ANOTHER GULF ISLAND GETAWAY: MAYNE ISLAND

While at Galiano Inn and Spa in March, I took the opportunity to spend the day on Mayne Island, a place I'd never been to before. Like so many who sail from BC's mainland to Vancouver Island, I had only viewed it from the ferry's deck and seen the lighthouse guarding the channel between the two islands.

Our ferry at Sturdies Bay

The ferry ride is only twenty minutes across Active Pass from Sturdies Bay to Village Bay. I took the car so we could thoroughly explore Mayne in the six hours available. The weather was sunny with a cool breeze off the ocean.

The difference in island culture from Galiano struck me immediately as I headed to Miners Bay a few minutes north of the ferry dock. Here there are more amenities than on Galiano: a shopping centre with a smallish but good supermarket with local products, a gas station, galleries displaying resident artists' work, gift shops, and the post office. The welcome and friendliness started at Tru-Valu Foods — as my husband and I arrived before the daily papers, the checkout clerk said she would put them aside for us to pick up at the end of our tour. And, she did.

Active Pass lighthouse 

Mayne Island has a long history, dating back 5,000 years with First Nations fishing activity off Helena Point being dated to three millennia ago. The Spanish visited in the 1700s and George Vancouver camped near the future site of the Active pass lighthouse. The Royal Navy surveyed Mayne in the mid-1800s naming it after a lieutenant on HMS Plumper.

Our first stop was at Georgina Point Heritage Park where the Active Pass lighthouse now stands. It has been guiding seafarers since 1885 without ceasing —129 years. Now the park is managed by Parks Canada and it is well worth visiting for the view of Active Pass towards Galiano. If you're lucky you'll see one of the big ferries surge past quite close.

From Georgina Point across Active Pass at low tide

Europeans settlers arrived in 1858 along with the miners in the Fraser Gold Rush — hence the name of Miners Bay, which remains the commercial centre of the island. Later Mayne became an apple and hothouse producing centre, supplying the mainland. Japanese also settled on the island in the early 1900s to fish, as well as grow tomatoes and cucumbers before WW2 brought internment. Islanders have honoured them for their social and economic contributions to Mayne — more later....

David Cove

Today farms are plentiful inland, and cattle and dairy cows munched in the fields as we passed, but the hothouse cultivation is long gone. We discovered tiny coves with boat launches and a great book store, Miners Bay Books, smack in the middle of the island, which was filled with titles by Canadians and those living on Mayne.

Another goal was to take a look at the Mayne Island Resort for a possible future vacation spot and have lunch in their restaurant. The inn has been welcoming visitors for a century and offers guests a choice of cozy rooms, cottages and villas, all of which overlook a sheltered, islet-dotted bay.

Bennett Bay from resto at
Mayne Island Resort

The more recently constructed villas have full kitchens and all rooms have free WiFi. The resto is the Bennett Bay Bistro, which attracts locals for it's glorious view and excellent, locally-sourced ingredients. I not only loved the cuisine, but also enjoyed the choice of craft beers and IPA.

Our final stop was the Japanese Memorial Garden beside Dinner Bay Park. It's free but donations for upkeep are welcomed. Local residents funded and built this tranquil spot as a tribute to the Japanese settlers on Mayne Island who contributed so much. Late March meant the cherry blossoms and spring bulbs were on display, and we were told it's a beautiful garden in every season. We'll be back in the summer again.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2014 (Julie H. Ferguson)

HIGH SUMMER ON GALIANO

After a delicious breakfast in Galiano Inn's resto on our last full day on Galiano, we headed out in the hot sunshine to find some interesting places and people to visit. Once again we took one of the inn's Smartcars and it was just as well we did. We travelled main roads (two lanes) and narrow, country lanes wide enough for a small, very small car.
We wanted to find a few spots that were less well known by tourists and a couple that are favourites.

Heading north, stopped at the glass studio, but it wasn't our cup of tea, and crossed the main road in search of a few galleries on the map that we never found or were closed.

© James S. Ferguson

Next stop was easy—Cable Bay Farm in mid-island. This is the home of Galiano's photographer, Henny Schnare, and her family. What a great place to stop on a Tuesday! Tuesdays are the farm's weekly open house and market day. Henny has a thing about basil and it grows in vast abundance—she gave us a huge bunch for the chef at Galiano Inn. But the small acreage grows all sorts of organic produce for purchase and for the restaurants, pubs, cafés, and B&Bs on the island.

Henny is the most welcoming and enthusiastic person I've ever met. Wildly fun too! She invited us into her farm kitchen as my husband wanted to buy an enlargement of an image of hers. We also met her daughter and husband, who is a retired master mariner. We had a great time and walked out with a huge signed photograph that is now framed and graces our kitchen. Her skills with a camera are legendary on Galiano and you see her images everywhere. They're gorgeous.

Henny directed us to drive across the main road at the end of their driveway and follow the lane to the sea. Soon we could go no further and found Retreat Cove, tucked away and sheltered, with a small island in the centre. There's a cave to explore if you go through a gate on the left at the road's end. Idyllic, does not do this spot justice, especially in high summer. And, there were only six tourists and a couple of locals who were fishing off a rock. Here, Henny and her husband Tom moor their boat.


We drove south to visit the provincial park just off the road to Montague
Harbour. This is a forested park with camping and RV spots that ends at White Shell Beach. When we were there in mid-August, the campground was nearly empty and the beach had only two kayaks pulled up to the high tide line while their paddlers enjoyed a picnic. Galiano's shores are a kayakers paradise, sheltered and calm on the western side away from the Georgia Strait. Visitors can rent kayaks and canoes at Montague Harbour where we planned to eat lunch.

This is the main "town" on Galiano and is really a marina packed with boats in the summer. Many are anchored in the bay and their owners row into the marina for supplies and showers. We joined many of them for a good lunch at the Sea Blush Café with a pint of pale ale. The food is plentiful and mostly seafood, but the view is amazing. We sat and admired it and the marine traffic for longer than we were welcome, given the number of hungry patrons who were waiting!

As the weather was perfection, we returned to Whaler Bay, which we had visited on an overcast morning to meet a local artist whose work we had admired in a gallery. I wanted to get some good images in sunshine. It was worth taking the time to go again.

Whaler Bay is big as the bays go on Galiano and has a government wharf. It sits on the east coast facing the Georgia Strait but is long and narrow so provides sheltered moorage and anchorages with Gossip Island guarding its entrance. Today it was quiet and beautiful.

Of course, many moons ago, this was a place from which small whalers operated and logs were dumped. Today it is clean and a haven for wildlife from land, sea, and air, as well as residents and sailors. Stand still awhile and you'll see osprey, waterfowl, raccoons and mink. The waters are home to fish again.

Our last stop was a left turn at Sturdies Bay on Active Pass and down a windy lane called Gulf Drive. We found three lovely coves here and for about fifteen minutes watched seals playing in a bay as the ferries to Victoria and the mainland sailed by with their sirens blaring.

I found it almost impossible to tear myself away from these tranquil spots so far from the madding crowd. Tourists were few and the locals were always happy to chat and give advice as where we should go next.

Sadly, it was late and we were leaving early the next morning. But first we enjoyed our last dinner on our patio watching the super moon for the third night in a row.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2013. All rights reserved.

HEAVEN ON EARTH AT GALIANO INN

After a couple of days rushing about, I decided to take a down-day on Galiano. I enjoyed the morning in the spa with Pam pampering me with a full pedi and a wonderful facial. In the afternoon, I chose to take photos of Galiano Inn's property, our suite, and the VIEW!

The exterior of the spa,
overlooking the beach

The Madrona del Mar Spa is considered to be one of the best spas in Canada, without the astronomical prices, and its rooms look out over Active Pass. The Madrona (Arbutus) bit is the tree growing out from it... It is a serene spot with all a guest could wish for—treatments for couples and singles, mediterranean sea flotation baths, local ingredients, massages to die for, and bliss! I wobbled out after my session, so relaxed I could ooze under a door. The ocean just adds to the ambience a hundred fold. In the spa's garden is a hot tub for the guests' use, especially those staying in the hotel section.

The island runs on its own time, which is infinitely slower than that of cities. The inn is unhurried, quiet, and peaceful, though with impeccable service, and is tucked on the edge of Sturdies Bay with its own little sandy beach.

The inn's entrance

The owner, Connie, had met us at the sea plane dock in Montague Harbour and driven us back to the inn. We entered the inn through the wrought iron gates and arrived in heaven on earth, or at least that's what it felt like to me. Connie checked us into our one-bedroomed unit and we took stock of our home for the next five days.

The ten units looking out over the beach

We had a well-equipped kitchen, a good sized bedroom and living room, but the patio and the bathroom were stars! The patio is covered and has a wood-burning fireplace, an overhead heater, and an efficient, vented electric grill. Here too is a huge jacuzzi tub with a privacy screen, so you can soak while smelling the sea and hearing the ferries swish by blowing their sirens. It's quite intoxicating! (No pix of this feature are suitable for posting!!)

The shower in the main bathroom is big enough for three people and has more nozzles than a car wash! Being shortish, the bank of six under the main shower head hit me square in the face until I realized I could redirect the spray. To the left, is a little seat with an array of ten needle sprays for your back. These were so powerful they hurt, but my husband loved them. Now I'm home I want to renovate our ensuite and put in the same shower...!

The view from the patio enchanted us. It changed constantly in the varying light and as the tide came in and out. On my first afternoon I watched the big ferries go by and the smaller ones dock right beside us. The super moon rose in front of us as we enjoyed our dinners every night.

Linking the units and the hotel rooms is the front desk, a fine-dining restaurant and a beach bar. Guests can have a hearty breakfast in the resto, lunch and a local ale in the beach bar (the pizzas are thin-crust Italian), and superb haute cuisine in the evening watching the sun go down over Sturdies Bay.

Behind the ocean frontage and the buildings are delightful gardens, including a pond and waterfall. Benches are scattered around and I saw many guests quietly sitting enjoying the plants and tranquillity. Most of the plants have been chosen for their suitability for a dry climate and many are indigenous. There's a yoga studio that looks out on the gardens too.

Galiano Inn at low tide from the seaward side showing the units on left and hotel rooms on right

The most enticing attraction for guests who arrive without a vehicle is the inn's fleet of Mercedes-Benz SmartCars. We rented one almost every day and happily tootled around the island (more about roaming the island in the next post). They are perfect for the narrow country lanes and limited parking. I loved driving one. No good for families though...

TIPS: If you like to cook, take your own knives and a roll of paper towel; buy local produce at the farmers' market on Saturdays and at Cable Bay Farm on Tuesdays at Retreat Cove, otherwise shop at Daystar and enjoy a coffee with them.

All images: © Photos by Pharos 2013. All rights reserved.

PROWLING AROUND GALIANO ISLAND

Yesterday we set out to explore some of the southern tip of Galiano Island in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. We rented one of the Galiano Inn's SmartCars and visited some of the island's funky stores first.

There is a strong sense of the hippy era here and, indeed, many residents are descended from them and quite a few US deserters who settled here during the Vietnam war. The smell of incense and homemade soap and candles wafted out

of tiny shops as we passed by.

A bit later we explored some of the country lanes that wound to the rocky shoreline and peeked out at the bays. The island is covered in forest and you can't see the ocean from the roads. By sheer luck we ended up at the Galiano Cemetery by Georgeson Bay from which point you can see the ferries crossing each other in Active Pass close up.

With the sunshine slanting through the mossy evergreens we came to the cemetery gate and walked down a path flanked by some very old grave stones, as well as some recent ones with fresh flowers. It was beautiful and tranquil. I said, "I would like to be put in a place like this when the time comes." My husband ignored the sentiment because he doesn't like to think about it.

At the end of the point, where the land drops off sharply, several benches look down onto Active Pass. The tide was sluicing through the

channel and around a reef as I heard the first rumble of an approaching ferry. Next came a siren and another answered it. The two ferries passed each other right by us. Had the tide been low, we might have also seen seals on the rocks.

We continued on our way to see Bellhouse Provincial Park and Sturdies Bay from another perspective than the one we have from the inn. We headed for lunch at the Hummingbird Pub, halfway to Montague Harbour. This is funky and friendly with hearty food. By now we were getting used to the servers letting us know that they were out of certain ingredients. Food deliveries come to the island on Fridays and favourites get used up quickly.

There is no public transportation or taxis on Galiano and I was amused that the pub had its own old school bus for fetching customers from their boats anchored in Montague Harbour and returning them after a few pints and dinner. Of course, if you bring your own vehicle over on the ferry this is not an issue. However, many visitors sail in and a few come by float plane....

After lunch we both wanted to visit some of the many art galleries on the island and especially the studio of Eleanor Coulthard at Whaler Bay. Down a narrow lane we went and popped out at the government wharf where the big bay opened up in front of us. Whaler Bay Studio lies just up the hill and Eleanor was painting in the garden. She offered us a cup of tea as she showed us her work in a large open gallery. She told us about the history of the place and the stories behind her mostly watercolours. We fell for a small oil of a sailboat anchored in the bay and bought it. We'd spent about 45 minutes enjoying the experience of meeting such a welcoming artist.

I was captured by the sandstone at the edge of the bays where the currents and tides erode it into shapes. Some are carved with small pockmarks, but others are huge smooth curves and caves. The best can only be reached by sea, but this image gives an idea of how interesting the sandstone looks at low tide.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2013. All rights reserved

MY MAGICAL MYSTERY TRIP

© Galiano Inn and Spa 2013

GALIANO ISLAND

All I knew was that I was going on a float plane to a secret location for my birthday. My husband told me to pack something smart for a dinner out and my camera gear, and that was it!

I climbed into Salt Spring Air's deHavilland Beaver in Vancouver harbour and we were up, up and away flying over Lion's Gate Bridge and past Point Atkinson. Soon we were over the Gulf Islands and landed in Ganges Harbour at Salt Spring Island. The pilot told me to stay put, we were flying on. Ten minutes later, we landed in Montagu Harbour on Galiano.

Our small beach outside our unit

The owner of the Galiano Inn and Spa met us, took a photo of us with the pilot, who said, "If I'd known it was your birthday, I would done some loops!" Connie whisked us away to Sturdies Bay. The inn is surrounded by the sea and gorgeous gardens; it has a fine dining resto and a beach bar where lunch is served. This has a wood-fired, brick oven, so the thin-crust pizzas are just like those in Italy. I recommend the Mediterranean veggie one.

Our unit is a fully-equipped one bedroom and living room on the ground floor that looks over a small beach and the ferry dock with Active Pass beyond. It has some unusual features: an outside fireplace on the patio, which also has a jacuzzi soaker tub, and a very efficient electric grill. But it was the shower in the big bathroom that captured my attention. Huge, with six nozzles and an overhead spray head, as well as eight fine needle spray jets for your back, it's big enough for three at least. I had a fine time in there this morning. The kitchen is spacious with all you need to cook up a storm. The place to buy food and meet the locals is a short drive away at Daystar Market.

Our car outside Galiano Books,
a must-browse

View from our patio

One reason my husband chose the Galiano Inn was that they have a fleet of five Smart Cars for the use of guests who arrive by sea plane or boat. We rented one for our first full day on the island. These pocket-sized cars are ideal for the narrow roads and country lanes here. The island is only 27 kms long and about 6 kms wide, so there's no long drives to do to see everything.

IMAGES: © Photos by Pharos 2013, except where noted. All rights reserved.