Visiting Gabriola this Summer…

Descanso Bay Regional Park - Campground
Gabriola offers a diverse opportunity of accommodations for visitors to the island, a summer time favorite is Gabriola’s Descanso Bay Regional Park campground.

This scenic sea-side campground is just a short distance, approximately 1 km, from the ferry terminal at Descanso Bay and is located at 595 Taylor Bay Road, Gabriola Island. The stunning 40 acre waterfront property has three bays with natural sandy pockets & sculpted sandstone beaches, offers 32 camp sites and is open year round. Islanders as well as tourists frequent the campground because of all its appeal to kayakers, picnickers, campers, hikers, beachcombers, swimmers to participate in outdoor recreation while balancing the camping experience offered by its tranquil surroundings.

This Regional Park is adjacent to Cox Community Park which offers over 100 acres of trails for pedestrians & cyclists, through a well established forest setting.

Gabriola Island attracts visitors from Vancouver Island, the rest of BC, elsewhere in Canada and other parts of the world, so you may want to make a reservation at #250-247-8255, if you’re planning a summer time getaway, as its prime season.

Golf Anyone???

Fortunate to have grown up on Gabriola, one of my recreational past times was Golf. The Gabriola golf course offers a very challenging nine hole course. If it is not enough to have to deal with the twist & turns of the fairways, rolling hills (or slightly steeper), the quiet country road that runs along side & has the occasional moving target of a vehicle, then the long fairways definitely add an element excitement!

The picturesque course is set overlooking & encompassing the views of Hogan Lake, which doubles as a water feature… The log constructed clubhouse offers the perfect vantage point to enjoy watching the golfers tee off their games, as well as putt in at the end, it’s also a nice place for a social setting whether it be just having come in from a game, or just enjoying this spectacular picturesque setting. The licensed lounge can accommodate seating up to 60 with room to dance, and the clubhouse has the ability to cater events. For more information on the Gabriola’s Golf Clubs Events check it out online at http://www.gabriolagolf.com .

Golf Anyone???

A boat seems to sit perfectly with the Island Life.

You’ll find a variety of options for boaters when you arrive on Gabriola, BC offers one of the best coastlines to explore. Courses are offered for novices and those wanting to learn a bit more, you’ll often see a Boat Safe course or Power Squadrons course advertised in one of the local papers. You may want to moore your boat at Silva Bay Resort & Marina or Pages Marina, or put a mooring buoy in Degnen Bay to make your boat excursions a little easier. You’ll need to ensure that your mooring buoy is properly marked and maintained, to ensure that you are in compliance with the Private Buoy Regulations in the Canada Shipping Act2001, this information can be found on Transport Canada’s website @ http://www.tc.gc.ca/actsregulations/GENERAL/C/csa/regulations/050/csa053/csa53.html.

If your interested in sea-going adventures, you may consider joining the Silva Bay Yacht Club http://www.silvabayyachtclub.com/ , a great place to meet other Islanders that share the same love of the sea.

The Leisurely Cardio Workout

I’ve been trying to take my fitness regime out of the gym, and into the fresh air for the summer.

So, I put the sneakers on and started jogging in the neighborhood. At the end of Sir Williams Drive on Gabriola, there is a road allowance, a foot path has been carved out which leads to a beautiful south-easterly facing beach. If you manage to make it past this point & to the end of Stalker Road, begins the path to Drumbeg Park.

One of Gabriola’s provincial park, Drumbeg is a favorite spot of both locals & tourists. The level path carves around the forest of Douglas firs while encompassing the scenic views of the sandstone beaches & Gabriola Pass. Winding your way through the park, there is also a wonderful picnic area, and the pebble beach in the bay offers great swimming waters.

Over the quaint walking bridge, leads to the other side of the park, which has more open field, in this area, you’ll see the Garry Oaks & some Arbutus which hug the shoreline. At the end of the path sits a bench, around the bench and back through this majestic park, & it’s home bound again…

The setting of this jog, makes it realtively painless (perhaps that & the fact that it’s only 20 minutes!)