Discover the Pender Islands by sea

Birds of a Feather’s Zodiac Medline III based in Victoria is available for private charter transport (water taxi) to and from North and South Pender Island and anywhere - including Vancouver - along the west coast of British Columbia. We are also available for marine eco-tour charters, or simply boating the west coast.

North and South Pender Islands are the closest Gulf Islands to Victoria, and hence quite a few of the residents of these islands  commute to Victoria by the BC Ferries intricate inter-island ferry service. Once joined by a peninsula, the Pender Islands (population: 2,400) were separated by a canal for more than 50 years before they were reconnected by a one-lane bridge in 1957. Residents and visitors to these rural islands are scattered along country roads, in houses, farms, resorts and small clutches of cottages. Inland regions are hilly and densely forested and the coastline is dotted with the kind of small, secluded beaches that attract a lot of wildlife. Otters, seals and herons are very common sights.

The vast majority of the population lives on North Pender, which is also where most businesses and services are located. Many artists and artisans call the islands home and their work is widely available through galleries, studios, craft fairs and other community events.

Local arts and crafts are availalbe at the many shops, studios, and private galleries scattered around the Islands. Many artists display their wares in central galleries, one of which is located at Port Washington. Local produce, arts and crafts can be bought at North Pender’s popular Farmer’s Market, held on Saturdays at the Community Agricultural Hall.

One of the best beaches on the Pender Islands is at Mortimer Spit, close to the canal between the two islands. An isolated spit of lots of sand juts out into Navy Channel. A more popular spot is just north at Hamilton Beach at Port Browning with a pub, marina, cafe, and picnic tables beside the beach. On the far shore, visible from Hamilton, is a sandy strip of beach at Razor Point.

At the very end of South Pender Island, you’ll find a small beach park at Gowlland Point Park, certainly the prettiest of all the beaches on the two Penders. A pebble beach slopes down to an indented shoreline. From the beach, you look due south into the San Juan Islands, west across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Hurricane Ridge on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, and east to Saturna Island’s Monarch Head, with Mount Baker rising above the mainland.

 South Pender Island

North Pender Island, BC

Gulf Islands Map

 

Humpys, Orcas, Stellars and California Sea Lions all in one afternoon

Every day is a unique adventure out on the Salish Sea but today’s trip stood out. We launched at Pedder Bay Marina in Metchosin to place us close to Race Rocks. As the California and Stellar Sea Lion bulls were entertaining us from their perches on the rock formations we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by a dozen or so of these mamoths swimming, diving and porpoising. Then the incredible happened. One of the stellars suddenly sprang out of the water not 40 feet from us with a huge salmon which it had just caught as it breached the surface. The salmon was squirming it the sea lion’s mouth. Just as quickly as the stellar had surfaced he dove again and repeated this motion 2 more times. All the while a dozen or so of his very excited mates were porpoising almost in unison as a group. In 12 years being out here on the ocean that was a first for me. This was just the begginning of our adventure. We had heard reports of 4 to 6 humpbacks in the general vicinity over the past week. As we networked with our colleagues we heard 6 transient orcas were nearby. We spent a bit of time enjoying the orcas before heading out in the direction of the shipping lanes where soon we spotted 4 humpbacks. They put on quite a show for us including some excellent tail flukes. The humpbacks were also very vocal. All this in the space of 4 hours on one of those special autumn days when the seas were calm and the sun was out.