Vancouver Island has many small offshore smaller Coastal Islands around it. Some of these Islands have all the amenities of bigger Islands along with the slower-paced and peaceful way of life that comes from island life. Some of these Islands have been going strong and islands like Quadra were once more populated than the adjoining communities on Vancouver Island. The residents of Campbell River had to go to Quadra to do their shopping. Many of these Islands were pioneered by families that still have descendants living there.
Campbell Island
The Heiltsuk First Nation lives on Campbell Island in the village of Waglisla, located about 160 km north of Port Hardy and about 120 km west of Bella Coola. The Heiltsuk traditionally occupied 21000 square km of land and sea on B.C.´s coastal Inside Passage. Bella is the Government name for the community; Waglisla is the largest of the 23 reserves set aside in 1913 for the exclusive use of the Heiltsuk. Read More….
Chrome Island
Chrome Island, with its light station, can be found in the northwest corner of the straight of Georgia; its light station protects the waters at the entrance to Baynes Sound, between Vancouver Island and Denman Island. In early maps, Chrome Island was known as Yellow Island. This was due to the colour of the sandstone along the shoreline, it would glow yellow in the evening sun. Read More….
Cormorant Island
Cormorant Island is located just offshore from Port McNeil, Vancouver Island, and is the location of the Namgis people’s village, Yalis. The Island was traditionally used as a burial island and also as a summer residence by the Namgis people for many generations. Read More….
Cortes Island
Cortes Island is reached by ferry from Vancouver Island and Quadra Island. This Island is a wonder to behold with its lagoons, forests, wildlife, and of course, its sandy white beaches. The island is located at the northern end of the Salish Sea, between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland. Read More….
Denman Island
Denman Island is one of the Gulf Islands, complete with fine white sand beaches, old-growth forests, and abundant sea life, it is located between Horny and Vancouver Island. For at least 5,000 years, the region’s first people would visit the island to harvest fish, clams, and oysters. The Coast Salish maintained a summer camp at Henry Bay. Shell middens are evidence of their continual presence. Read More….
Denny Island
Denny Island is wonderfully remote and peaceful yet easily accessible by boat, ferry, or plane. The Island has its own ferry dock and a 3000’ paved airstrip. The Shearwater Resort & Marina offers a number of amenities including a grocery store, liquor store, post office, cappuccino bar & art gallery, restaurant, and pub. Read More….
Drake Island
Drake Island is the home of sea otters, sea lions, black bears, whales, eagles, and even the rare cougar. The Island is located at the head of Quotsino Sound, just offshore from the little community of Quotsino. There is a great little museum in Quotsino that shows the history of the area. Read More….
Gilford Island
Gilford Island is 388 sq km in size and is located between Vancouver Island and the entrance to Knights Inlet. It is part of the Broughton Archipelago. The Kwakiutl have inhabited the island for thousands of years. Logging on the island began in the 1880s and is still being done today. The interior of the island is a large clear-cut. Read More….
Haida Gwaii
The name, Haida Gwaii, means ‘Islands of the People, The Haida People are protectors of this great land, they saved huge tracks of Moresby Island from the loggers saw and now there is this place where we can all see how the natural environment looks like, this is l am sad to say is not the case in the mainland section of the BC coast. Read More….
Hardwicke Island
Hardwicke Island is across the strait from Kelsey Bay. When I was 16 years old, I was employed by Bendickson logging on the Island. The camp was built many years back and was the first logging camp that I worked in. The buildings were very old but bloody awesome…. It was like stepping back in time. Read More….
Mitlenatch Island
Mitlenatch Island is a small island in the Strait of Georgia, the island is almost desert-like with many types of cacti. It also is home to one of the largest seabird colonies in the waters of the south coast, This is an important nesting colony for thousands of Glaucous-winged Gulls, pigeon guillemots, cormorants, black oystercatchers, anklets and many other types of birds. Read More….
Nootka Island
Off the west coast of Vancouver Island is the small community of Yuquot on Nootka Island, Yuquot is also known as Friendly Cove and was the site of the first contact between Europeans and First peoples in British Columbia. In March 1778, Captain James Cook of the Royal Navy became the first European to set foot on British Columbian soil when he visited Friendly Cove on Nootka Island. Read More….
Quadra Island
Located across the Passage from Campbell River, Quadra Island is a place that is more relaxed than the bigger centers like Campbell River and the people who live here are kind and friendly. The island is full of artists, photographers, sculptors, writers, and craft people who relish their slowed-down pace. Read More….
Sonora Island
Thurston Bay Marine Provincial Park surrounds Thurston Bay on Sonora Island, at the junction of Johnstone Strait and Discovery Passage. The rocky shoreline of this undeveloped park yields numerous small inviting beaches, and a pleasant walk along a trail leads to freshwater Florence Lake, This remote lake has some incredible cutthroat trout fishing. Read More….
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is the largest island on the west coast of North America. It is a little over 32,000 square kilometres in size and is 460 kilometres in length, 35 to 80 kilometres wide. The Island is separated from the B.C. coast by several straights, the Juan De Fuca Strait on the south end of the island, the Johnston Straight on the central island, and the Queen Charlotte Straight on the north end of the Island. Read More….
The Heiltsuk First Nation lives on Campbell Island in the village of Waglisla, located about 160 km north of Port Hardy and about 120 km west of Bella Coola. The Heiltsuk traditionally occupied 21000 square km of land and sea on B.C.´s coastal Inside Passage. Bella is the Government name for the community, Waglisla is the largest of the 23 reserves set aside in 1913 for the exclusive use of the Heiltsuk. Read More….
Chrome Island
Chrome Island with its light station can be found in the northwest corner of the straight of Georgia, its light station protects the waters at the entrance to Baynes Sound, between Vancouver Island and Denman Island. In early maps, Chrome Island was known as Yellow Island. This was due to the color of the sandstone along the shoreline, it would glow yellow in the evening sun. Read More….
Cormorant Island
Cormorant Island is located just offshore from Port McNeil, Vancouver Island, and is the location of the Namgis peoples village, Yalis. The Island was traditionally used as a burial island and also as a summer residence by the Namgis people for many generations. Read More….
Cortes Island
Cortes Island is reached by ferry from Vancouver Island and Quadra Island. This Island is a wonder to behold with its lagoons, forests, wildlife, and of course, its sandy white beaches. The island is located at the northern end of the Salish Sea, between Vancouver Island and the B.C. mainland. Read More….
Denman Island
Denman Island is one of the Gulf Islands complete with the fine white sand beaches, old-growth forests, and abundant sea life, it is located between Horny and Vancouver Island. For at least 5,000 years, the region’s first people would visit the island to harvest fish, clams, and oysters. The Coast Salish maintained a summer camp at Henry Bay. Shell middens are evidence of their continual presence. Read More….
Denny Island
Denny Island is wonderfully remote and peaceful yet easily accessible by boat, ferry, or plane. The Island has its own ferry dock and a 3000’ paved airstrip. The Shearwater Resort & Marina offers a number of amenities including a grocery store, liquor store, post office, cappuccino bar & art gallery, restaurant, and pub. Read More….
Drake Island
Drake Island is the home of sea otters, sea lions, black bears, whales, eagles, and even the rare cougar. The Island is located at the head of Quotsino Sound, just offshore from the little community of Quotsino. There is a great little museum in Quotsino that shows the history of the area. Read More….
Gilford Island
Gilford Island is 388 sq km in size and is located between Vancouver Island and the entrance to Knights Inlet. It is part of the Broughton Archipelago. The Kwakiutl have inhabited the island for thousands of years. Logging on the island began in the 1880s and is still being done today. The interior of the island is one large clear-cut. Read More….
Haida Gwaii
The name, Haida Gwaii, means ‘Islands of the People, the Haida People are protectors of this great land, they saved huge tracks of Moresby Island from the loggers saw and now there is this place where we can all see how the natural environment looks like, this is l am sad to say is not the case in the mainland section of the BC coast. Read More….
Hardwicke Island
Hardwicke Island is across the strait from Kelsey Bay. When I was 16 years old, I was employed by Bendickson logging on the Island. The camp was built many years back and was the first logging camp that I worked in. The buildings were very old but bloody awesome…. It was like stepping back into time. Read More….
Mitlenatch Island
Mitlenatch Island is a small island in the Strait of Georgia, the island is almost desert-like with many types of cacti. It also is home to one of the largest seabird colonies in the waters of the south coast, This is an important nesting colony for thousands of Glaucous-winged Gulls, pigeon guillemots, cormorants, black oystercatchers, anklets and many other types of birds. Read More….
Nootka Island
Off the west coast of Vancouver Island is the small community of Yuquot on Nootka Island, Yuquot is also known as Friendly Cove and was the site of the first contact between Europeans and First peoples in British Columbia. In March 1778, Captain James Cook of the Royal Navy became the first European to set foot on British Columbian soil when he visited Friendly Cove on Nootka Island. Read More….
Quadra Island
Located across Passage from Campbell River, Quadra Island is a place that is more relaxed than the bigger centers like Campbell River and the people who live here are kind and friendly. The island is full of artists, photographers, sculptors, writers, and craft people who relish their slowed-down pace. Read More….
Sonora Island
Thurston Bay Marine Provincial Park surrounds Thurston Bay on Sonora Island, at the junction of Johnstone Strait and Discovery Passage. The rocky shoreline of this undeveloped park yields numerous small inviting beaches, and a pleasant walk along a trail leads to freshwater Florence Lake, this remote lake has some incredible cutthroat trout fishing. Read More….
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is the largest island on the west coast of North America. It is a little over 32,000 square kilometers in size and is 460 kilometers in length, 35 to 80 kilometers wide. The Island is separated from the B.C. coast by several straights, the Juan De Fuca Strait on the south end of the island, the Johnston Straight on the central island, and Queen Charlotte straight on the north end of the Island. Read More….
Vancouver Island has many offshore smaller Islands around it. Some of these Islands have all the amenities of bigger Islands along with the slower-paced and peaceful way of life that comes from island life. Some of these Islands have been going strong and islands like Quadra were once more populated than the adjoining communities on Vancouver Island. The residents of Campbell River had to go to Quadra to do their shopping. Many of these Islands were pioneered by families that still have descendants living there.
