Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
kayak rentals. Part of the same property is the two-bedroom
Seal Beach Cottage
(same
contact information), which rents for $175 per night.
Food
No-frills, short-order grills are the orderofthe dayat the old
Springwater Lodge
(Village
Bay Rd., 250/539-5521, breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, $9-18). Head to the
Sunny
Mayne Bakery Café
(472VillageBayRd.,250/539-2323,7am-5pmMon.-Sat.,8am-4pm
Sun., lunches $6-9) for freshly baked breads, picnic hampers, sumptuous cakes and
pastries, healthy sandwiches, ice cream, and the island's best coffee concoctions.
Information and Services
The Mayne Island website (
www.mayneisland.com
)
is loaded with useful information, in-
cluding links to current weather conditions, accommodations, services, and for those who
fall in love with island living, real estate agents.
Stock up on reading materials at
Miners Bay Books
(478 Village Bay Rd., 250/
539-3112, 11am-4pm Thurs.-Tues. in summer).
Named for a Spanish explorer who sailed through the Strait of Georgia more than 200
years ago, this long, narrow island—27 kilometers (17 miles) from north to south but only
a few kilometers wide—has some delightful beaches and goodkayaking. Most ofthe pop-
ulation (1,000) lives in the south, within a five-minute drive of the ferry terminal at
Stur-
dies Bay.
Montague Harbour Provincial Park
Climbing out of Sturdies Bay, roads tempt exploration in all directions. Take Porlier Pass
RoadtoreachMontagueHarbourProvincialPark,whichprotectsan89-hectare(210-acre)
chunk of coastal forest and a beach of bleached-white broken seashells. You can walk out
along the beach and return via a forested trail in around 20 minutes. At the end of the
beacharemiddens,pilesofemptyshellsthataccumulatedovercenturiesofnativepeople's
feasting. The island is dotted with many less obvious access points, many of which aren't
even signposted. The beach below Active Pass Road is typical; look for the power pole
numbered 1038 and make your way down the steep trail to a protected cove. Ask at the
information center or your accommodation for a full listing of similar spots.
