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| Porpoise Bay |
Having visited the Sechelt Peninsula as a camper,
hiker, and tourist over the past thirty-five years, I have always seen this
beautiful natural setting as sporting a cluster of relaxed little towns sitting
on the edge of ocean. Sechelt itself is the biggest of these 1950’s-paced
communities that dot the road from Gibson’s Landing at the southern end of the
Sechelt Peninsula to Earl’s Cove and Egmont at the northern end of the
Peninsula.
In mid-August I spent a three-day weekend at
Sechelt while attending the well-known, annual Sunshine Coast Writers Festival.
Besides appreciating the Sechelt Peninsula’s cultural opportunities at that
time, I was reminded of the area’s unique geographical features— beaches,
forests backed by mountains, and related natural phenomena—that provide
opportunities for so many adventures in nature.
I think homestay students studying in Vancouver
would find a trip to the Sechelt Peninsula to be a rewarding experience
especially for those interested in year-round outdoor recreation activities.
Renting a car and sharing expenses with friends makes travelling to this area
accessible for those who have a weekend, or long-weekend, to get away. Or if
you go on the ferry as a foot passenger from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale
terminal, you can then get a bus from the ferry that goes along the main
highway (Highway 101) as far as west Sechelt with lots of stops along the way.
Some of the summer offerings of the Sechelt
Peninsula include swimming, kayaking, hiking, beach combing, boating, attending
annual festivals (such as the Davis Bay sandcastle competition), eating seafood
and going pubbing, fishing, enjoying a scenic trek into Skookumchuck Narrows to
view the world famous rapids, and water sliding in Sechelt’s community pool. On
Dakota Ridge from spring to fall there are world-class biking trails through
old growth forests and open areas in beautiful subalpine meadows. These are
transformed by snow during winter into cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
trails.
So how does one get to the Sechelt Peninsula?
Reaching the Sunshine Coast takes about two hours travel time from downtown
Vancouver, including the pleasant 45-minute BC Ferry ride to Langdale from
Horseshoe Bay. To drive to the north
end of the Sechelt Peninsula (Earls Cove and Egmont) takes about two additional
hours.
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| West Beach |
The Sechelt Peninsula is surrounded by salt
water—that of the Georgia Straight on the west side (shoreline with surf
pictured here on a windy day) and that of Sechelt Inlet on the east side.
Porpoise Bay (pictured at low tide in opening image) is at the south end of the
Inlet at Sechelt. Sechelt Peninsula would, in fact, be an island except for the
existence of the isthmus (narrow strip of land) that is the town of Sechelt, as
it serves as a bridge joining the Peninsula to a larger part of the mainland.
For a pleasant walk on level ground, visitors
should check out Sechelt’s marsh, just off the south end of Porpoise Bay. There
you can take a pleasant stroll around an active pond surrounded by natural
greenery. Countless flocks of birds fly in and out of the area, many of which
land on the surface of the water.
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| Sechelt marshes |
If your homestay family is able to lend you
camping equipment and if, on inquiring, you find a campsite is available, you
and your classmates might enjoy tenting at the wooded Porpoise Bay Provincial
Campsite on the east side of the Bay. Or at least you might pack a big lunch
and take it to the picnic site on the beach there or to one of the other
multitude of beaches on the Sechelt Peninsula.
Sechelt Inlet is
famous for its saltwater rapid (Sechelt Rapids) as it rages through Skookumchuck Narrows with fury during
tide changes. The skookumchucks (turbulent
waters) of Sechelt Inlet are caused when billions of gallons of water rush into the Inlet through a narrow passage, thus creating an intense torrent.
To view this tidal
spectacle and to experience some exhilarating hiking through deep forest, drive north on Highway 101 and be on the
lookout for the Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park parking lot. If you reach the village of Egmont, you
have gone to far. The well-maintained hiking trail into the Skookumchuck rapids
has viewing lookouts. If your arrival matches a rising tide or you have the
time to wait for a changing tide (this happens four times daily), you can see
ocean water rushing in through the narrow channel in the rock formations
creating boiling rapids, eddies, and whirlpools. A destination for
adventure-seeking white water kayakers, this is one of the fastest moving tidal
waters in North America. So respect
the power of these tidal surges with their roar of churning waters. Stand well
back, as they can easily sweep away people and their pets.
On your return trip south on the highway to the
Langdale ferry, you might want to take in Wilson Creek’s fascinating salmon
hatchery. Also try to leave some time to visit Roberts Creek’s unique shops in
small wooden buildings on the main street and the Creek’s picnic site within
view of a beach pier.
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| Gibsons Beach |
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| Roberts Creek |
You might also enjoy a stop at Gibsons, a
slow-paced, little town perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean.
This community was made famous for being the site of a long-running,
internationally-renowned Canadian comedy-drama television series, named the Beachcombers, which featured seaside
adventures and intrigue. The on-shore setting focused on a popular, community,
gathering place named Molly’s Reach that still exists today as a restaurant. With
antique shops and art stores, large marina, and restaurants with waterfront
views, Gibsons is a unique stop.
With all the recreational activities offered on
the Sechelt Peninsula near the many seaside communities including the scenic
Secret Cove, Halfmoon Bay, Snuggler Cove (not unmentioned here as a result of
space restrictions), I hope you and your classmates can find some quiet time
too. This might be in old-growth forests, feeling the awe of seeing some
wildlife near waterfalls and creeks, or on sandy and rocky beaches observing
marine life, perhaps seals, otters, porpoises, and in watching incredible
multi-coloured sunsets.
After two days of almost too-hot weather in
Sechelt, the weather turned cooler and windy, so the west shoreline was far
from quiet. Here is a short video showing the effect of the wind along the
beach trail walk of Sechelt.
Article and photographs by Wendy Bullen Stephenson
Wendy is a Vancouver writer who is author of the
online imaged novel Vancouver Memories:
My Year Abroad, the story of a group of international language students who
study in Vancouver for a year and visit all the places that homestay students
routinely visit during their stay in BC. It can be read free of charge at: www.vancouvermemories.ca
