The Gulf Islands

The southern Gulf Islands sit in the rain shadow of Vancouver Island, so they get noticeably less rain and more sun than either the mainland or the coast, and the vegetation shows it: Garry oak meadows and arbutus trees with peeling copper bark leaning over sandstone shores that the sea has worn into honeycomb and galleries. Salt Spring is the largest and busiest, with a Saturday market that has grown into the region's best; Galiano, Mayne, Pender and Saturna are quieter, and a national park reserve protects pieces of several. Kayaking between them is the classic way to travel, and orcas and seals are regular company in the passes.

History

The name comes from the Gulf of Georgia, the term George Vancouver used when he mapped the southern part of the archipelago, which before the San Juan Island dispute also took in what are now the San Juan Islands; geologically the Gulf Islands and the San Juans form one Gulf Archipelago. The waters between the islands, such as Active Pass between Galiano and Mayne and Trincomali Channel between Galiano and Saltspring, are still known together as the Gulf, and since 2010 they have also been part of the Salish Sea (Wikipedia, Gulf Islands).

What's there

• Salt Spring Saturday market - the archipelago's best, April to October.
• Sandstone shores - honeycombed rock and arbutus at Gabriola and Galiano.
• Kayaking the passes - the sheltered water between the islands.
• Garry oak meadows - a rare ecosystem, at its best in spring.

When to go

May to September is warmest and driest, with the Salt Spring market running weekly from spring to autumn. Spring brings the wildflower meadows. Ferry reservations are essential in summer for vehicles, and the islands are quiet and largely shut in winter.

What to expect

Ferries dictate everything: sailings between the smaller islands are infrequent, reservations for cars sell out in summer, and island-hopping without a plan means long waits. Accommodation is limited and expensive in season. Some of the islands have very few services, so arrive with what you need.

Nearby

Victoria and Vancouver Island are a short ferry away; Vancouver is on the mainland side.

Key facts