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A day in paradise just a ferry ride away
Monday, June 11th, 2007 by GetawayBC.com
Bowen Island is a daytripper’s paradise.
From its earliest beginnings as a holiday destination first created in the late 1800s by Captain John Cates with his day excursions on the Britannia, to the glory days of the Union Steamship era when boats like the Lady Alexandra plied the waters between Snug Cove and downtown Vancouver, bringing as many as 5000 tourists to the island on a summer weekend, Bowen Island has welcomed visitors to its green shores.
The 20-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay is an enchanting part of your journey to this scenic island jewel. You won’t need a car; today as in Captain Cates’ day, many of its forest and lake trails and its superb beaches are easily accessed by foot.
If you don’t want to venture too far from Snug Cove, you can spend a lazy afternoon on The Pier and watch the sailboats bobbing in the breeze, eat mango ice cream and authentic Mexican tacos on the dock, shop for unique gifts, or enjoy a day’s paddle with Bowen Island Sea Kayaking.
If you make it past the allure of Paradise Grill or the deck of Doc Morgan’s pub, the boardwalk will take you to Crippen Park’s picnic area, complete with outdoor barbecues and tables on a grassy lawn overlooking the marina and the mountains of the North Shore.
On the other side of the road, just minutes from the ferry wharf, cross the causeway over the quiet lagoon and head into the trails and the flower-filled paths of the memorial garden with its vista of Deep Bay and Howe Sound. Continue on through the trails and spend a while in the cool sanctuary of Bridal Veil Falls near the fish ladder. If you cross Miller Road at the trail’s end, the path will take you into the woods past the riding meadows and the fish hatchery, to Killarney Lake where a series of trails and boardwalks create an hour-long hike through a magical ‘drowned forest.’ From a fern-filled rainforest alive with bird calls to a sun-dappled beach, this walk is a nature-lover’s dream.
For those who find walking difficult, Bowen has regular cross-island Translink bus service. If you have a bus pass or Translink bus tickets, bring them with you and for the price of a ticket, you’ll get a tour of the island: west to Bowen Bay and Bluewater and north to Eagle Cliff and Hood Point. You can get dropped off at Artisan Square, Bowen Bay Beach or any point in between, and be picked up on the bus’s next trip through.
Stroll through Snug Cove, with a side trip perhaps through the Davies Heritage Orchard and its cottage museum, on up through Village Square and the path that takes you to Artisan Square, stopping at the Historian’s museum cottage at the crossroads. The journey will offer visitors fabulous views along the way and a cornucopia of shops, galleries, restaurants and pubs.
For those travellers wanting to venture further afield, a hike up Mt. Gardner or a day on the spectacular greens of the Bowen Island Golf Course will provide you a full day’s pleasure.
Some of the activities that highlight life on ‘the rock’ are its now-famous Round Bowen sailing race and Round Bowen kayaking race, a weekend summer craft market and its summer festival – Bowfest – complete with a not-to-be-missed community parade, an old-fashioned tug-of-war and a host of activities for the whole family.
So here’s what you need to know: As you walk off the ferry, just a few metres ahead turn right on Cardena, walk past the Bowen Island Library on your left (this is where you catch the bus) and head to the Bowen Island Info Centre where you can pick up park brochures, a Bowen Island Undercurrent newspaper and a Bowen Visitor’s Guide.
That’s all you’ll need for your day in Paradise.