Usually, I write about far-away place we visit. However, the place where we live is very much a tourist destination. So this time, I’m sharing insider tips and information with you about our own Salt Spring Island, including books about this unique corner of Canada.

If you have ever taken a BC Ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver island, you will have come by Salt Spring Island - one of (apparently) over 300 little islands in the Salish Sea. Some of these islands are not more than rocks in the ocean but several have villages, roads, services and a ferry. Salt Spring is one of the largest and most populated of these islands.

Unless you have your own boat, you need to either take a ferry or a floatplane to get here. A floatplane is fun and a more exciting mode of travel - the tiny planes seat only a new people and you get a bird’s eye view of the water and the beautiful islands. From YVR Airport (South Terminal) is it a mere 15 or 20 minute hop but also many times the cost of a ferry ride.

Welcome to Salt Spring! Coffeeshops galore.

BC Ferries has three terminals on the island. You can come directly from Tsawwassen on the mainland near Vancouver - usually with stops on three different islands. This run is the most relaxing but takes three hours if the ferry stops at Mayne, Pender and Galiano Islands. Once a week, I think, there is a 1.5 hour run that will take you directly to Salt Spring’s Long Harbour.

If you are already on Vancouver Island you can take a 20 minute ferry from Crofton to Vesuvius on Salt Spring. Or you can come the most frequent route: from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (Victoria) and on to Salt Spring’s Fulford Harbour. All of this is on the BC Ferries website which is often not easy to figure out.

That, however, does not stop many visitors from coming to the island. Some 11,000 people live here, more in the summer and slightly less in the winter. It has one of the best climates within Canada with mild winters, rain in the fall and early spring and warm summers.

Salt Spring Island has a unique settlement history. Coast Salish people have fished the waters, picked the berries and tended the land here for generations. The first settlers came not from Europe but from Hawaii as well as freed slaves from America’s deep south.

The town of Ganges is the main population centre of the island. Named after the same British ship that sailed to India, Ganges has shops, a hospital, library, post office, a pool and many other services.

Fulford and Vesuvius are two small settlements on the south and north west sides of the island, both with ferry terminals. The roads are mostly paved, often windy and hilly. Across the island are many wonderful hiking trails. There are also four provincial parks full of trails: Erskine, Maxwell, Burgoyne and Ruckle. The last one has gorgeous camp sites along the sea.

For some reason - perhaps it was the awesome presence of nature - many artists have been attracted to the island and settled here. Some of Canada’s best known writers and musicians, painters, weavers, potters have homes and/or workshops here. Some of these you can visit. Check out the link below.

Usual tourist attractions include a visit to Salt Spring Cheese Factory, Cidery Wild, a drive up Mount Maxwell or a hike up Mount Erskine.

The main tourist attraction from May to October is the Saturday Market. You can stroll along the stalls to marvel at silks and fabrics, wood carvings, pottery and much more. There’s also food: from locally grown produce to cider and wine, to bakings and noodles. You can get it all - at a price - at the weekly Market. On Tuesdays in the summer there is also a Farmers’ Market.

Salt Spring Island is especially attractive to booklovers: we have an annual gigantic sale of used books which raises money for the local Literacy Society. The sale is held in November.

We also have several wonderful bookstores: Salt Spring Books has great staff who know their books. They also have the newest, latest and best books on their shelves.

Black Sheep Books has both new and used books, a cozy warm atmosphere with gorgeous classics on their shelves. And West of the Moon, the toy shop, always has a great selection of children’s books including ones by the several local children’s authors and illustrators who live on the island. Be sure to also visit our local library. It often offers free books in the lobby, has comfy leather chairs, wifi and fabulous local book art!

Music! So much music on this island… Art Spring is our theatre and it brings in many music events ranging from classical to jazz and everything in between. We often have free concerts in the park featuring local giants like Randy Bachman, Raffi, Valdy and Harry Manx. Most summer nights offer live music at The Tree House Restaurant in the centre of town.

So, you can dance and sing the night away but you can also sit all by yourself and watch whales off the Ruckle shore or stroll along a creek under majestic cedars on Duck Creek Trail.

What you won’t find on this island is traffic lights, factories, chain stores or concensus on anything. Salt Spring is often called ‘an argument surrounded by water’. There are strong minded environmentalists living here as well as people in favour of chopping down trees and building more and more houses. What you will find here is a lively, interesting, caring community full of interesting people and (still) impressive nature.

My favourite…

lunch place: Fernwood Cafe

short walk: Mouat Park loop, right in town

longer hike: Burgoyne Bay and Mt Erskine

place to visit: the book depot at the Rainbow Road Recycling Centre

event: the Fall Fair

beach: Vesuvius

treat: gelato or chocolate from Harlan’s Chocolate

RESOURCES:

BC Ferries

Harbour Air

Farmers Market: https://www.saltspringtuesdaymarket.com/

Studio Tour: https://saltspringstudiotour.com/2022-map/

Saturday Market

BOOKS:

• The Freedom of Jenny, Julie Burtinshaw - a fictional children’s book based on actual history of settlers.

Hiking the Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Charles Kahn
Salt Spring: The Story of an Island, Charles Kahn
Trauma Farm: A Rebel History of Rural Life by Brian Brett
High Endeavours: The Extraordinary Life and Adventures of Miles and Beryl Smeeton by Miles Clark - a brief mention of Salt Spring but a fascinating biography of two explorers.
Mod & Lavender: Salt Spring Island In The 60’s by John Grain
Planet Salt Spring by Arthur Black, CD audio book
Salt Spring : portrait of an island, Michael Levy