Trip 305 - May 6-11, 2024 (Monday - Saturday)

Salt Spring Island Visit

British Columbia, Canada

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Salt Spring Island Location: Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia. Near the coast of Southern Vancouver Island, a 35 minute ferry ride from Swartz Bay Terminal near Victoria, BC.

Liked: The ferry ride to and from Salt Spring Island, several fine hikes, recreation centre with available showers, picturesque waterfront walk in "downtown Salt Spring Island" - Ganges area.

Of Note: As this is the largest Southern Gulf Island, Salt Spring is home to about 10,000 people, and it shows. You run into people way more often than on Galiano, Mayne, Pender or Saturna islands. Traffic, while laughable by Lower Mainland standards, is substantial compared to other Southern Gulf Islands. The roads on Salt Spring Island are frequently narrow, winding and without shoulders - watch for pedestrians, cyclists and wildlife. Please, walk facing the traffic, especially if there is no shoulder. Salt Spring Island is rather "liberal" even by West Coast standards. This can be a plus or a minus, depending on your perspective.

Vancouver Island, Victoria & Gulf Islands Backroad Mapbook (9th edition) Trailhead Coordinates: Page 11 (Duncan) C-G 1-4.

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We have visited Salt Spring Island, located not far from Victoria BC (via a 35 minute ferry ride from Swartz Bay Terminal to Fulford Harbour Terminal), from May 6th to 11th, 2024. A great window of sun between two long stretches of rainy weather allowed for a substantial exploration and several hikes. This main Salt Spring Island trip report will describe our ferry rides, as well as trips which do not have trip reports of their own. Our visit went as follows:

May 6th (Monday) - ferry ride from Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour, then hiked Coastline Trail in Rucker Provincial Park (trip report).

May 7th (Tuesday) - visit to Ganges ("downtown" Salt Spring Island), and checked out several shore access points elsewhere.

May 8th (Wednesday) - hike to Mount Maxwell observation area (trip report), then hike Reginald Hill and Fulford Harbour trails.

May 9th (Thursday) - Mount Erskine hike (trip report).

May 10th (Friday) - visits to Musgrave Landing Public Dock and Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park.

May 11th (Saturday) - ferry ride from Fulford Harbour to Swartz Bay.

1. Here is a Google Maps location of Salt Spring Island.

May 6, 2024 (Monday)

2. We are at Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal ticket booths, ready to purchase a ticket to board a ferry ("Skeena Queen") to Salt Spring Island - Fulford Harbour. The ticket price includes the trip from Salt Spring as well. There are two other ferry terminals on Salt Spring Island with service to other destinations. If you take Tsawwassen ferry (Delta BC) to Swartz Bay before going to Salt Spring Island, make sure to purchase "thru fare" at Tsawwassen to get a discount for your ride to Salt Spring, as long as you board the next available ferry. On the way back, purchase your "thru fare" from a ticket machine on Skeena Queen inside Lounge #4.

3. Proceeding to our line-up.

4. Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal control tower.

5. The line-up for Salt Spring Island ferry.

Here is our video of arriving to Swartz Bay ferry terminal and boarding "Skeena Queen".

6a. The exterior of "Skeena Queen".

Here is our video of Skeena Queen exterior.

6b. Now onboard of Skeena Queen and are looking back.

7. Departing Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.

Here is our video of departing Swartz Bay ferry terminal onboard "Skeena Queen".

8. The loading deck and bridge of BC Ferry Skeena Queen (the only ferry on the Swartz Bay - Fulford Harbour route).

9. Looking back with Swartz Bay terminal in the background.

10. Passing by an islet with a light beacon.

11-12. Lounge #4 inside Skeena Queen ferry. If you are proceeding to the Lower Mainland, buy your "thru fare" discount at a ticket machine inside this lounge, which is valid as long as your take the next available ferry to Tsawwassen terminal.

13. Approaching Salt Spring Island (on the right side). The crossing takes 35 minutes.

14. Getting close to Fulford Harbour ferry terminal.

15. BC Ferry Skeena Queen docking at Salt Spring Island - Fulford Harbour terminal.

16. Foot passengers and vehicles waiting at the terminal. There are washrooms inside, a few shops nearby, and a bus stop.

Here is our video of arriving to Fulford Harbour ferry terminal.

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17. We then drove to Ruckle Provincial Park and hiked Coastline Trail.

May 7, 2024 (Tuesday)

18. We started the day with visiting Ganges neighbourhood - the "downtown" area of Salt Spring Island with the vast majority of commercial activity, including grocery shops and gas stations. There is a fair bit of traffic and quite a few people taking care of their business or visiting as tourists. Here is a Google Maps location of Ganges on Salt Spring Island.

19-20. Salt Spring Island Library exterior. Appropriately woke inside.