Powell River Harbor
Discover the Sunshine Coast
By Glenn Kohaly
No matter what time of year you visit, the Sunshine Coast offers breathtaking views of mountains, old growth forests, wildlife and waterfalls. This is “the place” to fish for salmon, crabs and shellfish or scuba dive in some of the world’s top rated saltwater dive sites.
The flying Purple Banner means “artists at work! The Sunshine Coast is known for having one of the most densely populated communities of artists in Canada. To meet them in person, pick up a copy of the Purple Banner Studio & Gallery. The guide showcases more than 60 home studios and galleries of artists and artisans from Langdale in the south to Powell River, Lund and Savary Island in the north.
The coastal communities are popular cruising destinations with their many bays, inlets and islands providing stopovers for countless vacationing boaters traveling north or just enjoying a weekend away from Vancouver. The gateway to this scenic cruising area is Gibsons Landing where boaters enjoy guest moorage right on the edge of town. In 2009, at the United Nations-backed International Livable Communities Awards, Gibsons was named the most livable community in the world, (population under 20,000. Gibsons past claim to fame was Molly’s Reach, the former studio set, now a popular cafe, where the CBC-TV series The Beachcombers was shot from 1972 to 1990. Today, visitors can browse the funky shops and boutiques of Molly’s Lane and dine on fresh-caught seafood in local restaurants.
Boating north from Gibsons the Secret Cove Marina offers a full marina service including restaurant, liquor store and grocery store. Boaters know that C-Tow Marine Assistance (think auto club of the sea) continues as they have for the last 25 years providing marine emergency services from Victoria to Desolation Sound. How great it is for boaters to know that just a quick call connects them with boat tows, jump starts, fuel delivery, minor repairs on-site and all this and more on a 24-hour basis!
Pender Harbour, just a short distance north of Secret Cove first became famous for its fabulous fishing; now artists, photographers, hikers, kayakers and golfers have discovered the area’s stunning natural beauty and attractive resorts. Nicknamed the “Venice of the North’’ for its maze of local waterways, Pender Harbour encompasses the communities of Madeira Park, Garden Bay and Irvines Landing. Divers say “the Harbour” is one of the world’s best sites for underwater exploration and photography especially in the winter months. Within the harbour John Henry’s Marina provides a full store for groceries as well as a fuel dock.
The music never stops at the Pender Harbour Blues Festival. The popular John Lee Sanders is playing a Gospel Show Sunday afternoon. Other guest announcements made early enough for our publication are Russell Marsland, Dawn Pemberton, Terry Hanck and Tim Hearsey hosting the AllStar jam at the Garden Bay Pub and Marina where they also have moorage for the boaters. Best of all, many of the events are free and family-friendly - first weekend in June, 2012! More info will be available and tickets may be purchased on their website www.penderharbourbluesfestival.com Enjoy the invigorating scenery of mountains, boats and water with eagles soaring above you while listening to these award-winning musicians. Indoor and outdoor venues, dancing, food and a whole lot of Sunshine fun!
Egmont, a small waterfront village on Secret Bay in the Sunshine Coast’s Sechelt Inlet is surrounded by some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. Sunshine Coast Tours will help you discover the cultural and historical highlights of this area. Enjoy marine sightseeing tours to the fjords of Princess Louisa Inlet, Skookumchuck Narrows, Malibu Club, Sechelt Inlet and Jervis Inlet as well as SCUBA dive tours. Judged one of the 10 most scenic spots in North America, the majestic beauty of Princess Louisa Inlet is only a short while away and the trip through 40 miles of unspoiled wilderness is an exceptional experience. Voted “most scenic natural anchorage” in the world, Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park lies between sheer cliffs rising to over 5,000 feet with Chatterbox Falls at the end of it all.
Powell River on the Upper Sunshine Coast just a short ferry ride from Earls Cove, offers some of the best fishing in British Columbia. In Powell River the Beach Gardens Marina Resort, nestled among the quiet pines, offers a great stop enroute to Desolation Sound. Boaters enjoy the access to transient moorage with power as well as diesel and gas, liquor store and Laundromat. Check their website for seasonal hours at the Seaside Restaurant & Pub with Pacific cuisine and a spectacular view. Their deluxe oceanfront rooms are complete with high-speed Internet, air-conditioning and private decks overlooking the marina. They even offer a free shuttle service in July and August to the mall and of course the famed Myrtle Point Golf Course is just minutes away. Remember, this escape starts just 45 minutes by ferry from Vancouver!
The recent Westview Waterfront development in Powell River sets the new standard for coastal communities. They have completed the necessary dredging and expanded both the North and South Harbours. The added moorage means lots more room, especially welcome with today's larger boats. The whole of the South Harbour is now better protected against the weather with a new breakwater, and more welcoming for visiting boaters. Not only is there more space in the harbour, but the facilities will be exactly what today's larger vessels require: better electrical service, fuel dock, water and sanitary pump-out.
Visitors are greeted by a new harbour office building all decked out with washrooms, Laundromat and showers. Wharfinger Jim Parsons has been managing the harbour for a good many years and is excited to see the project coming together. Visitors also enjoy the free shopping shuttle up to the mall in the summer months.
There is also a new walkway all the way out to the tip of the north breakwater where you can watch boats launching, or coming in at dusk as the sun sets. It's a nice addition to the area. A Seawalk of 1.3 km was constructed to create a pedestrian corridor along the waterfront. An exciting new addition Spirit Square is a community gathering place with walkways, grassy areas and a gazebo out on the end of the wharf. This is a great location for outdoor concerts, weddings or any kind of community gathering.
Powell River is famous as a gateway to the marine parks of Desolation Sound and as a mecca for outdoor adventure enthusiasts seeking world class hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, fishing and scuba diving. In 2004, Powell River was named a Cultural Capital of Canada, laying claim to the title through its annual artists’ studio tour, international choral competition, symphony orchestra and film festival. Much of the town is built sloping down to the sea and brilliant, almost nightly sunsets silhouette the Hulks, 10 concrete WWII ships forming the world’s largest floating breakwater.
The tiny village of Lund, north of Powell River is the gateway to Desolation Sound. Water taxis ferry passengers in just 12 minutes to beachfront hiking and cycling around the environmentally sensitive white sand dunes of Savary Island. One of BC’s finest saltwater cruising areas, said to rival the best in the world is Desolation Sound. It lures legions of pleasure boaters and paddlers with its warm waters, photogenic wildlife and sheer-sided waterways of Scandinavian-like fjords that at low tide reveal thick walls of purple starfish.