Blue Book of Boats

This summer, we visited Port Sidney, hoping to get reciprocal moorage at the  Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club.  Alas, the marinas were full, and even if they weren’t, our sailboat keel is too deep for the shallow entrance to the marina, so we simply anchored out at the harbour.

We then rowed our dinghy to Van Isle Marina and walked along Resthaven Drive to the town of Port Sidney.   What a lucky coincidence for us, since  the Farmers Market happens every Thursday from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm and that same day was a Thursday.

Port Sidney is within easy walking distance to the seaside town of Sidney, where you will find great specialty shops, fine bakeries,  nine wonderful book stores, a diversity of fine restaurants, unique cafes, a movie theatre, art galleries plus a full compliment of all services.

The bookstores at Sidney are indeed a special treat, as they always have some rare used books that have been out of print.   The town of Sidney is also within 10 minutes drive from the Schwartz Bay Ferry Terminal, Washington State Ferry Terminal and the Victoria International Airport.  There is also convenient transportation to the famous Butcharts Garden in Victoria.

All the way along Resthaven Drive, there are several cherry trees with an abundance of cherries just for the picking.  As you can see, here are some cherries that I picked, which was later made into a pie.

How would you like to have your own private island?  Here is an island within swimming distance from West Vancouver.  You can enjoy your own private sunset view, swim with the Canada geese, and just play around in the ocean.

British Columbia coastline covers a total of 27,000 kilometers, all the way from the Northern border of Alaska down to the southern portion of Vancouver Islands.  There are over 40,000 islands on the British Columbia coast.   The biggest islands are Vancouver Islands, Queen Charlotte Islands and the Gulf Islands.   The many islands, deep fjords and inlets in British Columbia made it one of the top cruising grounds in the world.

The town of Gibson, with a population of 4,000 is literally minutes away from the city of Vancouver.   BC Ferries run regular sails between Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to the Langdale Terminal in Gibsons.  The ferry ride is a pleasant 40 minute ride.

Known as the gateway to the Sunshine Coast, Gibsons is a popular boating destination for sailboat and powerboat owners, and makes a nice weekend staycation.  The water is warm during the summer (ranging from 21 degrees to 28 degrees celsius) and is great for swimming.

Canoe and kayak rentals are readily available, and there are good restaurants and quirky specialty stores making shopping fun.  A local museum featuring Gibsons’ history provides some cultural entertainment for the history lovers.   The quiet little town gives the tourists a feel of escape and wilderness calm.  There are plenty of wildlife and sunset at night provides a romantic setting.

Cowichan Bay is a village located on the British Columbia’s Gulf Islands.  It is a favorite cruising destination for Canadian and American boaters alike.    It is also popular among landlubbers.   This year, inspite of the recession, Cowichan Bay is simply hopping with tourists.  For a map of Cowichan Bay, click here.

What impresses me most about Cowichan Bay is its whimsical art.  The whole place is filled with imagination.  Just look at the above discarded marine toilet made into a planter stand.  What would have been garbage is given a life with a purpose, and made into a work of art.

Here is another example.  An old boot made into a planter with miniature cactus plants.

Or the above welcome sign for a seafood restaurant.   Just look at the smile of this fisherman proudly showing his catch.  Don’t you just feel so welcome at this place?