Leg one: Saanich and Sidney

Ruins of a lepers colony, a smugglers’ haven, an old explosives factory and even a bomb shelter bunker – there’s a lot of history hidden in the little group of islands off the east side of Saanich Peninsula.

If you’re not familiar with the peninsula, picture that it juts northward from Victoria to bisect southeast Vancouver Island, creating an ideal countryside environment for numerous semi-rural communities, where farms tend to outnumber housing developments. To the west of the peninsula is Saanich Inlet, a twisting stretch of water bounded by mountains that make it Vancouver Island’s only east coast fjord, famous for its deep, still waters home to unusual sponges. Spectacular viewpoints of the inlet are the reward at vantage points on the nearby peaks.

The west side of the peninsula is bordered by a web of islands just a hop and skip across Haro Strait to the San Juan Islands in the U.S. The islands here are the destination for many a beginner kayaker’s first overnight trip. It can also serve as the ideal place to stoke a life-long love affair with the Gulf Islands. It is, after all, an ideal kayaking destination. Distances are short, the scenery is varied, wildlife abundant, campsites numerous and despite the close proximity, civilization seems to melt away. Quick connections by ferry from both the B.C. mainland and Washington State make launching into these islands ideal as either short paddles and day trips or the jumping point into the myriad of the larger Gulf Islands nearby.

Kayaking past the landmark sand cliffs of James Island. David Thompson photo.

The creation of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve in 2005 changed the landscape here, with D’Arcy Island, Sidney Spit, Rum Island and Portland Island trading hands from provincial parks to the federal reserve. Going with them were many of the Crown islets that dot the area. The national park quickly banned public access to these islets to help protect the sensitive environment. While commendable, it did remove several key unofficial paddling campsites from the region. Once all fair game for visits, only one islet in this cluster remains accessible for picnics and short stays by kayakers – Dock Island.

Unfortunately, many of the other islands outside the national park reserve are private. Some, like Piers Island, are subdivided into postage stamp-sized properties that are hemmed in with homes – the worst fate for any Gulf Island. Other islands are exclusive retreats for the very rich, such as James Island, owned by Seattle cell phone billionaire Craig McCaw and topped with its own Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. Fortunately due to Canadian law, intertidal areas are public domain, meaning James Island’s sandy beaches can still be enjoyed by everyone – up to the high tide line only, of course.

Better yet, many of the most notable features of these islands are protected within the Gulf Islands National Park reserve. Remains of an old lepers colony can be found along a trail on D’Arcy Island. Sidney Spit is home to a wonderful sand spit and intertidal eelgrass bed invariably populated by cranes feeding in the shallows. And an old bomb shelter sits in the field on Sidney Island near Sidney Spit.

Add a good chance of seeing killer whales, plus the inevitable bald eagles, seals, sea lions and otters, and you have the makings for a grand wildlife outing while barely leaving your launch site.

Launch sites, however, can pose a quandary as accesses are infrequent and generally guarded against overnight parking. Enter the BC Marine Trail Network Association, which is negotiating with communities along the trail route to gain suitable access without running the risk of being towed.

Trail guide preview: Saanich and Sidney

This area is a prime location for beginners who want worry-free paddling destinations with overnight options. Chances of seeing a pod of killer whales are also exceptionally high here. A good logistical base camp is McDonald Campground near Sidney. It is part of the national park created as a convenient center for exploring the park’s various locales.

Access Points: Sidney is the key community for starting out in this region, but while beach access points are numerous, parking restrictions can make overnight parking a headache. Expect the possibility of unloading at one location then parking and walking back – at least until the marine trail’s parking details are worked out. Tulista Park just south of the ferry terminal is a good option, as is Cy Hampson Park, a waterfront park just south of Sidney. Island View Beach Regional Park is a great launch location for points to the south, but overnight parking is currently restricted.

Destinations:

D’Arcy Island. This former provincial park, now part of the national park, has a beach and campsite on the northeast side facing Little D’Arcy (a private island). Trails circle the island and lead to the ruins of a lepers colony on the west side. The colony is one of the darker aspects of Vancouver Island’s history, as residents were secreted here from 1890 to 1924 against their will and essentially left as outcasts to survive as best they could. The crossing is as little as 8 km / 5 miles from Island View Beach, or about 12 km / 7 miles if connecting to Sidney Spit.

Sidney Spit. Another former provincial park, this national park property is unique in that it is serviced by a foot passenger ferry during the summer, which allows for walk-in camping and hiking. Camping spots have moved twice in recent years, the last move away from the waterfront. The key attraction is an expansive sandy spit that extends almost 2 km (over a mile) at low tide. The lagoon created by the spit is ecologically exceptional, with great blue heron the most obvious resident. The island was once home to a brick factory (which will explain the considerable debris). Examine the field behind the campsite to locate the World War Two bomb shelter, built because an explosives plant on James Island was considered a target. Sidney Spit is about a 5 km / 3 mile paddle from downtown Sidney, or about 9 km / 5.5 miles from a connection with Rum Island.

Rum Island. This island came by its name honestly as a haven for rum runners during the U.S. prohibition. It was bequeathed as a provincial park by its last owner, then transferred to the national park. Camping is on a bluff on the island’s south side. Landing is on a tombolo that joins Rum with neighboring Gooch Island, a private island. A trail circles Rum Island. It is about 10 km / 6 miles across simple water from downtown Sidney, and about 11 km / 7 miles to Portland Island.

Portland Island: This is a key kayaking destination, with prime camping at Shell Beach on the south and Arbutus Point to the north. A less used option is at Princess Bay. Trails circle the island. If exploring by water, intertidal life at lower tides is exceptional. It is about 5 km / 3 miles from the government dock at Swartz Bay next to the ferry terminal or 8 km / 5 miles from Sidney. Water here can be challenging crossing Shute Passage, plus ferries are fast and frequent. From here Bedwell Harbour on South Pender is about 12 km while James Bay on Prevost Island is 15 km / 9.5 miles. Portland Island can also be reached from Fulford Harbour on Saltspring, a paddle of about 8 km / 5 miles.

Saanich Inlet: Running the length of this inlet would entail 24 km / 15 miles one way from Moses Point on down, but really only the lower portion is exceptional for its scenery, making Brentwood Bay an ideal launch location. Because there are no campsites, day trips are really the only option (Bamberton Provincial Park is on the water but not well suited for kayakers). Goldstream Provincial Park protects the south end of the inlet (camping is an off-water option there too). Access to the Goldstream River estuary is restricted to protect the abundant bird life, which includes numerous bald eagles, especially during salmon runs.

Other articles in this series on the Gulf Islands Marine Trails Network:

Introduction: Islands of serenity

Leg one: Saanich and Sidney

Leg two: The South Islands

Leg three: Saltspring and Galiano

Leg four: the North Islands