Errington Family Adventures: June 2023

Friday 9 June 2023

Galiano Island

Last weekend we camped at Montague Harbour Marine Park on Galiano, and I think it probably deserves to be added to our Top Gulf Island Campsites list!

Getting to Galiano

Galiano is one of the largest of the Southern Gulf Islands at about 27km long, it's also one of the furthest offshore from the coast of Vancouver Island.

We decided it was probably a bit too far for our little boat, so took the BC Ferries service over to Galiano and towed the boat with us. There are various routes and multiple sailings per day to Sturdies Bay on Galiano from Swartz Bay (Victoria) or Tsawwassen (Vancouver), with stops on Mayne Island and / or North Pender Island. The route is non-reservable, so just buy tickets at the terminal.

Montague Harbour is about a ten minute drive from the Sturdies Bay terminal.

Galiano Campsites

The park has 16 vehicle accessible pitches, 28 walk-in sites and a group camping area. We had a great pitch (38) on the bluff overlooking Montague Harbour.

It's a short walk to the pitches from the car parking area, but is up a short but fairly steep hill. There are wheelbarrows available to help carry your kit in, and we took our little folding trolley which was really useful, the boys also loved using it to collect water and fire wood over the weekend.

Most pitches have a fire ring and food cache, there is a covered picnic / BBQ area, and pit toilet facilities. Potable drinking water is available throughout the campground. Booking is highly recommended through the BC Parks website.

Why we love it

The great views over Montague Harbour from the camp sites, and the sandy beach on the other side really make this campground special. As usual we loved exploring in our Stryker, finding deserted beaches, and the whales didn't disappoint - with our first humpback of the season.

What to do on Galiano

1. Take a drive or cycle up to the north end of the island and check out the many arts and craft galleries along the way.

2. Visit one (or more) of the 3 Provincial Parks. As well as Montague Harbour, there is Dionisio Point (boat access only) in North Galiano and Bellhouse near the ferry terminal.

3. Take a stroll around the Saturday Farmers Market at Lions Park in Sturdies Bay. There are lots of local artists and craftspeople, as well as some tasty looking food!

4. The Crane and Robin at Montague Harbour is a great spot to watch the boats go by while sipping on some excellent margaritas.

5. The Humming Bird Pub really lives up to its name; watch out for the hummingbirds buzzing around the deck while enjoying a delicious lunch. They even have a shuttle bus in the evenings from the campground or marina.

6. Sturdies Bay Bakery serves great coffee and some amazing baked goods. Well worth a visit!

Backcountry Camping Gear

Check out the Gear Page for more details on the gear we use and recommend for backcountry camping, including our Stryker inflatable boat.

Friday 2 June 2023

How to get to Vancouver Island

Travelling to Vancouver Island can be confusing as there are lots of different options, and we often get asked questions about the best way to get here. Here's a quick guide to the major routes and methods of travel to Vancouver Island.

Vancouver Island from Vancouver

Float Plane

Our favourite way to travel between the mainland and the island! There are a number of different options to fly between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, most of the float plane flights are operated by Harbour Air.

Our preferred route is the one between Victoria Harbour and Vancouver Harbour; you get some great views of the Gulf Islands on the way across and the terminals are both in the heart of the downtown areas. If you are flying via Vancouver Airport (YVR) there is also a Harbour Air terminal there.

Helicopter

Helijet is a great alternative option to Harbour Air. They also fly between Vancouver Harbour or Vancouver Airport and Victoria Harbour or Nanaimo Harbour.

Plane

There are frequent scheduled flights between Vancouver Airport (YVR) and Victoria Airport (YYJ). Air Canada or West Jet are the most frequent.

Car Ferry

BC Ferries operate the ferry routes between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. There are three different options:

1. Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay) - This is the shortest route at 1 hour 35 mins, and is one of the most scenic as you pass through the Southern Gulf Islands. The Tsawwassen Terminal is actually in Delta, 36km south of downtown Vancouver. Swartz Bay is the closest terminal to Victoria (in Sidney) so is a good choice if you are coming to the southern end of the island.

2. Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point) - This route is slightly longer, at 2 hours, and lands further north on the island at Nanaimo. It's worth considering landing in Nanaimo if you are travelling to the north or west of the island.

3. Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) - This route takes 1 hour 40 mins, and is our most common route. It's a great terminal if you are heading to/from Whistler, and we find that access to downtown Vancouver is easier from the north than it is from Tsawwassen. Last weekend we actually left the car in Nanaimo and travelled as foot passengers, as we couldn't get a last minute return booking for the car. There is a great bus service from Horseshoe Bay right into downtown Vancouver, which takes less than an hour, look for the 250 or 257 (Express). We were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was, and would definitely reconsider taking the car next time.

Passenger Ferry

There is also a foot passenger ferry service running between downtown Vancouver and Nanaimo. These fast catamarans run 4 times per day and take 1hr15mins. Check out the website Hullo for more details.