4 Bedroom
Waterfront
Home
This tranquil
gem awaits
your pleasure
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| Beautiful Waterfront Home | |
| Located on Pender Island | |
| in British Columbia's Gulf Islands | |
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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- Where are the Gulf Islands?
- How do I get to Pender Island and the Gulf Islands
- What's the weather like in the Gulf Islands
- What's there to do at Pender Island?
- What kind of wildlife can I expect to see on Pender Island?
- What kind of services and facilities are there on Pender Island?
- Can I rent kayaks, canoes and bikes on Pender Island?
- Is there any nightlife on the Penders?
Q.
Where are the Gulf Islands?
A.
On Canada's west coast, about 200 miles north of Seattle, the
southern Gulf Island
straddle the 49th degree of parallel. They are located in the Gulf of Georgia--a
wide stretch of water between Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, a
little north of the San Juan Islands in Washington State.
Q.
How do I get to Pender Island and the Gulf Islands?
A.
Several modes of
transportation are available to the Gulf
Islands:
- Pender Island is easily reached by BC Ferries from either Tsawwassen on the mainland, or from Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island
- Regular float plane service is also available from Vancouver or Victoria
- If you are coming from the US, interesting circle routes can be planned via Victoria or the San Juan Islands by combining BC Ferries with Washington State Ferries or other ferries
Q.
What's the weather like in the Gulf Islands?
A. Weather on the Southern Gulf Islands is, on the average milder than the
mainland or Vancouver Island and with less rainfall than the usually very wet
west coast, the Gulf Islands are in the warmest part of Canada. Summer
temperatures are generally in the low 70's with little rain and the occasional
hot spell, but cooling off at night.
Precipitation is about 36 inches with 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.
Fall days are mild although they can be foggy and mysteriously overcast. Fall is a great time for beachcombing and picking wild blackberries.
Winter temperatures rarely go below freezing, and you'll hardly ever see snow, so a weekend in the winter can actually be quite cozy, specially when you throw some logs on the fire.
Winds are strongest in the spring--March and April, and in a normal year the flowering trees are in full bloom in the first week of March, often in February.
Evenings and nights are cooler than the days in all seasons and with the constant ocean breezes, there is never any humidity.
Q.
What's there to do on Pender Island?
A.
As little, or as much as you want to do. Kick back, relax and
enjoy!
Forget the pressures of everyday life.
You could:
- Go for a long walk on a quiet country road
- Stop and admire the million dollar view
- Stroll the beach
- Collect seashells or works of art crafted by local artisans
For the more adventuresome:
- Hike the parks and trails
- Explore the shoreline by kayak
- Charter a boat
- Ride a bicycle
- Play a round of golf or a game of tennis
- Go for a dip in Magic Lake
- Scuba dive and find shipwrecks, wolf eels, octopus, and sponges
- Drop by the Saturday morning Farmer's market
- Dine in a local restaurant or at a seaside pub.
A vacation at Sunset Retreat on Pender Island has something for everyone.
Q.
What kind of wildlife can I expect to
see on Pender Island?
A.
The Gulf waters are located amid spectacular West Coast scenery and
are shared by an abundance of marine creatures and wildlife. Deer, bald
eagles, blue heron, cormorants, hummingbirds, owls,
California quail, sea
otters, seals and Canada geese live here for much of the year. Orca
Whales, sea lions, river otters, and mink are frequently seen in the waters around all
the Gulf Islands
There are no bears, coyotes or
wolves.
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Friendly deer |
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Q.
What kind of services and facilities
are there on Pender Island?
A.
The Driftwood Center near
the center of the islands offers a grocery store, bakery, bank, gift shop,
liquor store, insurance office, pharmacy, post office, real estate office, hair
salon, laundromat and service station. The Community Centre is host to the
Farmers' Market every Saturday morning, May through October. The Marinas at Bedwell Harbour, Browning Harbour and Otter Bay also have
provisions.
The only gas station on the Penders is found at Driftwood Mall. Auto repairs and towing is also offered here, as well as fishing tackle and licences. Watch your gas gauge, though, nothing is open 24 hours, 7 days a week on the Penders.
There are several restaurants, pubs and cafés offering everything from fine cuisine in comfortable surroundings to casual snacking in waterfront pubs. Local music is everywhere and there are several music festivals where local talent is very much on display.
Q.
Can I rent kayaks, canoes and bikes on Pender Island?
A.
Bicycles and scooters are available from
Otter Bay Marina. Kayaks can be rented from
Kayak Pender Island.
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Rent a kayak |
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Q.
Is there any nightlife on the
Penders?
A.
There are only a few places on the Penders where you can experience Island nightlife. Try any of the following:
- Memories at the Inn on Pender (250 629 3353
- Oceanfront Pub, Bedwell Harbour Resort (250 629 3212)
- Browning Harbour Pub
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