Sand to Sanctuary along the Sunshine Coast

Towing a runabout? Navigating a cruiser? This prime BC Coast destination caters to many types of boaters.

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Words by Steve Fennell

One of the best ways to experience the Sunshine Coast is to follow the sand. By this, we mean visiting the number of beaches scattered along its 180 km (112 mi) north-south bound shoreline of mainland BC and a number of scattered islands. While the sandy and pebbled shores are popular for swimming, beachcombing, and watersports, the communities and natural attractions where they are located are special as well. Combined, they provide great boating destinations.

The Sunshine Coast is appealing to many types of boaters. It’s accessible by cruising along its scenic shore or driving with a boat in tow on the Sunshine Coast Highway (BC Highway 101).

BC Ferries offers direct sailings from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver over to Langdale, which is where you can access the north-south bound Sunshine Coast Highway. If you plan on driving the entire route all the way to Lund, a second ferry from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay is required, which is approximately 50 minutes, but it’ll be well worth it.

The 177 km (110 mi) drive is beautiful and where anchoring, fishing, canoeing, diving, and more can be enjoyed along the way in the various communities (and land-locked freshwater lakes). Cruising along the Sunshine Coast is equally exciting - if not more so - and it’s worthwhile to navigate the entire length.

Regardless of how you travel along this popular BC destination, there are countless world-renowned natural attractions and a number of communities that can make your trip extra convenient, insightful and very rewarding.

Gibsons and Armours Beach

On the north shore of Howe Sound and the southeast coast of the Sechelt Peninsula (about 5 km (3 mi)) south of Langdale), Gibsons is home to Armours Beach, one of the most prominent beaches in the area. The municipality updated this area in recent years with terracing for improved beach access, new washroom facilities with landscaping and park amenities. Vertical pilings and logs booms have been added to isolate the swimming area and a rebuilt stone staircase now leads down to the shore for improved access.

The sand/pebble beach is ideal for swimming and where you can spend an afternoon watching the kids on floaties, enjoy a picnic lunch and admire the great views of the area. Given that Gibsons is at the south end of the Sunshine Coast, it’s commonly the first or last stop on this journey and very popular. It’s the ideal location to refuel, stock up on groceries, or check out the variety of shopping and dining options.

Sechelt and Davis Bay

Located about 3 km (2 mi) south of Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast Highway, Davis Bay is hard to miss from the water or the highway with its expansive coastline and wooden pier that juts out from the shore.

While Davis Bay consists of pebbles and driftwood at high tide, low tide reveals sand bars and tide pools, making it ideal for beachcombing, observing marine life and watersports - don’t be surprised to see windsurfers gliding across the water or kite-boarders grabbing some air. If you visit the beach during high tide, a well-developed path is just up from the shore and the pier is popular for fishing.

A popular spot for transient boaters is Port Stalashen Marina, approximately 6 km (4 mi) from Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast Highway. It offers limited temporary moorage that is only available by booking in advance and is nearby to a Canadian Tire and IGA. It’s important to remember that public transit is limited so if you’re travelling by boat, it’s best to plan ahead and inquire about transportation to get groceries or other essentials.

If you arrive with a boat in tow, it’s an easy drive from Sechelt to Davis Bay. However, you’ll want to launch your boat on scenic Porpoise Bay Harbour and cruise Sechelt Inlet. There are a variety of marinas, camping is available throughout the area, and more beaches to explore.

Willingdon Beach Park and Powell River

From Sechelt, you can access such scenic destinations as Sargeant Bay Provincial Park, Halfmoon Bay, Secret Cove, as well as excellent boat-only destinations including Jervis Inlet and Princess Louisa Inlet. If you’re towing a boat, these two inlets can be accessed by launching from marinas in Egmont, located nearby to the Earl’s Cove ferry terminal to Saltery Bay.

Continuing along the Sunshine Coast Highway after arriving in Saltery Bay, you’ll come to Powell River, one of the larger communities in the area. It’s home to the Westview Harbour Authority as well as Willingdon Beach that’ll keep your kids entertained with its nice sandy shore. Some of the amenities include washroom facilities, showers, picnic tables, fire pits, and barbecue areas. Tent and RV camping with full and partial hookups are available.

Gillies Bay, Texada Island

A natural wonderland that’s made up of many island attractions, including Stromberg Falls, Shelter Point, and 10 inland lakes that are great for kayaking and canoeing, there’s much to explore on Texada.

One of the larger Gulf Islands and a popular destination on the Sunshine Coast, Texada has a number of bays and coves that include three popular anchorages, Anderson Bay, Sturt Bay and Blubber Bay.

Gillies Bay on Texada’s southwest side is home to one of the two main villages on the island and is popular for its beach. Simply dock your boat at the Boat Club Marina and plan a day trip to this shoreside attraction. At low tide, you can enjoy relaxing strolls, collect seashells, or inspect tide pools for tiny marine life.

Savary Island and South Beach

Also off the coast of mainland BC, just north of Texada Island and adjacent to Lund (at the end of the Sunshine Coast Highway), is Savary Island.

Its temperate climate, bright sunshine and expansive sand beaches make it a popular destination. The island is geographically located where two tidal streams meet, which results in a warmer climate (and water temps) than other regions of the BC coast.

Being just 7.5 km (5 mi) long and 1 km (.6 mi) wide (at the widest point) the best way to get around the island is by bike. While docking is limited at the public wharf on the northeast side of the island, you can anchor just offshore and tender in.

As the island is commonly considered ‘a sand bar with trees,’ Savary is known for its excellent shores with South Beach (on the southeast side) being one of the most popular. It’s about a three-minute bike ride or 10-minute walk from the public dock and where the warm clear waters and white sand make it ideal to enjoy all kinds of water-based activities.

Another popular beach is Indian Point at the island’s western tip. Although it’s approximately a 30-minute bike ride from the public dock, it’s a great way to explore the island. Many also anchor off its shore and enjoy kayaking or paddleboarding.

These are just a few of the communities along the Sunshine Coast and prime examples of all the unique experiences that can be enjoyed. It offers the best of both worlds for transient and trailering boaters and with the many natural attractions, it will be the highlight of your boating season.

 Take a True Tour of the Sunshine Coast

Sunshine Coast Tours is a popular way to further discover this renowned area. Based out of the Backeddy Marina in Egmont, BC, the company’s team of seasoned, expert captains have multiple decades of combined experience cruising the region’s waterways and will provide insight into some of the most extraordinary and unforgettable natural attractions that this area of BC has to offer.

With a fleet of passenger-certified fibreglass boats designed to manage the waterways and enhance your comfort, you can experience many natural attractions on open expanses of water, comfortable cruises through secluded passages below deep fjords, and close-up views of the natural wonders right along the shore. Added insight is provided by personal commentaries by the captains who possess intimate knowledge of the region, providing the opportunity to best understand the area’s history, First Nations’ culture and more.

Skookumchuck Narrows

One of the packages available is a tour to Skookumchuck Narrows, a 6 km (4 mi) passage that is the only entrance to the inner inlets of Sechelt, Narrows and Salmon. You’ll have the chance to experience the Sechelt Rapids (at a prime time when currents are expected to run at 10 knots or faster), which has the fastest tidal stream in North America. Fascinating, to say the least, the tour is not a ‘high-adventure’ outing and you’ll be amazed by the rich nature.

Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls

This is where you’ll experience one of the most beautiful boating destinations in the world. The extensive tour consists of three phases, starting with a two-hour run through the remote areas of Jervis Inlet, through Malibu Rapids and along the entire length of the inlet. Also with a commentary from the captain for added insight, the trip meanders below deep fjords consisting of sheer granite walls that rise from the water to a plateau as high as 1,524 m (5,000 ft). The tour even includes a stop at Princess Louisa Marine Park (located next to the world-famous Chatterbox Falls). There’s an easy .5 km (.3 mi) trail loop to learn more about the diverse nature of the coast. If you prefer, take a few selfies to share socially and then relax in the park’s picnic area, under the covered/open-sided shelter or on the sand beach to further enjoy your day.

Egmont Highlights Tour

There’s also the Egmont Highlights Tour, which is ideal if you prefer shorter yet amazingly beautiful trips with commentaries about the area’s rich history and culture. The tour consists of slow cruises under multiple fjords with steep rock walls and along channels through the pure wilderness of boreal forests.

For more information and details about the tours and/or charters call (800) 870-9055, (604) 883-2280 or visit www.sunshinecoasttours.ca