Howe Sound - British Columbia

Cutting deep into the Coast Mountain Range that lies northwest of Vancouver, Howe Sound is a mini cruising ground in its own right. Rising abruptly from the water’s edge, the majestic mountains provide the recreational boater with stunningly beautiful vistas, especially in spring and early summer when the sparkling snow capped peaks contrast with the lush green of the lower, timbered slopes.

 

The nooks and coves along the shorelines of Bowen, Gambier and Keats Islands provide a host of anchoring opportunities while the protected channels between the islands with their gentle summer breezes, make these waters a sailor’s playground.

 

The delights of Snug Cove and Mannion Bay on Bowen Island are only fifteen kilometres from the hustle and bustle of Vancouver’s Lower Mainland. Pack a picnic lunch, pick up a trail map and enjoy an energetic hike to the summit of Mount Gardner with its dazzling view over Howe Sound.

 

The long finger-like inlets of Gambier Island’s southern shoreline can provide many days of pleasant adventuring for the cruising boater. Halkett Bay Marine Park is a popular weekend retreat that reveals a tiny shell beach at low tide and a vigorous 614m (2,014 ft) climb to Mount Artaban.

 

Courtesy of Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Region. Visit ExploreOurBoating.com for more information on boating in Vancouver, Coast and Mountains.