Here's what I found for Columbia Beach, which I have never been to, so don't take my word for it, but please add to it if you can..

The GPS coordinates are in the bottom right corner of the picture. Here are the driving directions posted above " 5-10 mins north of Parksville. First right after you pass the bridge over French Creek. Turn right at big sign "Columbia Beach", turn right again at water, first parking lot on left."

Not sure if that parking lot is on this picture...or where the launch is best.




WR

Here's what I have for Nitinat Lake campground and launch area.

Finding Nitinat Lake is a challenge for anyone new to logging roads. From Highway 1 on Vancouver Island take the exit north of Duncan, leading to Youbou and Lake Cowichan. Head to Youbou and onto the logging roads, and use a forest district map after this, or hope that the signs are where you need them when you need them... When you come to the T junction, to the right is Bamfield, to the left leads eventually to Carmanah Provincial Park, but your exit along this road is Ditidaht Village and Nitinat Lake campground.

Again, the GPS coordinates are in the bottom right hand corner of the picture.




WR

Wavos, nice site description and directions for Gordons. I think you sailed about 4 km too far west on your Tugwell location, though. Thats where using your lat/long puts me.

I make Tugwell
48d 22.456' N 123d 51.024' W
or, in UTM
Zone 10U
E 0437025
N 5358250

A medium scale map with road names and a blue star for the sailing site is (if I got the image thing right):

and a close up map with orthophoto shows the sailing site


Nitinat sailing site (not the village) is
Gartrip waypoints NITINAT SAILING SITE
Zone 10U E0376570 N5407000
or
N 48°48.223'
W124°40.857'

These are in NAD83/WGS-84 datum (you can set this in the GPS or in a GIS - makes about 250m difference to where you are vs. NAD27 coordinates).

Wavos, if you are in the 'cadastre' site, there is a little pin tool on the bar. Use that to point with your cursor and click exactly the spot you want. It puts a blue star and prints the coordinates (in lat long degree, minute, second) right on the map, which you can then copy to a graphic. Check out the one I did for Nitinat on the gallery. I used the CRD site for the Gordons maps, they don't have that function. CRD has better labelled roads, though.

I much prefer UTM over lat long for regional work, since it is intuitive and there isn't the problem of confusion of lat long in degrees, minutes, seconds, vs. decimal degrees, vs degrees decimal minutes, etc. JEEEP website is useful for conversion of this stuff.

BTW, how do you put the images right into this page? Didn't work for me when I tried to drag and drop, and the link thing doesn't seem to work either.

http://www.stambaughfamily.com/bitterroot.html Remember to be careful out in the woods.

yeh ummm, the grey area on the map above says campsite, but actually it the I.R. Malachan, the campsite is actually below and to the left in the road that loops.

Blowenaway: "Directions to Macktush Campground. Go to Port Alberni, Drive towards Tofino. Go across the the Somass river on the on the Somass river bridge., Now past the Indian reservation around the corner until you see McCoy Lake rd .5 kms. Turn left onto McCoy lake rd and drive a further 1 km to 1.5 kms. Look for Woodward rd on a 90 degree corner to your left. Turn left onto Woodward rd. Then follow the signs to MackTush Campground. It is a about a 20 to 25 minute drive on the gravel, depending on your vehicle. They have hot showers, a little store, running fresh water, extremely clean outhouses and a great boat launch at Macktush campground. Much better then Tofino when it come to water! The wind is side onshore depending where you launch." - Sep 01

Mattdog: Got some 9m at Macktush yesterday. Windy, Gusty, Brutal launch. Unfortunately it's not a kiting spot due to the narrow beach (only 15' wide at high) and very poor wind at the beach. Windy as hell though. I like the look of the mouth of the Franklin River much better for launching -immediately opposite the inlet just west of Franklin Camp. - Sep 04 9:47AM

As a newbie to the sport and the Island, I'd love to just know where to go.

That would be wickedsickness

take a look at the wiki sailing guide for all the info you seek. if thats too much trouble, just watch the message board... see you out there!