Capilano Squadron
Capilano Squadron
Several Squadron Member boats made it over to the Canada Day Roast on Saturna. Here are some pics.
This picture should prove that absolutely NOTHING sinks in Winter Cove. Wonder if it's still there?
Saturna Island’s
moderate climate, quality anchorages and services make it an ideal year-round
destination. Cycling, hiking and kayaking are popular pastimes and there are
scenic walks and easy access to beaches.
Saturna’s thirty-one square kilometer area includes forests, wet lands, mud
flats, rock bluffs, reefs and beaches. There are over one hundred and eighty
bird species from hummingbirds to bald eagles. Deer, favourites among the
island’s wildlife, are seen everywhere. A rich and abundant marine life is
visible on rocks and in tidal pools. River otters, seals and sea lions are seen
along the costal waters and Orca whales are frequently spotted in the waters off
East Point. Winter Cove, site of the Saturna Lamb Barbecue and our Canada Day
destination, features sheltered anchorage and boat launching, with trails
through mixed forest, marsh land and shoreline, to a view point at Boat Pass.
Below the rock bluffs on the south side of the island are Saturna Vineyard and
Winery, Thomson Park and Taylor Point. There are beach areas for unsupervised
swimming at Veruna Bay, East Point Regional Park, and Thomson Park.
The permanent population on Saturna has remained small, preserving the charm and
rural character of the island. Come to Saturna and experience the rhythm of
island life for yourself.
BC Ferries operates a regular scheduled ferry service to Saturna Island from Tsawwassen on the Mainland and Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island.
Winter Cove was recently transferred to the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada. It is very protected and has excellent holding grounds for anchoring. There are shallow spots, including a sandbar in the middle of the cove, so keep an eye on your sounder and the tides when deciding on a spot to drop the hook!
Saturna is famous for its Canada Day Lamb Barbecue which has been an annual event for over 50 years. Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for kids and the meal is server from 2:00pm on. Tickets are very limited and always sell out so get yours early! Sales open at 9:00 am at the roast. We can do an advanced purchase or we will try and arrange that someone on site get tickets early but you HAVE to let me know if you are coming asap.
So far looks pretty good. You can get updates on the Weather Network here (for Ganges). Tidal range for the weekend is from about 1.8 ft mid-day to highs of 11 ft just after sunset. Sunrise is at 5:10 am and you will need to start looking for those LED flashlights from around 9:20 pm.
We will start cruising over on the Friday and return on Monday. You can approach Winter Cove through Boat Passage but it's very shallow (about 4ft at low) and narrow (about 50 ft) and the current can be very strong at full flow. If you have not done this before, rather choose a safer approach. I expect the cove will be pretty busy so I suggest we find a good spot and raft up. More later...
