VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 202

One of many inviting downtown cafés is Owl's Nest Bakery Bistro (9752 Willow St.,
250/324-8286, 8am-6pm daily, lunches $8-12). Their coffee is the best in town, and the
wraps, salads, seafood chowder, and grilled paninis are all healthy and delicious.
Ladysmith
The trim little village of Ladysmith, on a high point of land immediately west of the high-
way, has a couple of claims to fame. The first is its location straddling the 49th parallel, the
invisible line separating Canada from the United States. After much bargaining for the 1846
Oregon Treaty, Canada got to keep all of Vancouver Island, despite the 49th parallel chop-
ping the island in two. The second claim is a little less historically important—Ladysmith
was the birthplace of actress Pamela Anderson.
Southern Gulf Islands
Spread throughout the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver
Island, this group of islands is within Canadian territory but linked geologically to the San
Juan Islands, immediately to the south. Five of the islands— Salt Spring, the Penders,
Galiano, Mayne, and Saturna —are populated, and each is linked to the outside world by
scheduled ferry service.
The mild, almost Mediterranean climate, beautiful scenery, driftwood-strewn beaches,
quaint towns, and wide-ranging choice of accommodations combine to make the islands
popular in summer, when laid-back locals share their home with flocks of visitors. Still,
there's plenty of room to get away from the hustle, with mile after mile of remote coastline
and easily reached peaks beckoning to be explored. After kayaking, biking, or hiking, the
best way to end the day is at one of the many island restaurants, feasting on salmon and
crab brought ashore that morning.
Getting to the 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), mo-
torcycles, 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