There are over 300 southern Gulf
Islands located off the shores of south- eastern Vancouver Island
however only the larger ones of Galiano Island, Mayne Island,
Saturna Island, North and South Pender Islands and Salt Spring
Island support a local population. These islands are famous
for exceptional arts and crafts, country inns, excellent restaurants,
parks, hiking, kayaking, cycling and breathtaking scenery.
The main Islands are accessible via BC Ferries from Swartz Bay
on Vancouver Island and Tsawwassen on the Lower Mainland (in
the summer several sailings go to each island daily). Decide
in advance which island suits your purposes best, then consult
a BC Ferries schedule to see if you can manage the connections
in the course of a day's visit or will have to seek overnight
accommodation. Except in summer months, ferry service to many
islands is restricted to one or two sailings a day. You may find
that in order to catch a ride you'll have to start your day well
before dawn and return home late in the evening. The trade-off
is that you'll find far fewer visitors sharing the roads, waterways,
and parks with you as you travel at off-peak times.
Visitors to the Islands are always struck by their natural
beauty: quiet roads where you will meet more deer or otter
than motorists, vast stretches of uninterrupted shoreline
with quaint lighthouses; stands of Madronna, Douglas Fir
and Garry Oak; beaches and vast ocean parks. Small farms
supporting organic gardening and a large natural seed repository
reflect the history of the islands agricultural past including
vineyards that are commanding international recognition.
And artists. The BC Gulf Islands have attracted a varied
and talented group of artisans. The local studios of potters,
painters, weavers and spinners, wood carvers and fabricants
produce products that are distributed worldwide. Music
is a major part of the islands community conscience and local
groups when not on the road play to a local audience in
small
pubs and cafés, bringing with them enormous talent
from other parts.
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve consists of lands on
16 islands, plus numerous small islets and reef areas
in British
Columbia’s southern Gulf Islands. With a total area
of 33 km2 (including a 25-metre intertidal zone), it is Canada’s
5th smallest national park. The waters surrounding or
adjacent to park lands, extending 200 metres seaward
from the natural
boundary of the lands, are also protected and managed
by Parks Canada.
Some of the lands included in the national park were
formerly part of the BC provincial parks system. These
include D’Arcy
Island, Isle-de-Lis, Sidney Spit, Princess Margaret,
Cabbage Island, Winter Cove, Beaumont Marine, Prior Centennial
and McDonald Provincial Parks. These areas have some
existing
recreational facilities, including campgrounds or backcountry
campsites, day-use areas, pit privies and some short
trails.
Links
Need a place to stay or camp while exploring the
Southern Gulf Islands?
Explore the Communities of the Southern Gulf Islands
Discover Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands Sub
Regions
Tourism Region Contact
Tourism Vancouver Island
Suite 203, 335 Wesley Street
Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T5
Telephone: (250) 754-3500
Fax: (250) 754-3599
E-mail: visitor@islands.bc.ca
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