British Columbia Ferries: The Pulse of the Gulf Islands
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Fourteen dots of varying sizes sit in the Strait of Georgia, not far from the capital of British Columbia and her largest city. Almost no one just stops by any of the Gulf Islands on their way to somewhere else. It’s not like visiting most of the other provinces or territories that are connected by freeways, highways or bridges. That’s the thing about these islands. Their remoteness requires determination to get here. And the decision to stay depends on how much one enjoys getting away from it all. Coniferous trees tend to outnumber people by a factor of at least 5,000 to one.
A few guests arrive by chartering a seaplane or flying on one of the small commuter airlines. Yet, most residents and visitors depend on the handful of car ferries that service the islands daily. We sat atop Mayne Island’s Mt. Parke to watch a number of ferries sail by throughout the day and stop at various ports. Life here was determined by the ferry schedule, the pulse by which life and everyone’s watch was set.
If you enjoyed this story in our series, you may also enjoy two others set in British Columbia. One is focused on the standing Skookumchuck waves and the other highlights the beauty of the Howe Sound. You may also want to check out our travel books that use our theme, A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Characters.™ Each impression features an original photo and a story that’s exactly 1,000 characters long.
Just for fun we’ve included a mini slide show of the Gulf Islands from Mt. Parke and Mayne Island.