|
Hiking, cycling, kayaking, boating and scuba diving are great ways to explore Saturna’s pristine forest, mountain, coastal and marine environments. Keep a pair of binoculars handy: wildlife – particularly birds, feral goats and marine mammals – is everywhere. Seasonal diversions include Chinook Salmon and Halibut fishing, winery tours, the annual art studio tour, the annual lamb barbeque and the summertime Saturday Market.
The best way to experience the pristine natural landscapes that Saturna is so famous for is to do a bit of hiking. Feral goats graze on the slopes along the winding, gravel road to the top of Mount Warburton Pike, the island’s highest viewpoint at 497 m (1,631 ft). The Pender Islands, San Juan Islands and Mount Baker are all visible from here. There are also some lovely walking trails in Narvaez Bay and Winter Cove. Cycling is another great way to see the island, and rentals are available. Be prepared for narrow, hilly roads with limited visibility in places. The easiest rides are East Point Road and Tumbo Channel Road. Accommodation on the island is limited and there are no campgrounds, so be sure to plan well in advance for multi-day trips.
Artists and artisans specializing in photography, painting, drawing and fibre arts live and work on Saturna. You can visit quite a number of them in their studios during the Artists’ Studio Tour held each BC Day long weekend (first Monday in August). At other times, it’s best to arrange studio visits directly with the artists.
To get a sense of the island’s pioneer past, visit Taylor Point. You’ll find the ruins of an old, stone farmhouse and a long-silent sandstone quarry.
Saturna may be wild and rugged but it’s also home to one of the largest estate vineyard and winery operations in BC. Saturna Island Vineyards lies at the base of a soaring sandstone-and-granite cliff and has an expansive view of the Pacific that includes the Pender and San Juan Islands. Its wine shop, bistro and tasting room are open from May through October. Tours are available.
Saturna’s biggest yearly event, the Saturna Island Lamb Barbeque, is held over the Canada Day (July 1) long weekend. Something like a country fair, it features live music, local crafts, children’s entertainment and activities, a driving range, sack races and, of course, delicious barbequed food. In July and August, you can shop for local art, crafts and produce at the Saturday Market. Check the bulletin board outside the Community Hall for information about upcoming art shows, concerts and theatrical productions.
Saturna has a wealth of intact wilderness and a tiny human population. Native birds (180 species), wildlife and vegetation flourish as a result. The largest of its many parks is the Gulf Island National Park Reserve. It protects nearly half of the island, intertidal areas and a number of nearby islets and islands. Two of these, Tumbo and Cabbage Islands, contain some of the most intact wetland and woodland environments on the Gulf Islands. They’re also great places for picnics and bird watching. Camping is permitted on Cabbage Island.
The most popular day-use area on Saturna is Winter Cove. It offers sheltered moorage, an easy walking trail and whitewater kayaking. Around the cove, you’ll find a salt marsh, forested upland and open meadows. East Point Regional Park, also popular for day trips, has a lovely picnic area near a historic lighthouse and a number of unusual sandstone formations along its shoreline. It’s a good place for whale watching and ocean swimming in summer. Seals, sea lions and myriad bird species can be viewed there year round.
Features of the forested walking trail from Narvaez Bay Road to the mouth of Lyall Creek include a waterfall and one of the last salmon-bearing streams in the Gulf Islands. The narrow, winding road up Mount Warburton Pike, on the other hand, is distinguished by open, grassy slopes that are unique in the Gulf Islands. Feral goats graze on those slopes and falcons and eagles nest in the summit ridge. The view of the Pender and San Juan Islands from that 497-m (1,631-ft) summit is breathtaking.
One of the longest stretches of uninterrupted protected shoreline in the southern Gulf Islands extends north from Taylor Point to the Saturna Island Vineyards. It’s lined with magnificent, old-growth Douglas-fir, arbutus and Garry oak. You’ll also find the remnants of an old, stone farmhouse and sandstone quarry at Taylor Point.
Sheltered bays, calm waterways, interesting sandstone formations and abundant wildlife make Saturna’s coastal waters ideal for all sorts of water-oriented recreation. Boaters will find lots to explore around Saturna and the neighbouring Tumbo and Cabbage Islands. Moorage and sightseeing charters are available at the government wharf in Lyall Harbour. Picnickers and swimmers have many options: Veruna Bay, Winter Cove, Thomson Park, East Point Regional Park, Russell Reef and Lyall Harbour, which is also popular with kayakers (rentals are available).
Fishing hotspots include Plumper Sound and the Tumbo Channel on the west coast and East Point on the east coast. Halibut move through the area in spring. Chinook Salmon are plentiful in both winter and spring. The best places to dive are Taylor Point (old bottles and junk) and the Java Islets (kelp beds, abalone and sea urchins).
|