Cates Park is one of the launch areas to kayak the waters off of Vancouver and is a park that is filled with sites of the past, like a war canoe and totem poles. This is North Vancouver’s largest seaside park, with the ancestral name Whey-Ah-Whichen that translated means “faces the wind.” This is a 6 km park that has spectacular views of Indian Arm to the north and Burrard Inlet to the south, from the waterfront trails that lead along the sand beaches and through the forest filled with Douglas fir and the big leaf maple trees. Walks on the beach when the tide is out, there can be starfish and crabs found on the beach. There is swimming and a concession stand that adds to the park’s many activities in the 22 hectares of Cates Park.
Cates Park Kayaking is where the boat and kayak launch is opened year round and where out on the water there is the picturesque view of the rain forest covered mountains and views of the city of Vancouver. The kayaker will experience the sights and sounds out on the water of the marine life and the ships, both large and small. This is where the marine life in their natural habitat often put on spectacular shows that will not be seen anywhere else. Freighters, fishing boats and pleasure ships can all be seen on the water and the person kayaking can enjoy fresh catch of the day or have a picnic at Cates Park. When taking a break from kayaking the waters the great thing about Cates Park is that it is not an overcrowded park and the scenery is exquisite.
Cates Park kayaking is one of the most exciting places to be on the water with the park, the mountains and the city of Vancouver as a backdrop, along with all of the action out on the water. This will be a kayaking trip that will make memories, no matter what time of year the trip is, since there is the launch for kayaks is open year round at Cates Park.
