Beach Access

There are a great many public beach accesses on Gabriola, this one is at the end of Malaspina Drive where there is a little park and the point separates the beach in Taylor Bay from the rock shelf of the Malaspina Galleries. This is a great swimming spot in the summer for teens and adults, a good spot to watch the yearly bathtub races, and an attractive place to hang out on any nice day.

Beach Visit

This beach access and swim raft is located in Clark Bay. It is a bit too cold for swimming in the waters off of Gabriola now, although the hardy still do, but there are stairs down to this very pretty sandstone beach which offers pleasant walking and the view of the Strait is spectacular!

Flowers for Sale

Earl's Dahlia Garden, where you can buy a bunch of Dahlias for $3, is located right next to the little boat launch in Descanso Bay. Sitting on the bench in this picturesque setting you have a good view of the ferry coming into the Dock on Gabriola.

Dolphin Sighting

Dolphin sightings have been increasingly common in the Strait of Georgia, particularly at this time of year and a group of around 200 Pacific white sided Dolphins have been spotted frolicking near Entrance Island off the shores of Gabriola. Photo credit "NOAA".

A Princess

This Princess Cruise ship is anchored just outside the Nanaimo Harbour off of Protection Island in sight of Gabriola. The passengers are shuttled by boat into Nanaimo to enjoy the downtown sights, shops and restaurants. A new $22 million cruise ship terminal is in the works which will allow the vessels to berth directly in the Nanaimo Assembly Wharf area next to the Gabriola Ferry dock.

The end of an era

The Entrance Island Lighthouse located off the tip of Gabriola Island, may lose its keeper for the first time since 1876. The fully automated lighthouse is one of four along B.C.'s coast that the federal government is looking to destaff in the near future, with more expected in a second phase. The others are on Trial Island near Victoria, Dryad Point near Bella Bella and Cape Mudge on Quadra Island.

Silva Bay

On a stormy Sunday afternoon boats huddle in the protected waters of Silva Bay. Boaters can come ashore and find a shipyard, seaplane terminal, coffee shack, restaurant, laundromat, showers, fresh water, liquor store, groceries, bookstore, dive center and a rustic log church. There are several docks to chose from at Silva Bay Marina, Pages Resort and Marina, and the Silva Bay Inn.

Salt Marsh

We swam in the mid afternoon at the far end of Lock Bay and walked back to the road on the high path. We passed the salt marsh edged with the beach logs that wash in with some of the high tides that bring salt to the marsh.

Sandwell Park

Sandwell Park is on the edge of Lock Bay. There is a short and beautiful hike through cool forest and massive rocks which opens onto a sandy beach with a spectacular view of Entrance Island and the coastal mountains. We have been swimming there every evening during this heat wave. The water is very clear and warm with a sandy bottom and there is a little swimming platform made of beach logs anchored not far from shore to dive off of.

An Evening Picnic

The weather has been fantastic, perfect for an evening picnic. We headed out around 4 pm, ten minutes from the boat launch we were climbing out on Oak Island. We spread our blanket in the shade of a Garry Oak, had a swim, supper and another swim. As the sun dipped in the west we motored back and were home before dark. A beautiful end to a perfect summer day!

Relaxing on Hornby Island

We had the luxury of getting a week off this summer and we went to Hornby Island. Many people looked at us rather oddly when we said we were going to another Gulf Island for a holiday but we so wanted to spend some time in a quiet place where we were totally anonymous. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and headed to the lovely cottage we had arranged to rent for a week. The property was beautiful and equipped with a zipline in the backyard much to our 4 year old daughter's delight. Hornby is a beautiful island which you can reach by taking a ferry from Buckley Bay on Vancouver Island to Denman Island and then driving across Denman to the Hornby Island ferry. The ferry ride to both islands are a short ten minute jump and the connections are quite good.

Hornby has a wonderful shopping area called the Ringside Market where there are 2 clothing stores, a coffee/ice cream stand with the best americanos, cafe, restaurant, book store, pottery store and of course the Hornby Co-op Grocery/Everything you need Store. While there we made trips to many of the local artist studios, beautiful beaches, farms, and of course the Cardboard House Bakery which has the best almond buns and cream puffs. It is also the home of Pizza Galore which beats any pizza place I have ever been to, fantastic!!!

Hornby is also home to two wineries and a meadery which we managed to visit without our kids thanks to our wonderful friends/travel companions. Middle Mountain Mead is an artisan honey winery combining the best of ancient and modern techniques to create small lots of premium handcrafted mead. We left with 3 bottles of Mead which we are eagerly awaiting to try. Visit their website at middlemountainmead.com.

We had such a fantastic and relaxing vacation that we will definitely be back next year anxiously awaiting anonymity and almond buns:)

Garden by the Sea

At the end of Berry Point Road there is a charming little cottage garden by the sea that sells bedding plants, across the street is a wind swept sandstone beach and exhilarating view of snow capped coastal mountains. Around the corner is an orchard with dozens of varieties of apples, many of them heritage, pears and plums, all offered at a handy fruit stand.

A Birthday

It was Canada's birthday yesterday and everyone was busy with island celebrations, so we got a day off. We could have been entertained at the Village with music, refreshments and wine tasting. We could have joined the Potato Cannon Challenge at the Brickyard and ended the day with a Burger BBQ and concert at Raspberry's. But we decided on a quiet day in the garden pulling weeds and planting seeds followed by an afternoon drive to Orlebar Point where we can see the Entrance Island Lighthouse and the Canadian flag flying in the breeze.

On the Strait Of Georgia

The past week has been a hot one on Gabriola, absolutely fabulous weather! And the best place to enjoy it is at the sea. This sandstone beach is along Berry Point Road.

and then came the Orcas

Not uncommon but always exciting, Orca Whales swimming through Dodds Narrows, viewed from Mudge Island.

Dodds Narrows

Mudge Island is a stone's throw across False Narrows from Gabriola and Dodds Narrows separates Mudge from Vancouver Island. Dodds Narrows is very narrow as the name suggests and 90 feet deep. It offers safe passage for almost any pleasure boat and a swift tide. We have watched long lines of boats pop through this marine pass when the tide is right. On the day we visited the water was very clear, with sea weeds, little white jelly fish, star fish, sea anenomes and sea mushrooms (or maybe they were cauliflowers) all quite visible. Along the water's edge are fantastic sandstone shapes and arbutus, stonecrop and indian paint brush hug the rocks.

Sea Weed and Faeries

Sea Weed, lots of it at the high tide line. Best picked when the tide is low so that it is dry and easy to transport. Wonderful for gardens, both ornamental and vegetable. No need to wash the salt off, compost it or put it on fresh - no matter which, you will see results! Our most productive gardens have been when we have gathered large amounts. And if you are lucky the garden faerie will come and help you spread it!

A Hidden Treasure

This little cottage on a white shell beach reminds me of the old days on Gabriola when all the homes were either summer cottages or modest homesteads. This one peaks out from between bare branches, but in another month or so will be hidden from view.

A Beach Walk

An afternoon walk along False Narrows, Cormorants roosting in the Maples and crystal clear water at our feet, we admire Mudge Island from the shores of Gabriola.

Descanso Bay

A calm December day in Descanso Bay with ducks swimming and the MV Bowen Queen making its 20 minute crossing from Nanaimo. This vessel is temporarily replacing our MV Quinsam which is undergoing the first phase of its midlife upgrade. The Bowen Queen works well for our island except at extremely low tides when it cannot access our terminal.

Gabriola Sands

Pilot Bay is 0n one side of Gabriola Sands Povincial Park and Taylor Bay is on the other. Both beaches are sandy on the inside edge with sculptured sandstone shelves along the outer parts. I was basking in the intermitent sun in Pilot Bay enjoying the quietude.

Coming Home

We are heading back from a bit of shopping in Nanaimo. I always love to see the island from the ferry and the gates of home.

A Safe Harbour

Degnen Bay is located at the south end of Gabriola Island with lovely views of Valdez Island and Gabriola Pass. It is very protected deep water moorage with a combination of Government Wharf, private moorage and deep water anchorage. It is very popular with boaters and there is great diving in the pass. I like to take visitors here as it is a very pretty bay.

Beach Barbecue

We wanted an evening out so we decided to have hotdogs at the beach at Orlebar Point. The dogs were fantastic fresh off the grill at the sea side. We lounged by the fire in the little stove (a nifty little item made out in Errington from a discarded propane tank) and watched the sun go down.

Whalebone Beach

Whalebone beach has always been one of my favorites. When my children were babies we spent many of our summer afternoons playing on this beautiful sandy beach. At low tide there is a large expanse of compact sand with a shallow tidal pool and little crabs under almost evey rock. The access has been greatly improved and at high tide there is a nice white sandy beach to lounge on while the incoming tide laps at your feet and children swing on the looped hanging rope.

A Gabriola Adventure

We were deciding where to spend our two days off this week and thought about the Gabriola Campground. We have never camped there before, but with gas prices so high and only two days to play what better way to make the best of our time. We packed up and in less than 1/2 hour we were lounging around in a beautiful forest campsite with a pretty view of the bay. We sunned on the rocks at the water's edge, hiked the parkland trails, cooked our dinner over an open campfire and fell asleep to the sound of lapping waves and a light ocean breeze. The next day, after a hearty breakfast we decided to head out on an adventure. We walked the hiking trail which brought us up to River Place, hiked down Spruce Avenue and over to Balsam Street where we found our selves at the Gabriola Island Winery. We had an interesting tour of the facility, tasted some wine, bought a gift and continued on our way. Down the hillside to Berry Point Road, with a stop at the local Bakery for a hearty soup and sandwich, we were back at the campgound in time for an afternoon swim. What an excellent adventure!

A Day at the Beach

We started the day in the garden, but it got to be so warm that we decided to finish it at the beach, so we packed up the older grandchildren and headed off to Sandwell Park on Lock Bay. There were quite a few people enjoying the day but this is a big stretch of beach so there is plenty of room for everyone. We found the water to be quite comfortable and we all had a nice swim. The children played in the sand while we sunned ourselves and we all ate cookies and water melon. Lots of fun!

Brickyard Beach

I was on my way to the south end of Gabriola to put up a sign and visit the fish market for fresh spring salmon. I stopped at Brickyard Beach on my way. This is the site of a factory that made bricks during the 1930's. The remains of rejected bricks still line the coast there. I took a stroll and watched a Heron who kept his distance from me.