Porteau Cove is the closest serious saltwater paddling launch to Vancouver — a small marine park tucked into Howe Sound with a pebble beach, a drive-up boat ramp, and sunken ships sitting on the bottom a stone’s throw from shore. Forty minutes from the city, and you’re paddling open ocean under the Coast Mountains.
Pull off Highway 99 about 38 km north of Vancouver, drop down the short access road, and the inlet opens in front of you. Most weekends you’ll see scuba flags bobbing over the artificial reefs — the HMCS Whitethroat and a handful of other intentionally-sunk vessels that have turned this shoreline into one of BC’s best shore-dive sites. Above the surface, the move is a quiet morning paddle out toward Anvil Island before the outflow winds pick up.
Open Howe Sound. Cold even in August — glacier-fed all year.
Off Highway 99. Pavement to the launch, no rough road.
High tide is friendly. Low tide is a long pebble walk.
Mornings are calmest. Afternoons can build fast.
Artificial reefs from sunken ships. Famous BC shore dive.
16 walk-in + 44 vehicle. Reserve via Discover Camping.
Delivered to the day-use launch. Best for calm-morning Howe Sound exploration around the shore. Up to three paddlers per canoe.
Book a canoeStand-up boards for the glass-flat saltwater mornings. Best on a high tide and a calm wind window.
Book a boardLocal guide for the launch logistics, the tide window, and the safe routes around the shipwrecks and shoreline. Best for first-time saltwater paddlers.
Book a guide“Booked the canoe delivery for a Sunday morning. Boat was waiting at the launch right when we got there. Paddled out on a high tide, glassy water all the way to Anvil Island and back before the wind came up. Forty minutes from East Van and we felt completely out of the city.”
“Took the paddleboards out at sunrise. Saltwater was colder than I expected even in July — PFD stayed on the whole time. The Whitethroat is visible from the surface on a calm day, which was the moment of the trip.”
“First time paddling salt water and the guide made it. He read the tide chart for us, picked the wind window, kept us off the dive flags. Best decision was hiring him — saved us from a sketchy afternoon.”
“Beautiful park and a great launch spot, but heads up — the day-use lot fills early on summer weekends with divers loading gear. Got there at 7:30am and barely got a spot. Mid-week is the move if you can swing it.”
“Camped two nights at one of the walk-in sites. Watched the sunset behind Anvil Island both evenings. Trains pass close, but honestly the rhythm grew on us. Came back with kids the next month for a day paddle.”
“Pre-season shore dive on the Whitethroat. Easy parking, easy entry off the pebble beach, the reef is right there. Came up, dried off, and was eating in Squamish in under an hour. Hard to beat as a Vancouver day trip.”
Porteau is small. The lot fills. On a summer Saturday divers are unloading tanks by 8 a.m., and by 10 the day-use parking is at capacity. Weekday morning or shoulder season is the move if you want space on the beach.
The water is cold — properly cold, glacier-fed Howe Sound cold, year round. PFDs are not optional. The outflow wind out of the upper Sound can build from glassy-calm to whitecaps in under an hour on a warm afternoon. Paddle in the morning, watch the forecast, and come back early.
The cove sits on Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation territory. Pack out what you bring. The dive sites are protected — look but don’t touch.