Summer Sailing: Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, BC

View over wet sand to South Thormanby Island, BC Canada

View to South Thormanby Island
Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park is a 45 hectare marine park comprising the tidal sandy foreshore between South and North Thormanby Islands.

Is there anything better than woods and water on a sunny summer day?

Summer on Canada’s West Coast is elusive and short. This year, my husband and I spent some time on the waters of Georgia Strait – the waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia (BC) – in a sail boat, chasing summer.

I love sailing. But, I love new harbours even more.

I especially love the relief of being tied up on a pier or being anchored in a sheltered bay.

This is – at least in part – because we are not very experienced sailors. Letting us loose on the water is as nerve-wracking as it is thrilling.

One particular July day, after a few short trips fraught with mechanical and other glitches, we left our home port of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island mid-morning. After we had raised the sails on Graystone, an old 38-foot Hughes, and set our heading almost due north out of Departure Bay, we could see dark rain clouds rolling in from the northwest over Georgia Strait and looming over the island behind us. We galloped across the 20+ nautical miles between us and the mainland at speeds of 7 nautical miles per hour or so – about the limits of our boat’s capabilities –  riding the swells of the strait in 20 knot winds.

We managed to just outrun the rain, and it was with a deep sigh of relief that we ducked into the sheltered waters of Buccaneer Bay and anchored in time for dinner.

We had chosen Buccaneer Bay as a destination because it sits surrounded by North and South Thormandy Islands, about 20 kilometres off the BC mainland. The lay of the islands protects the bay from the winds that can rush up or down Georgia Strait, making it a relatively safe and comfortable anchorage.

We also chose it because we’d never been there.

It’s hard to resist the opportunity to explore new terrain!

Evening over the entrance to Buccaneer Bay, Thormanby Island

Nightfall over Buccaneer Bay
Once the anchor is set and dinner from the tiny galley has been eaten, a nightcap in the cockpit is a perfect way to watch night fall over Buccaneer Bay. (iPhone6)

Night shot of a Mosquito on a fly screen with a full-moon behind, Buccaneer Bay, BC Canada

Mosquitos as Big as the Moon
Thank heavens for portable fly-screens across the companionway! The mosquitos were as big and as innumerable as we had been warned. (iPhone6)

Foreshore of Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, BC Canada

It’s a Beautiful Day!
Morning dawned warm and fair over our boat, so we rowed the dinghy to Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, the small marine park of sand and water between North and South Thormanby Islands. The beach opposite, overlooking the Salish Sea, was already busy with campers and other visitors.

Women wading in Buccaneer Bay, Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Swim Weather
The shallow waters of Buccaneer Bay are warm, and attractive to swimmers.

Looking over driftwood to North Thormanby Island, BC Canada

North Thormanby
Logs wash up onto the low sandbar of Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park between North and South Thormanby Islands.

Close-up of a grey fallen log, Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Fallen Log
Water, sand and weather polish the logs smooth over time.

Tangled Roots of a dead tree, Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, BC Canada

Tangled Roots

Looking over Gumweed to

Gumweed (Grinvelia Stricta)
The plants here are not commonly found in the rest of BC, but they are well adapted to this terrain of shifting sand and water.

Dune Grass and Beach Pea, Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Dune Grass (Leymus mollis) and Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus)
Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park was designated to protect this rare coastal ecosystem.

White painted Row Boat on a pebble beach - South Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Row Boat – South Thormanby
The islands – and the Provincial Park between them – are accessible only by boat: water taxis or private vessels.

Cottages around Buccaneer Bay, South Thormanby Island, BC Canada

South Thormanby
The foreshore of South Thormanby Island is dotted with private holiday cottages. There is no public access through this land, which separates Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park from Simson Provincial Park, on the other side of the island.

Low Tide over Buccaneer Bay, BC Canada

Low Tide
Buccaneer Bay has a sandy foreshore …

Sand Worm on the sand, Buccaneer Bay, BC Canada

Sand Worm
… which is home to all manner of creatures.

Shells on the sands of Buccaneer Bay, Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Shells on the Beach

Sandpipers, Buccaneer Bay, Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Sandpipers
Small sandpipers wade in the waters of low tide, looking for food.

Looking over the sands of Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park to North Thormanby Island, BC Canada

North Thormanby
Even at low tide, …

Looking over the sands of Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park to North Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park
… pools of water remain on the sandy spit between the islands.

Looking southwest over the Salish Sea, Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park, BC Canada

Buccaneer Bay Provincial Park
Standing in the waters at the edge of the Salish Sea, visitors to the park enjoy the quiet.

Western Red Cedar branches, Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Western Red Cedar
It is a steep kilometre climb up from the beach to the public road on the ridge of North Thormanby Island.

European Black Slug (Arion ater), North Thormanby Island, BC Canada

European Black Slug (Arion Ater)
The recent rains have brought out the slugs: black slugs …

Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax columbianus) North Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Pacific Banana Slug (Ariolimax Columbianus)
… and yellow.

Rough bark of a Fir tree, North Thormanby Island, BC Canada

Fallen Fir
The road is little more than a track, bordered by trees …

Looking through trees over Buccaneer Bay, North Thormanby Island, BC Canada

High on the Ridge – North Thormanby
… and multi-million-dollar properties with killer views. We didn’t trespass too far, but we could just see the mast of our boat far below.

Three Canada geese, Buccaneer Bay, BC Canada

Canada Geese
Back in our “home” on the waters of Buccaneer Bay, we were joined by Canada geese looking for dinner.

When we weren’t on the islands, we sat on the boat watching the oystercatchers skimming across the water, we marvelled at the bald eagles as they dove down from the trees, and we laughed as the sea lions frolicked.

Text: Safe SailingWhat a wonderful place to put down anchor!

Until next time,

Safe Sailing.

Pictures: 09-11July2016

  • gabe - October 28, 2016 - 2:17 am

    It was a great trip!ReplyCancel

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