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Pender Islands in the BC Gulf Islands

North and South Pender Islands, the second most populous of the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, are separated by a canal and united by a bridge.

The islands in the Strait of Georgia were once joined by a wide neck of land known as the Indian Portage. A narrow canal was dredged in 1903 to benefit steamship travel through the Gulf Islands, and the islands remained separated until a one-lane bridge was built in 1955.

While most people simply refer to Pender Island in the singular, there are two islands, with a combined area of about 34 square kilometres. Much of the land is green and rural, but a massive subdivision on North Pender was one of the catalysts for the creation of the watchdog Islands Trust in the 1970s, as Gulf Islanders worried that similar development could spell an end to the islands' charm.

Today, with a balmy sub-Mediterranean climate, seven parks and over 20 clearly marked public beach accesses, these friendly rural islands are fabulous for family vacations, romantic escapes, seminars and retreats. The population is decidedly residential, so don't expect too many restaurants, lodgings, or shops. South Pender is less settled, with fewer roads and wilder vegetation. About 90% of the islands' 2000 permanent residents live on North Pender, mainly around Magic Lake, comprising mainly young families, retirees, and a large number of business professionals who work in Victoria, Vancouver and farther afield.

The Penders have no village or town centre, although the Driftwood Centre serves as the island's business centre. At The Drift you'll find the Post Office, Liquor Store, pharmacy, laundromat, gas station, bank, bakery, grocery store, and other shops and services. Other businesses are located at Port Washington, Hope Bay, at the three marinas, and a few others are dotted along the country roads alongside the farmstands.

You'll enjoy the laid-back pace of the Penders as you bask in the unspoiled countryside of woods and wildflowers, or explore hidden bays and coves along the beautiful coastline - once the haunts of smugglers who ran rum between here and the nearby American San Juan Islands during Prohibition. The Penders are primarily a rural community, with open farmland, rolling forested hills and several lakes. Cruising the narrow, twisting lanes in search of familiar landmarks, does, however, afford a glimpse of the island's charming, bucolic landscape of old frame houses, farms, orchards and turn-of-the-century heritage sites.

The mild climate and pristine wilderness make the Penders perfect for recreation, and in summer, the island population doubles when seasonal residents and visitors arrive to cycle, hike, cruise, golf, fish, kayak or just relax at one of the resorts or B&Bs.

Population: 2,000

Location: The terminal for ferries from both Swartz Bay (near Victoria) and Tsawwassen on the mainland is at Otter Bay, on North Pender. Scooters and bicycles are available for visitors who arrive on foot and wish to explore the Islands.

Regular float plane services is available from Victoria, Vancouver, Saltspring Island and Seattle. Many visitors travel to the Gulf Islands by private boat - if you're travelling from the United States by boat, there's a convenient Customs office at Bedwell Harbour on South Pender Island - boaters can choose from many marinas, government docks and anchorage.

• Pender Island Midden formed by castaway shells left by centuries of harvesting by native people

  Shop for local arts and crafts at the many shops, studios, and private galleries dotted around the Islands that are open to visitors. Many artists display their wares in central galleries, one of which is located at Port Washington.

• Shop for local produce, arts and crafts at North Pender's popular Farmer's Market, held on Saturdays at the Community Agricultural Hall.

• In the summer, a Canadian Customs Port for air and sea craft operates on the wharf at Bedwell Harbour on South Pender Island. Boaters will find three marinas; Otter Bay Marina, Port Browning Marina and Bedwell Harbour Marina, as well as government wharves at Hope Bay, Browning Harbour and Port Washington.

• Kayakers wishing to paddle to the popular and easy-to-reach Beaumont Marine Park in Bedwell Harbour can launch from Medicine Beach on North Pender, and the government dock at Bedwell Bay on South Pender. Allow 30 minutes to make the 1-mile (1.6-km) paddle from either location. For those who come with car-top or hand-carried boats, there are numerous places to launch in the Penders. Suitable locations include Grimmer Bay, Hope Bay, Port Browning, and Miracle Beach on North Pender Island, and Bedwell Harbour and Gowlland Point at the foot of Craddock Road on South Pender Island. Nearby paddle destinations include the western shores of Pender Island and Portland and Prevost Islands, both of which boast provincial marine parks. Ocean kayaking lessons and guides knowledgeable about local wildlife and waterfowl are available throughout the year.

• Pender Island Golf and Country Club offers a 9-hole golf course on Otter Bay Road, between the ferry terminal at Otter Bay and Port Washington.

• Hiking Trails cross Mt. Norman Regional Park and Mt. Elizabeth Park, and trails can also be found in the Magic Lake Estates, at Mt. George, Mt. Menzies and Oak Bluffs. Novice and experienced hikers can explore many easy trails, but the most strenuous hike is the climb of Mount Norman. Rossland, a recently acquired, 230-hectare park, includes a headland, a fresh water lake and beaches. Medcine Beach, purchased a few years ago as a recreational area by Pender Islanders, protects one of the last wetlands in the Southern Gulf Islands and is home to the endangered Virginia rail, along with many other species of birds and animals. Enjoy picknicking here, walking up the bluff, and beachcombing.

• One of the best beaches on the Pender Islands is at Mortimer Spit, close to the canal between the two islands. A snout of sand where you'll find plenty of room and few visitors to share the beach with juts out into Navy Channel. A more popular spot is just north at Hamilton Beach at Port Browning. You'll find a more festive atmosphere here in summer with a pub, marina, cafe, and picnic tables beside the beach. On the far shore, visible from Hamilton, is a sandy strip of beach at Razor Point. Take Bedwell Bay Road south from the ferry dock at Otter Bay to reach Hamilton Beach. Follow Razor Point Road east of Port Browning to find the small beach on the point. There are public swimming pools at Bedwell Harbour, Otter Bay Marina, and Port Browning. The public dock at Magic Lake is a popular local swimming hole for children, and more secluded swimming can be enjoyed at pristine Roe Lake.

• Beaumont Marine Park, nestled below the bluffs of Mount Norman, is one of the most popular marine parks in the Gulf Islands, with rustic paddle or boat-in campsites. Prior Centennial Park may be more accessible, but Beaumont's setting is tops.

• On North Pender Island there's camping at Prior Centennial Provincial Park. There are 17 vehicle/tent sites, and reservations are recommended. Prior Centennial is more accessible than Beaumont, and is located about 4 miles (6 km) southeast of the ferry dock at Otter Bay on the west side of Canal Road.

• If you take the time to travel to the very end of South Pender Island, you'll find the small beach park at Gowlland Point Park, the prettiest of all the beaches on the two Penders. A pebble beach slopes down to an indented shoreline. During winter storms, which pound this exposed coast with regularity, the ocean moves the cobblestones around with percussive effect. From the beach, you look due south into the San Juan Islands, west across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Hurricane Ridge on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula and east to Saturna Island's Monarch Head, with Mount Baker rising above the mainland. To reach the park from the ferry dock, follow Bedwell Bay, Canal, Spalding, and finally Gowlland Point Road to its southern terminus. If you want solitude, this is where to find it.

• A good viewpoint worth seeking out is on South Pender Island. Mount Norman dominates the southern half of the twin islands, forcing traffic to divert around its north flanks. Take Canal Road west where it divides, and continue a short distance to the trailhead of Mount Norman Regional Park. From here it's a steep walk uphill along an old logging road. Make the journey only on a day when you're guaranteed a good view. Once on top you'll find an observation platform with a wooden bench on which to rest while you get out your binoculars. The views from here are directly west over Bedwell harbour towards Salt Spring Island, Victoria, and southern Vancouver Island and south across Boundary Pass into Washington. Follow a rough trail from the viewpoint boardwalk through the salal to the east side of Mount Norman for a view of the sun-weathered flanks of Saturna Island, and beyond to Vancouver and the British Columbia-Washington mainland.

• Recently established parklands include the 532-acre Pacific Marine Heritage Legacy Park and the protected Medicine Beach Wetlands.

• Island Hopping
  Travelling between the Southern Gulf Islands and Northern Gulf Islands can be accomplished in small hops. Each of these islands is a world unto itself, each with its own history, culture and colourful characters - each island deserves at least a day or two for exploring.