6 Great Places to Visit on Pender Island
I know it has been a quiet couple of months around Sidewalking Victoria. After being locked up we are trying to make the most of the summer by traveling around our area while not going too far and still staying safe. One of the few benefits of the pandemic is that it has forced us to travel nearby and while that can feel limiting, it also can open our eyes to the amazing amount of places to visit within just a couple of hours of Victoria. One of those amazing places that you can visit is Pender Island and it is only a 45 minute ferry ride away. Pandemic bonus - you don’t even need to get out of your car on the ferry! We are just back from a two week trip that took us to Sproat Lake, Brannen Lake and lastly Pender Island and I thought I could share a few of the best places we found on Pender Island in this post. Also be sure to read to the end and I will have details on my upcoming art show!
Magic Lake
Magic Lake sits on the western side of the island within the Magic Lake Estates. The lake was made in the 1960’s as a key part of the development for this large subdivision. While most of the shoreline is privately accessed there is a small public swimming location at the southern end where a large earthen berm holds the water in the lake. On an island surrounded by the cold waters of the Salish Sea, a dip in Magic Lake is a refreshing and a not so body numbing experience. While the lake may not be up to the standards as many that we find around Victoria, it is still worth a visit and swim while staying on Pender Island.
Gowland Point Park
The longest drive (or bike ride) you can likely have on Pender Island in one direction, would be to Gowland Point Park at the very far southern tip of South Pender Island. While it seems like just another beach, once you get down the steps from the road you can see that the landscape and views are absolutely amazing. Make sure to walk over to the lighthouse at the point. From here you have a clear view to the US San Juan Islands, it is breathtaking. While you’re down at Gowland Point, there is a great nearby art gallery that we visited that had some art from two artists called Blood Star Gallery. It is definitely worth a look.
Sea Star Winery
Unfortunately, for the time that we were on Pender this year, the winery was not open. That said on a previous visit, we did get to go to the winery and it has one of the most beautiful tasting areas both outside on the grounds and also inside a very contemporary building. As of right now the tasting room is only open on Saturdays from noon to 4pm. I should also say that the wines are amazing. Have a look at their website for the most up-to-date info here.
Roesland - Gulf Islands National Park
Located on the western side of North Pender, Roesland is part of Gulf Islands National Park. It is quite close to the Shingle Bay Campground (which is also worth a visit!). Roesland was initially developed by the Roe family as a farm but from the 1920’s until the 1990’s was a rustic cabin resort. Now when you visit there is a small museum that I have yet to be able to go into, which covers off the broader history of Pender Island apparently. There are also several of the original resort cabins scattered around the property in various states of repair. All of this is situated on a beautiful small cove. At low tide you can also hop over to Roe Islet which has a trail out to the end where you can watch the ferries go back and forth between the islands. If you are looking for a place to have a mid-day picnic on Pender, Roesland is a perfect option.
Poets Cove Resort
I should start by saying that I have never stayed at Poets Cove Resort, but I have visited the grounds a couple of times and it really worth a walk around. To get there you need to travel down to South Pender and travel across most of the south island. You will know you are getting close when you drive on a precarious road above a cliff. The resort is at the bottom of this cliff. The resort dates back to the late 1950’s however the site itself apparently has a history going back many millennia as an indigenous village site. The resort has a café and a restaurant and is a lovely place to spend some time looking at the boats coming and going. It reminds me a lot of a smaller version of Roche Harbor of San Juan Island.
Port Browning Marina
The place we ended up staying on Pender was Port Browning Marina Resort. This is truly a lovely spot and worth a visit even to just walk the grounds. There is of course a marina, but also a great pub and a beautiful beach. Just to the south of the pub is a large field and orchard where you can camp. Port Browning is conveniently just a 10 minute walk to the grocery store as well. The pub itself has some great food and a good selection of BC beers. As a place to stay (we were in a tent-trailer), it is great. There is a pool and even outdoor movies!
Keep in mind this is just a short list. There are dozens more places to see and enjoy on Pender and so be sure to bring your adventurous sprit when you visit the island. If you have an amazing place that didn’t make this list, please let me know in the comments!
As I said at the beginning, I want to let all of you know that I will be doing a photography show at Koffi in Oaklands starting on September 26 and going to October 10. The show is called Walkways I and is based on one of my early blog posts on Mid-Block Walkways, specifically the 500 block of Old Town from Discovery St. to Courtney St. I will have more details on the show soon so stay tuned!