkwardly entered the 11-degree-C water, I was prepared for a bit of a jolt, but the wetsuit did its job and I felt snug. The shock came at the speed of the river. I kicked my feet up and headed out towards the middle, and that was the last feeling of control I had. I was surprised, as I am an extremely strong swimmer. Not to boast, but I was once even asked to join the Special Boat Service swim group (the U.K.’s elite maritime special forces) after one of their members saw me swimming in the sea in the South of France. However, I was no match for the Campbell River current.
At first, I attempted to actually snorkel and spot the salmon underwater, but after being rolled around, dodging fishing lines and almost hyperventilating as I peered beneath the surface and saw boulders coming at me at 36 kilometres per hour – magnified by my diving mask – I decided the best way to survive was to keep my head above water. I tried to recall Neff’s navigation tips. When I saw white water coming, I thought, “Superman”, and assumed the Clark Kent flying position, with my arms and legs outstretched and head up. It worked. I glided over the top of the boulders without a bump. When the water became a bit deeper, I tried to stop my progress by wedging my feet amongst the rocks, but I was no match for the speed of the river. The current just picked me back up and sent me flying, glancing off my fellow journalists, all of whom were in various states of disarray, like bumper cars. I finally felt I was in deep enough water to look underneath again and saw torpedo-like silver streaks of salmon heading upstream, as well as fish carcasses and snagged fishing lures.
All of a sudden, I spied the wooden fence, but I was far out on the wrong side of the river. I tried to propel myself, salmon-like, towards shore. However, despite my swimming accolades, I failed and ended up bobbing next to a harbour seal in the estuary before striking out once more for the riverbank. There, we all hauled ourselves up onto the gravelly shore, panting, laughing and sharing stories of near misses. Our Public Relations person, who arranged the trip and is known for being incredibly organized, had a horrified look on her face, feeling she had put our lives in danger and had been misled about the experience by locals. However, when she asked if any of us would ever do it again, my hand shot up. “I would!” I felt that now I knew what lay in store, the next time I could do it well and actually enjoy it. Joni Sweet, a journalist from New York about 15 years younger than me, looked at me, appalled, and said, “I felt like I was going to die!”
I had thought it would be the grizzly bear safari that would get my adrenaline pumping and my heart racing, not salmon snorkelling. But bear-watching turned out to be surprisingly peaceful. I was grateful, however, that the two experiences weren’t combined, as another alarming thought crossed my mind as I entered the river: the reason grizzlies are so easy to spot at this time of year is that the giant bears are busy fishing, building up their reserves before hibernation. Perhaps swimming alongside their prey wasn’t the smartest idea after all?
Getting There: There’s no more charming or efficient way to travel than catching a float plane from Coal Harbour in downtown Vancouver and landing in Campbell River’s marina, Harbour Air has daily flights. If small planes aren’t to your liking, Air Canada, WestJet and Pacific Coastal all have flights to Comox, about a 30- to 40-minute drive south of Campbell River.
See: Orcas and humpbacks are abundant here, I went out with Campbell River Whale Watching & Adventure Tours and saw orcas hunting sea lions along the shoreline. The tour outfit also has a new Bald Eagle Feeding Frenzy expedition in June and July. For an eagle’s eye view of the dramatic scenery take a helicopter flight over the coastal fjords and peaks of Bute Inlet with 49 North Helicopters.
If catching fish is more your speed than snorkelling with them, Coastal Wilderness Adventures leads freshwater, saltwater and flyfishing trips in Campbell River. From mid-August to late October grizzlies are out and fishing for salmon to build up their winter fat stores. Take a Grizzly Bears of Bute Inlet day trip from Campbell River marina through the islands of the Discovery Passage to Orford Bay, traditional territory of the Xwémalhkwu (Homalco) First Nation and home to a sizable population of grizzlies who gorge on spawning salmon as they travel up the Orford River.
Eat: Started by Hungarian couple Emese and Géza Tóth-Harasztos, who left Budapest for Vancouver Island in 2022, Freya Nordic Baking and Kaffe was inspired by a Scandinavian bakery the couple had frequented back home. Despite having backgrounds in marketing and media, they learned to bake, creating delectable sourdough-based croissants and pastries. They opened their first patisserie in Campbell River in July 2022 and now have a second location in Courtenay.
Drink: Shelter Point Distillery sits on a 380-acre oceanfront farm near Campbell River, where founder and third-generation farmer Patrick Evans started the whisky distillery in 2011. One of the few whisky makers to grow their own barley and produce a single malt on site, Shelter Point combines traditional Scottish copper-pot distillation with distinct marine notes of seaweed and salt – influenced by their proximity to the ocean.
Stay: Naturally Pacific Resort – in addition to its 100 guest rooms, the hotel now offers The Residence, a five-bedroom home perfect for family groups, situated beside the Campbell River Golf Club and a short walk from the resort.