Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
Explore Nature in these Beautiful Islands by Sail
People with an interest in natural history will thoroughly enjoy this trip. Each voyage is accompanied by an experienced naturalist who will give talks, slide shows, and lead shore excursions. With the help of interested participants we plan to keep a list of the animals and plants we sight each day. We do daily shore excursions in our inflatable zodiacs, as well as short hikes on the various islands.
May 2010, Massage & Wellness Retreat!
Yoga Instructor Annie Strucel and Massage Therapist Christine Sutherland, seen here - Want to take you on a journey through the Gulf Islands. A relaxing 5-day experience onboard the Island Odyssey. Come aboard for beach yoga, gourmet healthy meals, massage therapy, BC wines, spectacular scenery and great company. Contact the office for more details on this departure! 1.888.877.1770
Download a sample 5-day itinerary!
Natural History
These sailing trips explore the beautiful Gulf Islands, protected between Vancouver Island and the mainland. The area is located in a rain shadow receiving less than 500mm (20 in) of rain a year and forms a dry ecosystem characterized by Douglas Fir, Garry Oak and the beautiful Arbutus or Madronne tree. The Gulf Islands are considered by many sailors to have some of the best cruising on the west coast of North America. Late spring and fall are the ideal time of year to visit; summer crowds are absent and the weather is generally mild and gentle. Our voyages focus on the new Gulf Islands National Park and several marine parks among the islands. We sail the many scenic channels among the islands of the archipelago. We go ashore frequently, walking with our naturalist to learn about the flora and fauna. Each night is spent at anchor. There are lovely quiet anchorages; often with trails for an evening or early morning walk ashore.
Trip Highlights
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| Photo by Bruce Whittington |
Marine Mammals
Island Walking
Mediterranean like Climate
Great Sailing
Wildlife
We expect encounters with Dall‘s porpoise, harbour seals, two species of sea lion, and perhaps orcas or minke whales. Porpoises are great fun as they often rush over to the boat and ride on the wave under the bow. The annual bird migration will be underway and we expect to see many species of birds - bald eagles, auklets, murrelets, cormorants, phalaropes, and various species of gulls.
Along the shore we will explore the intertidal zone for fascinating invertebrates - starfish, sea anemones, clams, crabs and perhaps nudibranchs. The sheltered waters made these islands a favorite wintering site for Coast Salish native people. Throughout the islands there are native rock carvings (petroglyphs).
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Gulf Islands - Trip BrochureDownload Now! Download your 2-page brochure on the Gulf Islands! You will need a PDF reader to view this. This brochure highlights the wildlife, natural history and more... |
Getting to the Gulf Islands
All of our Gulf Islands trips start and finish in Sidney, British Columbia. Sidney is located on Vancouver Island, just outside Victoria and is a quick 10 minute taxi ride from the BC Swartz Bay Ferry terminal. Port Sidney Marina
9835 Seaport Place
Sidney, BC
Marina Office: 1.250.655.3711
www.portsidney.com
Ferry Information:
Schwartz Bay, only a short distance from Sidney, is a major terminus for BC Ferry Services between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. Frequency is very good with sailings every couple of hours. These ferries can carry vehicles and passengers. Reservations can be made for vehicles as well, which on busy weekends is always a good idea. Long term parking is available at all terminals. Foot passengers will find the BC Ferry service schedule to be well integrated with both intercity bus and local transit services. For more information on routes, schedules, vehicle reservations and fares visit www.bcferries.com
Drive:
Should you elect to drive onto the ferries, Sidney is located on Highway 17 approximately 6 kilometers from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, or 27 kilometers from downtown Victoria. Long term parking is available at the Port Sidney Marina. If you require parking, please purchase your tickets at the marina office.
Airlines:
You can also chose to catch a connecting flight from Vancouver to Victoria to avoid traveling on BC Ferries. The following airlines have scheduled service between Vancouver and Victoria.
Air Canada www.aircanada.com
Pacific Coastal Airlines www.pacificcoastal.com
Harbour Air www.harbour-air.com