Island Getaways: The Southern Gulf Islands

Part of the same archipelago yet called by another name, Canada’s Gulf Islands are mere miles from the San Juans. (South Pender is less than 10 miles from Orcas.) There are seven major southern Gulf Islands, but the three that are the most frequented and easily accessed are Pender, Galiano and Salt Spring. You’ll find creature comforts here, but they’re scattered and hidden like Easter eggs waiting to be discovered in the most unlikely of places. For every quaint inn, there’s a survivalist living in a converted school bus; for every market garden, a basement grow-op (or so we hear!). But those willing to go searching are rewarded with a sparse yet welcoming population whose beautiful surroundings and sub-Mediterranean climate put permanent smiles on their faces—they can’t believe they get to live here. And you’ll feel the same just visiting.

Galiano Island
Salt Spring Island

THE BIG EASY: PENDER ISLAND
About one-fifth the size of its close neighbor Orcas Island, Pender is actually two islands (South and North) divided by a manmade channel and joined by a one-lane bridge. There’s no town in the traditional sense; the bulk of the island’s 2,500 residents live on North Pender, which features almost all of the island’s eateries and shopping.

Watch the sunset at Poets Cove
The Arts and Crafts–style Poets Cove Resort & Spa overlooks Bedwell Harbour marina in sparsely populated South Pender—a setting so ridiculously picturesque that sunsets border on cliché. Soak in the view from the main lodge’s 22 rooms (from $209/night), which run on the smallish side, or opt for a spacious villa (from $339/night) or cottage offering a private outdoor hot tub (from $359/night)—ideal for watching deer that stroll by as if on cue. When the relentlessly beautiful scenery proves exhausting, the Susurrus Spa downstairs offers quiet contemplation with a fireside lounge and a hand-carved, eucalyptus-infused steam cave, along with the usual complement of spa services. Come summer the marina is ground zero for those traveling north by boat—expect everything from 11-foot Zodiacs to whatever behemoth Paul Allen is rocking.

Feast at Pistou Grill
What Pistou Grill lacks in romantic ambience—it has managed to locate itself in the island’s only strip mall—it generously makes up for with its French-based West Coast menu interpretations. Consider the butternut squash and wild mushroom moussaka topped with a ricotta Parmesan crust and smoked red pepper sauce ($19), or the slow-cooked organic buffalo short ribs ($27). Alsatian owner Pierre Delacôte catered Sarah McLachlan’s wedding, which, on the Gulf Islands, is only slightly more impressive than being Obama’s chef at the White House. 

Raise a toast at Morning Bay Winery
The phrase “island winery” conjures up visions of sipping blackberry wine while the well-meaning owners look on, so you may experience a slight shock when you drive into Morning Bay Vineyards and Estate Winery, Pender’s only winery. Owners Keith Watt and Barbara Reid’s sleekly crafted modern concrete-and-glass winery and tasting room blends seamlessly into the hillside forest that surrounds it. The locally grown wine focuses on varietals (Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Riesling) that can flourish in the mild island climate, while imported grapes (Cab, Merlot and Syrah) from some of the Okanagan’s best vineyards round out the roster. While some offerings are a little pubescent, the 2007 Bianco shows promise—but is still a ways from challenging Quilceda Creek. And under the mistaken impression that man cannot live by wine alone, come summer the winery opens its stunning architectural space to host plays and parties, culminating in the justly famous Winestock music festival during the Labor Day weekend—think Lollapalooza for the Wine Spectator set.

Play disc golf
Spending a vacation playing Frisbee—or disc golf—may sound like a diversion best suited to the college crowd. But make an exception for Pender’s Golf Island Disc Park, the Pebble Beach of this nascent slacker pastime. Free spirits travel from as far as California to experience the free 15-acre 27-hole (er, basket?) track. Holes are laid out through the mountains and surrounding forest, so it’s half St. Andrews, half Kilimanjaro. Dude.

Explore Hope Bay Village
In the northeast corner of the island, Hope Bay offers an alternative outpost to the busier and more central Driftwood Centre—the island’s commercial hub. Destroyed by a fire in 1998, the original heritage buildings (circa 1904) on the dock were recently rebuilt by locals, who feared an outside investor might not have the island’s best interests at heart. That no-BS sentiment is personified at Hope Bay Café—a quaint little joint that will dish up dynamite fresh crab, but won’t make a big deal about it. In addition to the village’s real estate agency, jeweler and home décor store, there is the Red Tree Gallery, which features the usual coterie of “island artists” finding themselves though a tube of gouache. But there are also a few top-drawer sculptors and painters thrown into the mix; don’t miss the purses by felt artist Monica Bennett.

PENDER ISLAND RESOURCES Hope Bay Cafe 4301 Bedwell Harbour Road, No. 7 250.629.6668 Morning Bay Vineyard and Estate Winery 6621 Harbour Hill Drive 250.629.8351 Pender’s Golf Island Disc Park Magic Lake Estates 37166 Galleon Way 250.629.6494 Pistou Grill Driftwood Centre, 4605 Bedwell Harbour Road 250.629.3131 Poets Cove Resort & Spa 9801 Spalding Road 888.512.7638 Red Tree Gallery 4301 Bedwell Harbour Road, No. 3 250.629.6800

>>Explore the Southern Gulf Islands: Galiano Island; Salt Spring Island