Gulf islands

[Cutwater28GG]

Ok you’ve got 4 days to spend in the gulf islands. Leaving from Roche on a Monday. Where are you going?

 

[scross]

To me that’s kinda like saying you have four days to see the entire USA and what are the best places. In our first cruising season in the San Juan’s in 2013 a wise cruiser asked us if we liked the Gulf Islands. Since then (Covid years excepted) we spend more time cruising in Canada than in the San Juan’s.
But where in the Southern Gulf Islands depends on what you want to see and do. Here’s my top Soithern Golf Island spots to see first - in no particular order:
Montague Provincial Park
Ganges
Wallace Island
Telegraph at Thetis (ferry to Chemanius)
Newcastle Island Provincial Park
Otter Bay on N Pender (rent a scooter)
Fisherman’s at Cowichan Bay

More must see places in the Northern Gulf Islands but you aren’t going to do any of them if you’ve only got 4 days.

Places that you might eventually want to visit if you have a lot more time but are, IMHO, not quite as nice as listed above:
Poets Cove/Bedwell Harbor
Port Browning
Maple Bay
Ladysmith
Genoa Bay
Pages at Silva Bay

And don’t get me started about my favorite seven places to explore in Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. Or the three must visit spots in the Southern Vancouver Island area!

My best recommendation to you is to figure out how to get more days up there. It’s like the San Juan’s on steroids!

 

[SJI Sailor]

+1 to scross

What do you like to do? Hiking, walking, eating out, casual food, fine dining, shopping, art galleries, wineries, cider, beer, cheese, farmers' markets, dinghy excursions, fishing, paddle board, biking, kayak, solitude, social meetings? And anchor or marina?

Gulf Islands have all of those so I expect everyone's lists will be unique ... and different every time.

 

[Diatom]

To me that’s kinda like saying you have four days to see the entire USA and what are the best places. In our first cruising season in the San Juan’s in 2013 a wise cruiser asked us if we liked the Gulf Islands. Since then (Covid years excepted) we spend more time cruising in Canada than in the San Juan’s.
But where in the Southern Gulf Islands depends on what you want to see and do. Here’s my top Soithern Golf Island spots to see first - in no particular order:
Montague Provincial Park
Ganges
Wallace Island
Telegraph at Thetis (ferry to Chemanius)
Newcastle Island Provincial Park
Otter Bay on N Pender (rent a scooter)
Fisherman’s at Cowichan Bay

More must see places in the Northern Gulf Islands but you aren’t going to do any of them if you’ve only got 4 days.

Places that you might eventually want to visit if you have a lot more time but are, IMHO, not quite as nice as listed above:
Poets Cove/Bedwell Harbor
Port Browning
Maple Bay
Ladysmith
Genoa Bay
Pages at Silva Bay

And don’t get me started about my favorite seven places to explore in Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. Or the three must visit spots in the Southern Vancouver Island area!

My best recommendation to you is to figure out how to get more days up there. It’s like the San Juan’s on steroids!

I'd add Mill Bay Marina (nice eatery, free lunch hook, shopping center up the road) and Sidney BC.
Also the Saturna winery now has a dock (overnight by begging) and bistro, and I like the Lighthouse Pub as a lunch stop in Lyall Harbour.
Salt Spring - interesting new restaurant at the Fernwood dock across from Wallace: "Hook and Buoy".
/tmm

 

[Cutwater28GG]

Thanks for the insights! We like a marina, but we also like the secluded, quiet bay. Concur on the challenges of a 4 day trip, but this will be our first taster of the southern gulf islands.

Coming from the San Juans where are you provisioning in the islands?

 

[scross]

No question: Ganges
Be sure to use one of the ATMs to get CAD in Ganges. The ATMs have good exchange rates.
If you’re not Nexus you will probably be clearing customs at the dock next to Poets Cove. PC is nice looking but lacking even basic amenities like hot water for the showers. We were at PC 8 days ago while overnighting on a mooring buoy at Bedwell Harbor MPP.
A lot of the MPPs have docks and space on those docks is frequently available. Only a few CAD more for the dock than the $14.75 CAD mooring buoys. Docks don’t have power or water though. Water and pit toilets onshore at most MPPs like at WA State Parks. MPP toilets much, much nicer than WA pit toilets!! You need CAD cash to pay for your moorage at MPPs. A Ranger collects by boat around dinner time if you are on a mooring buoy.

 

[Diatom]

You can use USD cash at many Ganges businesses including the two principal grocery stores Thrifty Foods & Country Grocer (latter's rate today is 1.34 vs. bank rate 1.38).

 

[Cutwater28GG]

Super useful!

my current plan is
Seattle
Roche
Ganges (via poets cove but will try using nexus)
Montague MP
then maybe Telegraph harbor but may switch to a state park.
Roche or other in San Juans
Seattle

my assumption is I won't need to stern tie with these options. (curious what diameter stern tie line people are using?)

 

[scross]

No stern tie needed unless going to Wallace Island MPP and you can’t get the dock. You should have a mooring buoy line ready any time you go to a MPP.

 

[SJI Sailor]

Besides Ganges, Port Browning is also great for provisioning (grocery, liquor store, bakery all near marina). Also Sidney is the best of all in that area for provisioning ... if a Vancouver Island stop is acceptable. Agreed on both getting CAD and that many will accept USD (often at the mark up of 1:1 exchange though).

FWIW, Ganges has a different vibe IMO than many other marina towns. Slightly "grungy" and a little bit like, say, Bellingham (as opposed, say, to Friday Harbor). Surprising amount of traffic, for example. One can like the difference; it's just my observation and analogy. We're happy to visit there but wanted to set expectations vs a secluded anchorage .