Bowen Island
On our 18th day in Vancouver, we again went on a day tour to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, this time to a unique, peaceful and alluring island escape called Bowen Island, an island municipality that is still part of Metro Vancouver and within the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust.
Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal
A first for Grace, Jandy and I, Bryan, Cheska and Kyle have been here before, staying two nights and exploring the island on foot. The island offers breathtaking views, hiking trails, relaxing beaches and a picturesque coastline where you can do family-friendly outdoor activities such land-based fishing, sea kayaking or stand up paddleboarding. You can also bike or scooter your way around the island.
On our way on board the Queen of Capilano
Located in the middle of beautiful Howe Sound, the 50.12 sq. kms. (19.35 sq. mi.)Bowen Island is approximately 6 kms. (3.7 mi.) wide by 12 kms. (7.5 mi.) long and, at its closest point, is about 3 kms. (1.9 mi.) west of the mainland. In Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (the Squamish language) of the Squamish people, the name for Bowen Island isy Nex̱wlélex̱m meaning “fast drumming ground”).
The lovely scenery along the way….
Bowen Island was formerly called Isla de Apodaca (after the Mexican town of Apodaca, in northeast Nuevo León state) by the Spanish Captain José María Narváez in July, 1791. In 1860, the island was renamed the after Rear Admiral James Bowen, master of HMS Queen Charlotte. Currently, the local economy is largely dependent on commuters who work on the mainland in Greater Vancouver. As it was summer, the population of 4,256 is supplemented by about 1,500 visitors.
Our destination – Bowen Island
The 30.3-km. drive to the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal in West Vancouver, via the Trans-Canada Highway/BC-1W, took us just over 30 mins. Upon arrival, we joined the queue (it was a Sunday weekend) of cars waiting to board the Queen of Capilano, a regular car and passenger ferry service from provided by BC Ferries, leaving the port by 1:55 PM. The relaxing and easy crossing to Snug Cove Ferry Terminal on the east coast of the island took just a short 20 mins. but included picturesque views.
Snug Cove Ferry Terminal
Upon arrival at Snug Cove, we drove for about 10 mins., along the island’s only road that bisects the heavily forested and hilly terrain, to Tunstall Bay Community Beach, one of the island’s 48 mostly rocky and pebbly beaches and coastal access points (some of them neighborhood beaches) and one of four popular community beaches (the others are Bowen Bay Beach, Roger Custis Beach and Sandy Beach, the closest to Snug Cove).
Tunstall Bay Community Beach
The popular beach, originally a retirement community in the 1950s, is arguably the best beach for swimming, sunbathing, kayak launching and sunset watching on Bowen Island. It also has an incredible view of the Pasley Islands as well as the mountains. At a grassy area across the parking area, we set up our picnic spread where we had a very late lunch. Aside from a parking area, this popular beach had toilets and garbage bins.
Roger Custis Beach
After our picnic at the beach, we next drove to Roger Custis Beach, another community beach in Lighthouse Cove at the west end of the island. We parked our car at the small parking lot which can accommodate six cars.
Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse
From there, a short trail lead us down to the water’s edge. We spent almost an hour there, with Cheska and Kyle climbing the jagged rocks to get to the base of the small but charming Cape Roger Curtis Lighthouse.
Bryan, Kyle and Cheska (holding Luffy)
Here, we had beautiful views of Georgia Strait (with Vancouver Island across the way) and the Keats and Pasley island group on the right. About 600 yds. (a 10-min. walk) from the lighthouse is Pebbly Beach, a stretch of sand amongst low cliffs and tall arbulus trees.
Jandy and Grace
From Lighthouse Cove, we drove to the beautiful and serene, marshy Killarney Lake, the largest lake on the island and a local favorite in sprawling Crippen Regional Park. A perfect reason to make a day trip to the island, we parked along the southern shore which has a picnic area and toilet facilities.
Killarney Lake
Nearby is a dam built in the 1920s to create a catch basin for drinking water which increased the lake’s size. At its far end are ghostly trees. The lake, much of its foreshore blanketed with lily pads, is surrounded by century-old second growth forest (the island was logged in the late 1890s).
Fauna sighted here include eagles, belted kingfisher, blue herons, wood ducks and red-breasted sapsuckers. Swimming is not recommended here due to the presence of leeches.
Killarney Lake Dam
Its easy, well-maintained and marked, 7.9-mile lollipop hiking trail that first wraps around the marshy shoreline of the lake is generally considered as a moderately challenging route ( 1.5 to 2 hours at a moderate pace with minimal elevation gain).
Most of it is through the Pacific temperate forest, hiking along wooden boardwalks surrounded by ferns, with some undulating stretches around the northern side and brief breathtaking views across the waters of the tranquil lake.
the long queue of cars waiting to board the ferry
Finally, from Killarney Lake, we drove along the main road where we came from to return to the ferry. Cheska parked the car directly along Bowen Trunk Road, joining a long queue leading to the ferry, and waited. The return trip was free (the ticket we purchased in Vancouver was good for a round-trip fare).
Snug Cove
The Pub
Barcelona Tapas and Wine Bar
Since we still had time before the ferry departs, Jandy and I alighted to do some sightseeing, walking towards Snug Cove, the main population center, a lovely place with a genuine small town feel that you can wander if you’ve got nothing but time.
Bowen Island Public Library
Bowen Island Historians’ Museum and Archives
It is home to an astonishing number of craft shops, art galleries and delightful boutiques (selling flowers, stylish clothes, eco-friendly soaps, etc.) at Artisan Square, 2 museums, a post office, a library and restaurants.
Snug Cove Marina
Doc Morgan’s
Just off the ferry terminals is the Snug Cove Marina. The mock Tudor-style Union Steamship Company Store, dating from 1924, houses government offices.
Union Steamship Company Marina
The author
It was once the centerpiece of a private resort boasting campgrounds, 180 cottages and a 800-pax dance pavilion. We departed on the 6:50 PM ferry, again on board the the Queen of Capilano, back to Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal.
Passengers boarding the Queen of Capilano
Cars were next….
Bowen Island: British Columbia V0N 1G1. E-mail: info@tourismbowenisland.com. Website: www.tourismbowenisland.com.