| Day
Trips From Vancouver by Ian Cook |
| After a week in the
bustle of a Vancouver summer, it can seem that the peace and beauty of
West Coast boating might only be found a great distance away. You can
however, experience the life, even if you have as little as a day to do
your exploring. Boats can be chartered either downtown in Coal Harbour,
or at Granville Island in False Creek. If Howe Sound is your destination,
and you are not interested in seeing the city from the water, Sewell's
marina at Horseshoe Bay will rent you a boat. If you are going in the
other direction to Indian Arm, you can get your vessel at the Deep Cove
Marina. All of these are accessible by the Vancouver city bus system.
Howe Sound If you leave from Vancouver, you will cruise along the shore of West Vancouver, round Point Atkinson and the lighthouse, and enter the deep waters of Howe Sound. The Coast Range is to starboard with its steep sides peaking as high as 6000 feet straight out of the water. This is coastal B.C. boating, and there are numerous destinations in Howe Sound. Bowen Island It is a short walk from here to Snug Cove and the Union Steamship Marina. This is a centre of activity at Bowen Island. Here you will find Doc Morgan's Pub and Restaurant, a gift shop, plus beaches and a park with lots of room for picnicking, and for kids to run. If you get no further than this, you can have a fulfilling day. If, however, you feel the urge to stretch your legs, there are easy rain forest hikes beginning at Maple Trail , across the street from the marina and behind the Old General Store. A circle trip can be made, either to Mannion Bay or back to Snug Cove. Gambier Island Now, there is also an opportunity to stretch your legs at Halkett Bay. A higher degree of fitness is required than for the Bowen Island walks mentioned, but it is a perfect opportunity to combine the two coastal activities of boating and hiking up a mountain. Mount Artaban overlooks Halkett Bay. Its peak, at 2000 feet above sea level, offers magnificent views of Howe Sound and the Coast Mountains. The trail is marked, but can be lost in a couple of places so keep an eye out for the diamond shaped trail markers attached to tree trunks, or in some cases, surveyors' tape tied to branches. The round trip is about ten kilometres. Allow six hours, and be prepared to work up a sweat on the climb. Carry enough water. A good reference book is "103 Hikes in Southwestern British Columbia" by Mary and David Macaree (Douglas and McIntyre, 1994). The next bay west of Halkett, still on Gambier Island, is Port Graves. This is a much larger, more open anchorage. There is a dinghy dock which is shared with Camp Artaban, an Anglican church camp. A few short walks are available on shore, but the best part of this location is the bay itself. Anchor here, or tie up to a log boom, enjoy a picnic lunch in the boat, and go for a swim. After a few hot summer days, the water is very pleasant. After walking to the top of the dock, continue straight up the road for a hundred metres or so, and you will see the Gambier Island General Store. Worth the trip for its pastries and fresh coffee alone, owners Bob and Sue Tigar also offer lunches, fresh baked goods, ice cream, a well stocked store, and Saturday dinners (book a day in advance). If you did want to spend the night, they have a very pleasant, quite private grassy area where a tent can be pitched. Gibsons and Keats
Island At the top of the harbour authority dock is a familiar sight for those who followed CBC TV's "The Beachcombers". "Molly's Reach", the café where Nick and Relic voiced their opinions of each other, is now, for the first time in the building's history, a café. Of course, during the years of "The Beachcombers", despite its appearance, Molly's Reach was a TV studio. The daily specials here are tasty and quite reasonably priced. There is an attractive main street in Gibsons with interesting boutiques and craft shops, as well as a number of other options for dining. Also, there is a pleasant seawall walk with great views of the harbour. A mile and a half across Shoal Channel from Gibsons, on Keats Island, is Plumper Cove Marine Park. There is ample dock space here, as well as mooring buoys. There is no charge for the use of these facilities before 6:00PM. At the top of the dock begins the park. There is a large field ideal for picnics and games. To the left, on a bluff overlooking the sea, are a series of tent sites, and beyond these, a number of trails through the forest and along the shore. After a walk on these trails, and perhaps a picnic lunch, a swim in the inviting water beside the dock is just the thing. Here, once again, is a spot where you could spend an entire day, and never be bored. Bring a lunch, bathing suits, a ball for the kids to play with, and you are set for some simple pleasures. Indian Arm As you continue north from Deep Cove, you will pass Raccoon Island. This, and Twin Islands (a little further north) make up Indian Arm Marine Park. While Raccoon Island is more suitable for kayaks, the east side of Twin Islands has a dock. Here you could tie up, go for a walk, and perhaps have a picnic. Further north from here, are the small settlements of Brighton Beach and Orlichman Beach on the west side of the inlet. A little further along, on the same side, cascading down the mountainside, are Silver Falls. Go ahead, stick the bow of the boat right into them and feel the spray. About a mile and a half past Silver Falls is Croker Island, and off the northeast corner of this is the jewel of Indian Arm - Granite Falls. There is a dock at this provincial park, or a small boat could be beached where the falls flow into the ocean (remember the tides). Once again, this is a delightful spot for a picnic, or to camp if you have the time. A short distance beyond Granite Falls, at the head of the inlet, lies the Wigwam Inn. Now a Royal Vancouver Yacht Club out station, this building has had quite a varied, at times shady history. It is available to club members only. You have now reached the head of Indian Arm and it is time to turn back, making your way south toward the city. After a trip up either Howe Sound or Indian Arm, it will likely be late in the day as you return to Vancouver. This will have been a day of salt air and sunshine, and the city will be bathed in the warm light of evening as you approach. It will seem like a different place than the one you left earlier in the day, a much more gentle and peaceful place. A West Coast boating experience can have this effect. About The Photos: |
Another
option in settled weather, is anchoring in Mannion Bay. This is much
larger than Snug Cove, but the bottom rises quite steeply so you'll
have to pay strict attention to your sounder before dropping anchor.
On a hot summer afternoon in Mannion Bay, a swim is most welcome. Try
diving off the boat and swimming to the beach, to join the locals there.
If you are using a dinghy to get to shore, or if you are beaching your
boat, remember that this is not a lake. Allow for a changing tide, some
days as much as fifteen feet in six hours. If your boat is too heavy
to lift, stick with it and keep it afloat.
If
there is still time left in the day, or as a day's destination itself,
be sure to go to New Brighton. This is about five sea miles from Port
Graves, but a shortcut can be taken by tying up at Gambier Harbour's
public dock and walking across the peninsula. It is unlikely that a
car will pass you on this dirt lane, but if one does, it will be at
slow speed and a friendly wave is probable. (Despite the proximity to
Vancouver, this is most definitely a rural setting.) The other option
is to continue in your boat around Grace Island, and tie up at the New
Brighton public dock.
About
two miles up, on the port side, is Deep Cove. Although this is a part
of North Vancouver, it has the feel of a village. There is a large,
attractive waterside park at the top of the public dock, and it is a
short walk to the main street with its restaurants and boutiques. On
a hot day, a stop here for ice cream is essential.