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Salt Spring Island Tour

Birds of a Feather’s Zodiac Medline III based in Victoria is available for private charter transport (water taxi) to and from Salt Spring Island. We are also available for marine eco-tour charters, or simply boating the west coast.

Panorama of Salt Spring looking over Cowichan Bay and Genoa Bay

Salt Spring Island Tour

This charter includes a coastal journey of Salt Spring Island followed by a visit to Ganges, the harbour village capital of this Gulf Island where you will find cafes, art galleries, an old fashion "carry everything" hardware store (Mouats) and much more. Salt Spring Island is brimming with artists, musicians, and a beautiful natural landscape.

Saturdays throughout the summer are an exceptionally exciting time to visit Salt Spring when the "Saturday Market" is in full swing. This famous market, which takes place at Centennial Park in Ganges, is a great place to see the fine works of local potters, jewelers, fiber artists, woodworkers, farmers and food vendors. Running every Saturday between mid-April and mid-October, the Saturday Market on Salt Spring Island is entirely the result of local efforts and talents; in fact Market policy dictates that vendors must have "made it, baked it, or grown it themselves" if they are to display their wares.

Salt Spring Island market every Saturday from April to October
Salt Spring Island market every Saturday from April to October in Ganges

Tree House Cafe on Salt Spring Island - Captain's favouriteThe Tree House Cafe on Salt Spring Island is one of our favourite lunch spots. The food is great - from homemade burgers to wraps, and ohhh the homemade carrot cake! - but even better is the outdoor atmosphere of this island cafe built around the tree which has been left intact. This place so personifies the Salt Spring experience.

boating just off Saltspring Island, British Columbia
The Salt Spring Island charter is a unique way to explore the unlimited beauty offered by the southern Gulf Islands, and a great way to discover this quaint island community. The length of this tour is entirely up to you.

Gulf Islands Map

boats moored at Salt Spring Island

For passengers from Vancouver we can offer you the following choices:

Saturday Itinerary:

  • 9:10 am Arrival at Ganges on Salt Spring Island (Saturday market)
  • 10:30 or 11:30 am Departure Marine EcoTour
    (you choose how you wish to spend that extra hour)
  • 3:30 pm Arrival at Salt Spring Island docks
  • 4:10 pm Departure by Salt Spring Air from Salt Spring Island
  • 4:45 pm Arrival at Vancouver inner harbour at 4:45 pm

 

Weekday Itinerary

(can use the same itinerary as for Saturday except the market will not be open but the quaint village of Ganges has lots to offer, or catch a later flight as below):

  • 11:20 am Departure by Salt Spring Air / Harbour Air from Vancouver harbour
  • 11:50 am Arrival at Ganges on Salt Spring Island
  • 11:50 am Departure Marine EcoTour
  • 3:50 pm Arrival at Salt Spring Island docks
  • 4:10 pm Departure by Salt Spring Air from Salt Spring Island
  • 4:45 pm Arrival at the inner harbour in Vancouver at 4:45 pm

 

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

Sun, 10/12/2008 - 08:58 — Dieter

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.

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