Because of our location on the remote and picturesque Malcolm Island, getting to Souintula Lodge is as much of an adventure as your trip itself. While you could take a road trip, complete with a ferry ride, or catch a flight in Vancouver, the most popular option is to take a seaplane with Kenmore Air. And the moment you soar above the Inside Passage, you’ll see why.
However, with this extra adventure comes a bit of extra planning. Because of the size of the aircraft, and the need to leave space and room in the weight restriction for you to bring your fresh-caught fish home with you, each guest can only bring 25 pounds of luggage.
If you’re someone who likes to overpack, this might be a bit daunting. Luckily, with a few smart choices, it’s easy to scale back your packing and bring everything you could possibly need on your trip without going over the weight limit. Keep reading to learn a few tips to pack light for your adventure.
1. Pack Layers
Perhaps the easiest way to pack light and still be dressed perfectly for whatever weather comes your way is to plan to dress in layers. In the week before your trip, check the weather for Sointula. During the summer months, temperatures can drop as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit, and go as high as the 70s. Sometimes, you’ll experience both extremes in a single day. Brisk, cool mornings are the norm. But when the sun comes up, afternoon temperatures are often warm and comfortable.
Between heading out on the water to fish, exploring the island, and dining on delicious meals, you won’t want to have to go back to your room to change clothes multiple times throughout the day. Dressing in layers allows you to easily add or shed clothes as temperatures change. Plus, this means you’ll only need a fresh shirt and pants each day, which you’ll then top with a vest, jacket, or pullover, cutting down on the number of clothing items you need to pack.
For your bottom layer, a t-shirt is a good choice. Moisture-wicking material will help keep you dry and comfortable under your other layers. As for your bottom base layer, because we provide rain pants to keep you dry, you can opt for whatever is comfortable, like leggings, sweat pants, or jeans. However, if you get cold easily, you might want to consider wearing thermals under your pants. If needed, you can always remove these later in the day.
2. Choose the Right Jacket
Bringing a single vest and a jacket or pullover along is a great way to cut down on your packing and to leave more space for those base layers that you’ll change each day. But if you’re going to do this, you’ll want to make sure that you choose the right middle layers.
Unless you are used to chilly temperatures and don’t get cold easily, you’ll likely be wearing those middle layers when it’s in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. Some individuals might even want more than just a t-shirt on when temperatures are in the 70s but a breeze is blowing on the water.
Bringing along your winter coat is overkill. We provide float coats, which protect you from the elements, add some warmth, and act as lifejackets. Instead, light-weight fleece, wool, or down jackets and pullovers are a better choice. These are great for adding insulation when temperatures are cool, but can also help regulate your body temperature as the day warms.
Mix and match these materials to find the right layers for you. For instance, a fleece vest and a lightweight down jacket is a great combo because you can use these layers in a variety of combinations as temperatures change.
3. Keep it Comfy
While we do specialize in providing a luxury travel experience, you can leave your fancy evening clothes at home for this outdoor adventure.
Even though you’ll be dining on multi-course, five-star meals, our lunches and dinners are casual affairs. You’ll spend most of your days on the water, and your evenings relaxing in the hot tub or taking a walk on the island. This means that comfortable, casual clothing is the only thing you need to bring along.
4. Wear Your Boots
We recommend a pair of waterproof hiking boots to keep your feet dry and comfortable on the water or while hiking around the island. But because hiking boots are heavy, take up space in your bag, and aren’t something you want to have packed next to your clean clothes, it’s best to wear them on your flight instead.
5. Leave Your Fishing Gear at Home
Even if you’re a seasoned fisherman with an extensive collection of gear, you won’t need to bring it along for your trip. From rods and reels to bait and lures, we provide everything you need for a successful day on the water. Don’t worry about wasting space in your luggage bringing along your own gear.
Packing for Your Visit to Sointula Lodge
With these simple tips, it’s easy to pack light for your trip so that you can enjoy an incredible seaplane adventure getting to and from the island.
For more tips and advice, check out our “Plan Your Trip” page next.