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Bay at Shingle Beach
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Coho Point
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Heisholt Lake
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Kayakers at Shelter Point
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Leaving Texada looking toward Powell River
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Texada Island museum
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Shelter Point beach
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Sunset over Coho Point
Story & photos by Barb Rees
Shades of peach tinted the morning sky as our photographer group packed up for a day on Texada Island, “The jewel of the Georgia Strait.” It is the largest Gulf Island at 50 km long. About 1,000 people call it home with the towns of Van Anda and Gillies Bay providing amenities. Historical stories reach back to the Tla’amin peoples, bootlegging during prohibition, and mining to name but a few. This jewel offers golfing, kayaking, hiking, swimming, scuba diving, camping, biking, artists, rock hounding, festivals and lots to keep photographers busy. Thirty-five minutes of sailing over glassy waters later we landed in Blubber Bay named for the 1800s whaling station until iron ore was discovered in 1876. Limestone is mined on the island today. Enjoy the wilderness free of bears, cougars, wolves or poisonous snakes but there are 265 species of birds. The main highway is paved. www.texada.org
We turned right after the ferry terminal onto Clam Bay Road, which took us to Coho Point. Twisted red arbutus trees grow abundantly along the seashore. The granddaddy of arbutus trees has a trunk more than two metres around. Weather worn old cabins sit atop volcanic rocks over the beach with a view of Harwood Island and Powell River. The haunting cry of a loon welcomed us as we shot picture after picture.
Clear green Heisholt Lake was formed when quarries filled with water. The beauty is breath taking. When stopping please respect it is private land owned by Ash Grove Cement and the only parking is along the highway.
The aroma of French fries from a food truck at the Van Anda garage had us buying a plate of home cut fries to munch on before we visited the Texada Island Museum. Smuggled Texada Island alcohol was a lucrative business during prohibition in the 1920s until Pocahontas still was raided in 1928. Vats holding 2,200 gallons each were destroyed. I’ll bet there was some crying that night. The Clarence Wood room is set up with realistic displays of mining. Tales began in the Klondike Gold Rush days with characters like Lucky Sweed. Jack Leslie (1884-1968) carved with a little knife and beach wood an exquisite collection of sailing ships with minute details. A steam whistle came off the Wood Nymph and was used at the Little Billy mine to warn Powell Riverites on the other side of the water when a blast was coming so they could open their windows to save them being shattered. www.texadaheritagesociety.com
On Gillies Bay Road and just south of the Van Anda corner on the right is Texada RV Park, a full service campground. www.texadarvpark.com
We worked up an appetite with all that sightseeing so we drove to Shelter Point Park for a picnic by the sea. On the way we passed Gillies Bay, home of the famous Sandcastle Festival held in July. Skim-boarders come from afar for the event. The Blues and Roots Festival is held there the first weekend of August as well.
Shelter Point Regional Park curls around the seashore in a picturesque setting on the west side of the island facing Vancouver Island. Our friend who’d never been to Texada kept saying in wonder, “There isn’t enough breath to take it all in.” It has 52 dry campsites. From Mar.24-Oct. fees are $23 or $21 for seniors. In the shoulder season it’s $16 or $14 for seniors. It’s first come first serve unless it’s to reserve group sites but caretaker Deb said they never turn anyone away. It is big rig suitable, with showers, pet friendly, a sani-dump, fresh water, beachfront, two boat ramps, and a concession stand. www.powellriverrd.bc.ca/shelter-point-regional-park-campground
After lunch we walked the beach finding Texada Flower rocks. They are volcanic star porphyry 180 million years old, a hard semi-precious stone that is a jeweller’s prize.
At the entrance to Shelter Point Park is the Dr. Kay Garner Nature Trail along the ocean through a forest of very old, very large trees. What a pleasure to walk among them; more gasps of wonder, and more pictures. It’s an easy trail we figured about two km return. About a kilometer up the trail is the behemoth of all Douglas Firs, so big our two guys couldn’t reach around it. I rested my hand on its bark feeling the energy of the ages. There are many hiking trails on the island. The Texada Trekkers welcome visitors to join them on guided hikes Saturdays during the summer. Call John Dove 604-486-7100.
From there we followed a gravel road south for 13 km to Shingle Beach, a managed forestry campsite. It’s 46 km to the ferry. The rough campsites are a $5 donation in the honour box. What a magnificent view from the hill overlooking the beach where someone had built a Tom Sawyer type raft for kids to play on with Lasqueti Island in the distance. The third weekend in July the Diversity Festival is held here. After an enjoyable time of photos, food, and exploring, we needed ice cream so off we went to Shelter Point.
Fresh water fishermen enjoy Bob’s Lake and Angel Lake. Bob’s Lake has a forestry campsite. Pick up a Texada map to help navigate the island. There are B&B’s and cottages besides campgrounds.
At Priest Lake we met up with a couple of rather handsome frogs that posed for us. It was one of those times when we took off on a road not knowing where it went, and found many interesting places along the way. Kirk Lake Road meandered through the forest but we didn’t find the lake or a place to have a picnic dinner. We stopped at Frypan Lane with the fry pan on the tree. If we’d followed it we would have ended up at a glass artist’s studio. Instead, just before the ferry terminal we turned off on BC Cement Road for a tailgate dinner by the beach as the order of the day. On the 8:30 pm ferry we sailed into the ending of a fiery sunset. The Master Painter splashed orange and red over a molten sea to end our perfect day on this jewel. We’ll be back to camp.
Barb Rees is a speaker, customer service trainer, and author of five RV Canada books from the working holidays her and husband Dave have made from coast to coast to coast of Canada. She presents at the RV Lifestyle Seminars in Kelowna annually. Her books can be found at: www.write2dream.com