Bowen Island

I had already visited Vancouver back in 2001 and done the usual sights like Granville Island as well as Vancouver Island. This time I wanted somewhere different. I had considered day trips to various places in the vicinity of Vancouver. In the end I decided on Bowen Island, which can be reached by metro bus to Horseshoe Bay, then a ferry.

As expected, the mountains and bays made for great scenery.

Horseshoe Bay is itself a visitor destination with accommodation and water craft. It's the terminus of an express bus service 257 from downtown Vancouver.

The passenger and vehicle ferry terminal.

The incoming ferry which would turn around and be our ferry.

Waiting to cast off.

The top deck.

Soon to be filled with cars.

We're off.

We had to sail out of the narrow bay, then turn left for Bowen Island. That backdrop!

I think the other ferry was the service to Langdale, a bit north, on the mainland.

Mountains on the mainland.

Approaching Bowen Island.

Snug Cove in sight.

I won't even attempt to pronounce Bowen Island's Squamish name Nex̱wlélex̱wm. The x with an underscore is a new one to me.

It was too early for lunch so I took a signposted walk along the shore.

Crossing a creek.

Apparently spawning salmon come up this creek and keen wildlife watchers await the time of year to witness the phenomenon.

The sign.

The obligatory ducks photo.

A memorial garden with plaques on benches memorialising the lives of residents past. I got the impression that Bowen Island has a greater proportion of retirees.

Time to have lunch so I went to the local hotel which had a great view of the cove.

This was ok but I forgot that I don't like tartare sauce that much. Maybe I should have had the fish and chips instead of a fancy sounding dish.

Lunch over, I wanted to work some of it off, and encountered these Canadian geese resting in the park.

I gave them a wide berth so as not to alarm them, but they didn't seem too perturbed by my passage.

About a half hour later I emerged up the main road near a shopping centre.

I walked back to the terminal and relaxed on a bench near a cafe until the ferry arrived.

And the was the enf of my day out in the picturesque outdoors. The return to downtown Vancouver was the reverse of the outward trip.