May 2010: Ganges on Salt Spring Island

Saturday, 1st May: Although an extreme weather advisory for the entire B.C. Coast was still in effect we departed Brentwood Bay at 0630hrs in an attempt to beat the predicted increasing winds (30 to 35 kts out of the SW).

Our cruise to Ganges was uneventful and Jan was pleased to be on the water once again at the helm Kozad!

She was also very pleased to be arriving in Ganges in time for the Saturday market! You may recall Jan always wants to start her Gulf Island cruising with a stop in Ganges!

Ganges has a lot of shops and restaurants to explore!
Including Mouat's (shopping) and the Tree House (eating),
two of our favorites.

Jan at her favorite market!

Ganges Market is every Saturday 8 to 3 from April to October

We were fortunate to get moorage on the Kanaka Docks, which are operated by the Salt Spring Harbour Authority! These docks are centrally located, in great shape and include power, water and have showers and washrooms!

Kozad on the Kanaka Docks in Ganges.

Our good friends Richard and Gwen on MV Northstar joined us in Ganges for the week; you may remember they also keep their boat at the Anchor Cove Marina in Anacortes where we are relocating.

MV Northstar at Ganges Harbour


Jan and Gwen


Richard and Craig



Ganges is home to CCG Patrol Vessel Cape Kuper
Salt Spring Air is extremely busy
with daily flights into and out of the harbour!

If you visit Ganges, it is well worth spending the two dollars for a bus ride to Fulford Harbour! There is an eclectic collection of shops, artisans and restaurants to experience; including a well stocked hat shop! We spent Tuesday exploring Fulford's local flavor and lunching at the Salt Rock Cafe; excellent Green Curry Chicken was ordered by Richard!

Two large Raven carvings on a shed in Fulford Harbour.


MV Scholarship, one of two vessels which are floating school buses!
These boats travel in all but the worst weather bringing students
to Ganges from North & South Pender, Mayne and Saturna Islands!

Laundry day on Kozad!
Weather permitting.

Our last three days in Ganges has seen sunshine and warm weather. We have taken the opportunity to wax and polish Kozad as well as giving the inside a good cleaning! Lots of walks, reading and still more shopping as Jan was able to get one more market day in as we have stayed here for a week.

Mother's Day saw us leaving the docks of Ganges Harbour and moving on to Montague Harbour; we will be staying there at the Marine Park while we work our way up to Silva Bay on Gabriola Island.

We are meeting our good friends Jules, Mary and daughter Julia from Halifax on Monday 10th May at the Silva Bay Marina. They are visiting Jules' sister who lives on Gabriola; this trip is part of a University graduation present for Julia, which includes an Alaskan cruise! Pretty lucky!