Penrose Island Marine Park is 86 kilometres north of Port Hardy at the entrance to Rivers Inlet and the south end of Fitz Hugh Sound. BC Parks says access is by boat only, using Klaquek Channel to enter sheltered anchorages on the east side of the island.
Rivers Inlet is the nearest supply centre for gas, diesel, and supplies.
Penrose Island is a central-coast marine park of small coves, narrow channels, anchorages, and sand and white-shell beaches. Kayaking, dinghy exploration, scuba diving, fishing, and nature viewing are popular.
The area is prized by sport fishers for salmon and rockfish, while low tide reveals intertidal life such as sea cucumbers, nudibranchs, chitons, sea stars, mollusks, urchins, and multicoloured algae. Wildlife viewing can include orcas, humpback whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, sea lions, deer, mink, wolves, oystercatchers, sandpipers, pigeon guillemots, scoters, and bald eagles. The park is in the traditional territory of Oweekeno First Nation and was designated in 1982.
The park is used by the Owikeeno Nation for traditional shellfish gathering.
Anchor, kayak, dinghy, scuba dive, fish with a licence, watch marine mammals and birds, explore beaches, and identify intertidal creatures without moving rocks or disturbing them.
Use Canadian Hydrographic Chart 3921 and monitor marine weather. Parts of the park are exposed to Pacific winds and swells, especially from the southwest. Do not harvest clams or other bivalves because the coast is closed due to red-tide risk. Mariners must use holding tanks.
