A brush with NATURE
Wanderlust Travel Magazine|February 2020
Canada’s Southern Gulf Islands have an arty vibe and few visitors, but each one has its own unique character to discover. They could be your perfect 2020 escape…
ANTHONY LAMBERT
A brush with NATURE
Our kayaks slipped silently through transparent waters towards the family of sea otters cavorting on the rocks, the two pups playing hide and seek before they slid down to hunt for sea urchins among the kelp beds. We edged along the shoreline past beaches littered with jumbles of trees, the tell-tale deposits of storms past, their trunks stripped of bark, bleached by the sun and polished smooth by abrasion. Beneath us tiny crabs scuttled over the sandy bed, while bald eagles circled overhead.

I was in Galiano, one of the Southern Gulf Islands lying between the east coast of Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Since my first visit over 20 years ago, I had been drawn back to these oases of tranquillity by their exceptional beauty and the gentle pace of island life. Here cafés are as much about meeting and talking as sustenance, and every shop is independently owned. Too small for public transport, several islands have a Car Stop scheme where you wait by a sign and the next car along will probably pull up to give you a ride and have a chat. Every meeting turns into a conversation.

The islands are so peaceful that only Salt Spring and Pender have a police presence, and the most serious incident during my visits was the abduction of the community hall cat on Salt Spring by a well-meaning mainland resident who thought it needed a ‘proper’ home. There’s not only a strong sense of community but the islanders are proud of the land they live on. In 1948 the Galiano community even pulled together to help buy Bluffs Park, the island’s oldest wilderness park.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of Wanderlust Travel Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of Wanderlust Travel Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM WANDERLUST TRAVEL MAGAZINEView All
Vermont, USA
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Vermont, USA

The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup

time-read
6 mins  |
October/November 2023
Unique North America
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Unique North America

See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips

time-read
5 mins  |
October/November 2023
The call of the Rockies
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

The call of the Rockies

From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting

time-read
6 mins  |
October/November 2023
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

A new dawn for the Garifuna community

When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities

time-read
9 mins  |
October/November 2023
On the edge of history
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

On the edge of history

In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?

time-read
10+ mins  |
October/November 2023
Tigers burning bright
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Tigers burning bright

As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing

time-read
9 mins  |
October/November 2023
SEASON'S GREETINGS
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

SEASON'S GREETINGS

From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences

time-read
10 mins  |
October/November 2023
Waking a sleeping GIANT
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Waking a sleeping GIANT

A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself

time-read
8 mins  |
October/November 2023
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

The rebirth of old JEDDAH

As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage

time-read
10 mins  |
October/November 2023
Star-studded escapes
Wanderlust Travel Magazine

Star-studded escapes

Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens

time-read
8 mins  |
October/November 2023