Our second Gulf Island visit wasto
Salt Spring Island, which is the largest of all the island and by far the most populous with 10,557 full-time residents.
Direct ferry connection from Tsawwassen terminal takes 1.5 hours to reach the island. It was a beautiful day to make the journey across the windy Strait of Georgia.
Beautiful evening in Ganges harbour.
Next day set on foot to explore Ganges which is the main village on the island. It's a sleepy little village in the morning, but gets busier as the day goes on.
You can find all necessary services in Ganges and there are several restaurants and cafes to enjoy.
One of the main sights on Salt Spring Island is the famous Saturday Market which can have over 200 stalls during the busiest summer months. It was way less busy now in October but still a good place to spend a lazy morning.
Almost everything being sold is locally produced and people actually do buy their groceries from there.
The village has gotten its name from HMS Ganges, a British frigate that sailed these seas in the late 1800s.
Float plane traffic between the island and Vancouver is very busy and no wonder, as it is a short 20-minute flight between the two. There are even seasonal flights to Seattle from here.
Most people live outside of the village and around the island. There is a surprisingly extensive road network to explore with some amazing vistas.
Community farm stands like this are a very common sight and there are dozens of them, selling anything from items to vegetables, to baked goods. They all work based on a trust system, with the money box just sitting there.
There are altogether three ferry terminals on the island and Fulford Harbour is the one connecting the island with the City of Victoria.
Ruckle Provincial Park has some nice trails and is worth checking out.
While there, the park is next to Henry Ruckle's old farm which is one of the oldest same family-run farms in British Columbia, since 1872. The old main building is now a museum about life back in those days.
It being Thanksgiving Eve that we were there, it was funny to see the dinner take one last stroll around the farm.
Hastings House is a luxurious boutique hotel and fine dining restaurant worth a visit.
On our voyage back home the weather was again terrific.
This time we had a stopover on Mayne Island, which is another island for us to explore another day! Several other ferries connect at this terminal.
At the end of the day Salt Spring Island may not have that much to see, but one can spend a nice long weekend there enjoying a slow and relaxed pace and some good food. Definitely another highly recommended destination so near to Metro Vancouver!
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