The best time to visit the Gulf Islands in Canada
The Gulf Islands of Canada lie between the mainland of British Columbia and Vancouver Island. As well as being hot spots for nature lovers, they have become a haven for artistic, dare we say eccentric, types embracing life away from the big smoke. There are a number of islands to choose from (including the larger islands Galiano, and Saltspring), but the Canada Day celebration on Saturna Island is an event not to be missed. Saturna is normally sparsely populated and undeveloped, which is part of its beauty. On Canada Day, the locals throw an annual fundraising party that turns that on its head.
Canada Day's Lamb BBQ , Saturna Island
Canada Day (1st July) marks the start of summer in Canada, and what better way to celebrate summer than with a barbeque? Of course, if you’re feeding hundreds of hungry tourists, you’ll need quite a lot of food. The sight of 14 sheep roasting around a massive bonfire is impressive. But there’s more than just a barbeque, there’s face painting to show your patriotism, there’s a dunking tank, coconut shy, a stage with live music and of course the beer garden where you’ll lose any preconceived ideas about Canadian reserved manner!
It’s possible to get to Saturna Island by ferry. On Canada Day there is public transport to the barbeque ground, but the rest of the year, you’ll be wise to take your own car. The other way to arrive, in fact the most common, is in your own boat, under motor or sail. The normally quiet Winter Cove fills with boats of all sizes and types from several days before the first of July. The offical lamb barbeque website has more information
If you can get access to a boat with accommodation all the better. There is no public camping ground on Saturna, and the available accommodation fills up quickly at this time of year. And you’ll want more than a day to explore the island, look for orcas from East Point, climb to the Warburton Pike, taste the vineyard’s latest wine and catch some crab for dinner.
Events like this are a great way for tourists to meet the locals and better understand how life is in a country. Have you celebrated a national day in another country? What would tourists think of national day celebrations in your home town?
Other Canada Posts include
- The best time to see whales in Clayoquat Sound
-The best time to drive the Icefields Parkway
-The best time to ski at Whistler
This post is part of Photo Friday over at Delicious Baby. Click on the link for travel photos from around the world.
Oh, this area has been on my travel wish-list for awhile. Thanks for the tip on when to go. I’ve never been in Canada on Canada Day, but I was visiting France once on Bastille Day. Quite a celebration for sure! Living in Vegas, a place that gets so many international tourists, I often wonder how many happen to find themselves here on a holiday they’d never heard of. I think it’s funny to consider that some of the people standing in line for the Thanksgiving buffet, for example, are just vacationing from other places. Thanks for an interesting post.
We had an expat Thanksgiving celebration in Canada when we were living there because it seemed the thing to do. Like your tourists at the buffet, other than eating Turkey, we weren’t quite sure what was involved. But it sure was fun anyway!
I love the concept behind your website! The gulf islands have been on my list for a while. I know I will get there someday and now I knwo to try to time it around July 1st!
Thank you. Of course it’s just my opinion when the best time to go is, but I’ve been to every place so it is at least an educated opinion. Blogging seems like a great way to keep the travel memories alive.
I would pass on the lamb BBQ, but I’ll definitely have to explore this area in the summer…
We’ve been to Canada a couple of times on Canada Day–once in Ottawa during Canada’s 125th year anniversary, once in Quebec City (where we got stuck in the middle of a separatist rally!), and another time in a small northern Ontario town where the celebration consisted mainly of shooting off an old canon
This barbecue sounds like a great place to celebrate the day, too.