Savary Island: Forgotten on a Small Island

We had one week that we could take off at the beginning of September. The options seemed more limited than usual. At 32 weeks pregnant we didn’t want to go very far, or do long biking or hiking trips. In addition, most of the interior of BC seemed be on fire and we didn’t want to cross into the US in case of a medical emergency. We tried to think of things we wouldn’t normally do. Then I remembered a few people recently mentioning Savary Island and its magical atmosphere. We started researching and we got curious. A tiny island, just off the shore of the Sunshine Coast, off the grid and surrounded by sandy beaches. It sounded almost too good to be true, so we decided to check it out for ourselves. 

We left on the Sunday of the long weekend which was perfect. It gave us time to pack and for me to recharge after a very busy summer with Kids on Wheels. On Sunday there were no ferry lineups and we got on the ferry we wanted without any delays. A short ferry ride brought us to the Sunshine Coast, a place we’ve only explored a little bit, mostly on our bikes last year.

We drove to Earls Cove where we caught another ferry. By then the Sunshine Coast wasn’t so sunny anymore. We remembered the campground where we stayed last year (also in the rain) very close to the ferry terminal on the other side. Despite it being the middle of the long weekend there were lots of sites available.

Then there was the blow-up mattress ordeal. Gili insisted that I’d have the best conditions for camping and went out of his way to get a queen size blow up mattress. The problem was that we couldn’t get a pump and he figured he could just pump it with a bike pump. Wrong… So on the first night we spent about 15 minutes trying to blow up the mattress with no success. So here I was again on my old mattress that had a leak and needed to be blown up at least once during the night. I suggested that we’d stop in Powell River and look for a Canadian Tire and Gili said there was no way such a small place would have one. But of course they did and we found a pump that could blow up the whole mattress in two minutes so at least we solved that problem…

We arrived to Lund at the very end of the Sunshine Coast, which was now sunny again in all its glory. It was Monday, the end of the September long weekend, and most people were leaving Savary Island. We arranged our stuff – we had lots to bring on our bikes since we brought all our food with us and gear for about a week. We caught the small water taxi and ten minutes later we were on Savary Island. Quickly all the people who came with us disappeared and soon it was just us with no one else in sight. This is how it felt for most of our stay.

We managed to haul ourselves and our bikes on the short but steep hill leading to the campground. Gili had to go back though for the box of food. At the campground we didn’t find a single soul. We contacted the owner in advance asking if we needed to make a reservation. He wrote to just come, that there is lots of availability in September. We didn’t think he meant it would be deserted. We found a nice site, hung our hammock first thing and made ourselves at home. We figured the owner would show up at some stage during our stay, but he never did, nor did any other guests.

On the same afternoon we went to check out the nearest beach, a long sandy beach with lots of rocks and seaweed for Neil to explore. We spent the next few days checking out different beaches around the island. The day after we arrived we rode to the other end of the island. Even though the island is only seven km long, the roads are quite steep and sandy making it a bit difficult for biking (at least for two thirds of our party). What’s nice though is that there were hardly any cars on the island, so in a way it was also ideal for biking. We found very quiet roads and even a fairy garden and eventually made it to Sutherland Beach, near the far end of the island. 

We fell into an easy routine – a deluxe breakfast at the campground cooked by chef Gili on our stove – pancakes or homemade oatmeal. Then riding to the beach, setting up the tarp for shade, Neil would find a hole to dig or rearrange driftwood, saying he’s making a fire. We read a lot and Neil and Gili usually went for a longer walk to explore the beach, and a bit of swimming was involved too. Then a deluxe lunch – either quesadillas or homemade hummus. Then riding back, occasionally making a stop at the general store for some ice cream and a chat with the locals.

The nights were so quiet, probably some of the quietest I’ve experienced and on some nights we slept for about 12 hours. I guess we all needed to recharge. I think the best part was being almost totally disconnected from electronics. With no place to charge in the campground we were very limited in our phone usage. It was great.

On Friday the weather turned gray and rainy. It was very strange because the day before was around 28c and we were boiling on the beach. Then, one day later, it felt like the summer was over… We checked the forecast and it seemed like the next few days were going to be the same, and since our vacation mostly included hanging out on the beach, we figured there was no point in staying on Savary Island. We caught the water taxi and reunited with the car and civilization. We weren’t sure exactly what to do and the weather looked very gloomy. Somehow we found our way to a private campground by Skookumchuck narrows. The cabins were overpriced but they let us stay in one for half price. The campground also had very nice showers, something that was missing from our previous campground. For some reason only I took advantage of the shower though…

After waking up to a somewhat dry morning we decided to stay one more night, but this time we set up our tent at a scenic site. The campground had some chickens, turkeys and even a pig walking around the property. It made me think that maybe we were in Central America and not the Sunshine Coast. They also had a canoe guests could borrow and much to Neil’s delight we went to explore a small lake. We made it to a small island just in time for lunch and also for a downpour of rain… There wasn’t much room to hide, but we still waited it out a bit, and then canoed straight back to shore.

In the afternoon we did the 8 km (round trip) hike to see the narrows. Neil hiked like a trooper there and back with no complaints, but he did get tired towards the end of the walk back. Skookumchuck (meaning “strong water”) narrows is the entrance to the Sechelt inlet, and due to its narrowness, during peak flows a large standing wave forms there. We were lucky and our timing was perfect – we arrived just in time for the XL wave and there were many kayakers giving a good show playing in the falls. Neil said he wanted to try it out too, and I wasn’t sure I was too happy about it. I love his free spirit and always wanting to try new things, but it also got me concerned that someday he’d be able to decide for himself if he really wanted to do it…

We spent a rainy night in the tent which was actually relaxing. Sunday was full on rain, so we decided to head back to Vancouver. The road  back was very windy and I started to feel a bit sick. Not long after Neil threw up all over himself… We had to stop and change his clothes and clean him up. We didn’t make it to the ferry we wanted to get on, but we probably wouldn’t have made it anyway. We had about 2.5 hours to spare, and Neil ran around playing ball with Gili or with some other kids. Of course as the ferry was coming in and we needed to go back to the car, Neil remembered he needed to go for a #2. His timing is never ideal. Finally we were on the ferry and on the way home after a very enjoyable vacation, close by, but still with a far away feel.