During the pioneer days, community halls in the southern Gulf Islands were the vibrant centres of island life. Today, they remain important heritage icons and, in spite of inroads by television and wifi, continue to be where islanders gather and socialize. Saturna Island, for example, has recently built a large recreation centre with a gymnasium, […]
When we first moved to Pender Island my wife and I wondered how we would get around as nothing was within walking distance. Our worries were soon allayed by two factors. First, Car Stops, and second, the overwhelming friendliness of islanders. Car Stops are strategically located spots, marked by signs, where people who need rides […]
What better way to enjoy a libation than watching the setting sun transform the horizon into fiery mauves and oranges in the beautiful southern Gulf Islands. To prepare for the summer sundowner season, I tackled a tough mission: sampling all the craft wineries, cideries and breweries in the archipelago. I started on Pender Island at […]
Kayaking in the Gulf Islands archipelago with the wind and tide at your back is like being in heaven. I love to view the gentle Salish Sea from wave level, feel the warm sun on my back and savour the silent solitude. It’s a spiritual experience. I often paddle from Pender to Saturna Island with […]
One day in April, I peered from a cliff down into an eagle’s nest balanced near the top of a Douglas fir tree. A bald eagle mother with a two-metre wing span and lethal talons and beak was ever so gently placing food into the tiny beak of her three-day-old chick. A touching scene. We’re […]
I lace up my hiking boots, but where to go? Should I ramble in the still, sombre forest surrounded by moss, ferns and giant trees? Or should I walk along rocky beaches communing with sea stars and barnacle encrusted rocks? Or should I climb to a viewpoint and gaze upon a panorama of islands sprinkled […]
The five southern Gulf Islands are blessed not only with great natural beauty, but also with creative, lively Farmers Markets. I set out to explore them. On Salt Spring Island, in Ganges at Centennial Park, I jostled in smiling throngs as I roamed among more than 150 booths. It was clear why Salt Spring Farmers […]
Hidden away in the forest deep in the Magic Lake area is one of the finest — and least known — treasures of Pender Island: a disc golf course. On a recent weekend the forest resounded to thumps, clangs and happy shouts as I arrived to play. With its hilly contours and stately Douglas firs, western […]
I suffer from incurable islomania. I confess: I’m crazy about islands. They attract me and hold an immense power over me. They are addictive. I am in their thrall. Off the southwest coast of British Columbia is an archipelago, a gaggle of glorious islands, that draws me like a super-magnet. Although they are near major […]