Gulf Islands – On Foot – Part 2

I caught the ferry sailing from Galiano Island to Otter Bay on North Pender Island. The fare was just less than $6. This is a non-bookable route and fares have to be paid at the ferry terminal at the time of travel. Each journey on this route varies slightly, so make sure you check the schedules carefully. Some ferries go direct to Otter Bay in 45 minutes, missing out Mayne Island. Other sailings require a transfer at Mayne Island for a journey time of 65 minutes. My journey took 1 hour with a stop at Mayne Island, without requiring a transfer. As I was walking everywhere, I had chosen a hotel who ran a shuttle service to meet the ferry.

Outside the entrance drive of the hotel I found car stops on both sides of Gowlland Point road. When I visited the island, there was no taxi service, so hitch-hiking at these official places was encouraged. The Church of the Good Shepherd, with its own memorial garden, is located here in a peaceful setting amongst the trees. Entry is via a lych-gate.

Further along the road was Firehall Number 3. Just before reaching this building, there is a track / fire service access road on the left-hand side that leads into the forest. This is the trail to Greenburn Lake, part of the Gulf Islands National Park. In about 15 minutes I reached the dam. Standing here, the view is of the trees reflected in the lake, a gorgeous sight.

From the dam, there is a rough trail along the north side of the lake, but I returned to the path I’d already walked along, which now hugged the shore line on the south side. Dragonflies flitted between the water lilies near the shore and in the deeper water fluffy white clouds were mirrored in the lake. Birds chirped and sang, woodpeckers hammered against trees, and I thought I heard the beat of a hummingbird’s wings nearby. The air smelled fresh and the sun shone brightly.