Kayaking around Silva Bay

We like to do a group activity for our family celebrations, so last week we celebrated my moms birthday (no, I won't say which one, i do like to work with her) by taking her on a kayak adventure.  We had Hilary Mason from Silva Bay Kayak Adventures take us on a 4 hour guided paddle.  I must say that at the kids request, the paddling portion consisted of about 40 minutes in total and the beach, swimming and snack time took up the remainder.  We ventured from the Silva Bay Inn, around Vance Island and stopped on Carlos Island for a few hours before returning home. 
It was a beautiful day and we all had a great time, they offer week long camps, sunset paddles and overnight stays.  If you're interested in a kayaking adventure off the shores of Gabriola Island, Hilary and Ryan are sure to come up with a safe and relaxed adventure tailored to you. 

Celebrating on the Islands!

Last week we decided to have our son's birthday a little earlier than usual, so within a week we planned and hosted his party.  We found planning it within a short time was very liberating and forced us to be a bit more creative.  This year the kids were old enough to help us paint signs on pieces of driftwood we collected from the beach.  We silk screened a few shirts (that we picked up at the GIRO) with our "outback tour koala logo" and got busy turning a little "reef" in front of McConvey Road on Gabriola into the Australian outback.   You can walk to this beautiful stretch of sand when the tide is low from the Descanso Bay Campground picnic area, or take a kayak or raft in high tide. This is a beautiful place that feels like a deserted island, we've all decided it's one of our favourite spots on Gabriola. (Submitted by Tina Lynch)