Brentwood Bay
by Melissa MacDougall
Being a native of Vancouver Island, I feel a pang of sadness and, perhaps, something just shy of a coronary when someone informs me that their life currently exists without visitation to this region that so clearly defines British Columbia. I always knew there was something special about ‘home’; I just couldn’t put my finger on it until I no longer lived there.
Staring at a map of Vancouver Island, we see the obvious: the city of Mile 0: Victoria. As the province’s capital, it stands tall, and presents a regal stature with its unrivalled old English architecture. Historical displays deliberately come to life in the castle walls of Craigdarroch and Hatley, located just down antique row on Fort Street and swirling in a teacup of The Empress. But, the Island is much more than those stories, however lovely they are.
Rich in its natural composition, the Island – and Brentwood Bay specifically - amplifies everything you have previously encountered before. The world, in its breathing, growing and evolving form, stretches from sky to land to sea and stares back in need of conservation. Brentwood Bay, home to harbour seals, lingcod, rockfish, and wolf eels, among other marine life, reminds us that it’s OK to turn off our laptops and refrain from checking our social media to move from a virtual reality to one that is actually real.
Towing the line on excellence, Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa dives deep into what the Island should be recognized for – layers of unparalleled beautification. Deserving all five stars in accolades and recognition as the number one luxury resort in the city, Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa can’t be recognized simply for its glorious vistas, gastronomic west coast faire, and pampered menu of treatments. It becomes one of those ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’ types of mindset. Though the former services ring true, it’s the stay packages that set Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa apart from the competitors.
With the opportunity to ‘meet a friendly giant pacific octopus’, the two-night Scuba Dive Bed and Breakfast package is, undeniably, adventuresome, but isn’t that the sole purpose of a getaway? We can lose ourselves in the everyday at home. Venturing into the shallows of the Saanich Inlet, the pristine waters wash over the countless species of aquatic inhabitants.It’s then and there that we can swim alongside those very same fish that we researched on our laptops and mobiles. “Brentwood Bay is known for its diving treasures. It's home to the Glass Sponge Gardens, a spectacular sea mountain covered with a species that was thought to be extinct since the Upper Jurassic period…” As stated in a 2006 article in the Calgary Herald.
Brentwood Bay Resort and Spa manages to go one step further in putting us in the brilliant Island lifestyle. Located dockside, the Eco-Adventure Centre provides an endless means to understanding and appreciating the essence of British Columbia. There’s something to be said about standing still and watching the world around you.