Our History

Early WCE intertidal lesson with Jerry Lang

West Coast Expeditions has been the passionate consumption of marine educators who’ve fallen in love with the Kyuquot area and people.

Started in 1972 by Okanagan College biology teacher Jerry Lang – “Uncle Jerry” – West Coast Expeditions first introduced colleagues, friends and students to the wilds of Kyuquot on excursions with a marine biology theme. In the beginning these were base camp expeditions from Granite Island using motorized launch to access remote destinations, including sport fishing activities. Jerry relocated the WCE base camp to Spring Island in 1977 after Transport Canada decommissioned the Loran station. We’ve been at our current base camp site on Spring Island for over 30 years!

Everyone’s Uncle Jerry, early 1970’s at Granite Island

Rupert Wong spent many summers as a child and youth helping his Uncle Jerry and grew to know the places and people of Kyuquot. Rupert, also a marine biologist, became a partner in the company in 1988. In addition to the boat-based marine ecology tours, Rupert introduced kayak touring to the area making WCE one of the pioneer sea kayaking operators on the British Columbia Coast.

After 20 years with WCE, Jerry sold the company to Rupert in 1992. Together with a growing talent pool of guides and camp staff, WCE continued to grow through the 90’s with kayak and boat tours designed to “educate, motivate, and inspire”, keeping a constant connection with the ecology, culture, and community of the Kyuquot area. WCE was a passion and hobby for Rupert.

The charismatic Rupert Wong

In 2005, after 17 years of WCE ownership, Rupert moved on to full-time consulting as a professional biologist specializing in watershed restoration. He continues to work with the Kyuquot community and Interfor. Mike Simpson, a guide with WCE since 2002, then bought WCE to keep the magic of our Spring Island site and experiences alive.

Together with his wife and assistant guide, Kim Letson, they breathed new life into the layout and comfort of our base camp systems and shared an infectious and welcoming love of the place to anyone who came within hailing distance. At the turn of the century (J!), WCE was now almost exclusively self-propelled, focussing only on kayak tours and instruction.

The inimitable and dearly missed, Mike Simpson

Sadly, Mike passed away in February 2007 after a brief struggle with a very late diagnosed brain tumour. For the next season, Kim ran the company together with son Brian, long-time friend Paul, and WCE lead guide and operations manager, David Pinel.

David, guiding with WCE since 1995 and managing operations for seven of those years, had the same Spring Island addictions of all before him. He too has training in marine biology, is a passionate and skilled educator, and has been part of developing professional sea kayak guiding practices in British Columbia. He is an integral part of the West Coast Expeditions story – having worked in Kyuquot with Jerry, Rupert, Mike, Kim, almost all WCE guides and staff. Thirteen years into this love affair, he (and Caroline) recently purchased WCE in April 2008 together with Chris Nagle and Bev Hansen.

In many ways, the new “Kyuquot Field Station” element of West Coast Expeditions is returning to our roots and Jerry’s early years, using our Base Camp as the perfect platform for field study programs (colleges, universities, and high schools) and researchers in this natural West Coast classroom.

Together, Dave, Chris, and Bev welcome you to become part of the present and future of West Coast Expeditions – Much more than sea kayaking, since 1972!

Rupert, a skilled kayak fisherman, still returns with family and friends