Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The islands have been partly cleared for agriculture, but where old-growth forests sur-
vive, you'll find stands of magnificent Douglas fir and western red cedar, with gnarled ar-
butus (Pacific madrone) dominating the shoreline. Closer to ground level, you'll see lots
of daisies, as well as native roses, bluebells, and orchids flowering through summer. In
late summer, gooseberries, huckleberries, and blackberries are ripe for the picking. The
surrounding waterways host an incredibly diverse number of marine mammals, including
sea lions, seals, sea otters, and orcas. If you spent a full year on the islands counting bird
species, you'd come up with more than 300, including bald eagles, blue herons, cormor-
ants, hummingbirds, robins, wrens, finches, and swallows. Fall is the best time to watch
for migrating shorebirds, which stop to rest and feed throughout the archipelago. Children
will love exploring tidal pools, where colorful anemones and starfish are among the many
critters that make ahome.
Gulf Islands National Park
protects pockets oflandonMayne
and Saturna Islands, the Penders, and 14 uninhabited islands.
The main transportation provider is
BC Ferries
(250/386-3431 or 888/223-3779,
www.bcferries.com
)
, which operates scheduled year-round services between the Southern
Gulf Islands and out to the islands from both Vancouver Island and Vancouver. The
main departure points are Swartz Bay, 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of Victoria, and
Tsawwassen, on the south side of Vancouver. All ferries take vehicles (including RVs),
motorcycles, bicycles, canoes, and kayaks. It's important to check the timetables (online
or posted at each terminal) because some ferries are nonstop and others make up to three
stops before reaching the more remote islands. Also try to avoid peak periods, such as Fri-
day and Sunday afternoons. Aside from that, simply roll up and pay your fare.
Regardless of the final destination, the round-trip fare from Swartz Bay (Victoria) to
anyoftheSouthernGulfIslandsisareasonable,$11.50peradult,$5.70perchild,and$34
per vehicle. Interisland travel is charged on a one-way basis: $6 per adult, $3 per child,
$13.10 per vehicle. The fare system is designed to be flexible; for example, if you plan to
traveltoGalianoIslandfromSwartzBay,withastoponSaltSpringIslandonthewayout,
you would pay the interisland fare departing Salt Spring and then use the return portion of
the main ticket from Galiano.
From the mainland Tsawwassen terminal (south of downtown Vancouver), the fare is
thesameregardlessofwhichislandyoutravelto:one-wayforadults$18,children$9,and
vehicles $58.
