The BC Gulf Islands Loop: A Week in Canada's Sailing Paradise

The Gulf Islands are what the Pacific Northwest looks like when the weather cooperates and the scenery ignores the international border. A 38-foot sloop, seven days, and a loop through the southern islands — Sidney to Ganges to Montague to Saturna and back — is the compact version of the BC coast. You can do it without rushing, and you’ll want to come back.

This route works as a week’s charter out of Sidney or Victoria, or as the Gulf Islands portion of a longer Desolation Sound circuit. In August, the anchorages are full. Plan to move in the morning, arrive by noon.

Day 1: Anacortes or Bellingham to Sidney, BC

The departure point is wherever you staged in Washington — Anacortes, Bellingham, or Friday Harbor. From Friday Harbor, Sidney is 35 nm across Haro Strait. From Anacortes or Bellingham, add 15–20 nm.

Canadian entry: US vessels entering Canadian waters must clear customs at an approved point of entry. Sidney — Port Sidney Marina — is the standard and recommended entry point for vessels coming from the San Juan Islands. The marina has a designated CBSA dock. Tie up, go to the kiosk or call the CBSA Telephone Reporting Centre at 1-888-226-7277, have all passports and a crew list ready. The process takes 20–30 minutes. You’ll receive a clearance number; record it. Keep passports aboard for the duration.

Sidney: The town is underrated as a destination in its own right — independent bookshops (it calls itself “Canada’s Booktown”), decent provisioning, a waterfront park, and the ferry to Victoria for any crew who wants a city day. Port Sidney Marina has fuel, showers, and a good restaurant on the dock. Spend the afternoon here; the customs process and the drive from Anacortes will use the morning.

Navigation note: Haro Strait carries commercial traffic heading for Vancouver. Stay to the eastern side of the traffic separation scheme. The shipping lane is well-marked; give the big ships room.

Day 2: Sidney to Ganges, Salt Spring Island — 25 nm

Salt Spring is the largest and most populous of the Gulf Islands, and Ganges is its hub — farmers market, marine chandlery, groceries, restaurants, and the mix of artists, farmers, and transplanted urbanites that defines Gulf Islands culture.

The route: North from Sidney through Satellite Channel, around the southern tip of Salt Spring, up into Ganges Harbour. Alternatively, through Swanson Channel to the west — similar distance, more protected from NW swell.

Ganges anchorage: The outer harbour has room for anchoring in 15–25 feet, good holding in mud. The inner coves — Ganges Cove, behind the fuel dock — fill quickly in August. The small-boat anchorage off the waterfront park is convenient; exposed to NW wind in the afternoon. Ganges Marina has guest slips and fuel.

Ganges: The Saturday market (summer only) is the reason many cruisers time their arrival for Friday evening. Salt Spring Island farms — lavender, cheese, lamb, apples — sell at the market in the Centennial Park, one block from the waterfront. The chandlery on the main street stocks more than most Gulf Islands chandleries; this is a good place to solve any boat problem that has been deferred.

Day 3: Ganges to Montague Harbour, Galiano Island — 18 nm

Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park is the reference anchorage for the southern Gulf Islands — the spot every cruising guide mentions, the place the boats congregate. It deserves the reputation.

The route — Active Pass: The passage from Ganges to Montague requires transiting Active Pass, the channel between Galiano and Mayne Islands. This is a tidal narrows that also happens to be the main BC Ferries route between Swartz Bay (Victoria) and Tsawwassen (Vancouver).

Timing Active Pass: Slack occurs roughly 1–1.5 hours after the tide turns at Victoria. The CHS tables for station 07811 (Active Pass) give the exact times. Plan to be at the western entrance of the pass at slack, transiting west-to-east (flood) or east-to-west (ebb) depending on your timing.

Montague Harbour: The harbour is a classic — a square bay enclosed by low, forested bluffs on three sides, with a tidal lagoon at the head and a shell beach at the SW corner. BC Parks mooring buoys (fee required) dot the middle of the harbour. Anchoring is possible in the outer areas in 15–30 feet. In August, arrive before 1 p.m. to secure a buoy or good anchoring spot; by late afternoon, 30–40 boats may be in the harbour.

Shore: The shell beach at the SW corner of the harbour is accessible by dinghy at all tide levels — bleached shell accumulated over millennia. The park trail to the ridge above gives views south over Active Pass and the San Juan Islands. The pub at Montague is a mile up the road through the forest; the walk is worth it.

Day 4: Lay Day at Montague or Transit to Maple Bay

Montague warrants a second night for anyone who arrived too late to explore properly. The tidal lagoon at the harbour head is accessible on a high tide by dinghy — the passage through the lagoon entrance is shallow (1–2 feet MLLW) and requires careful timing, but inside is completely protected water and a resident heron population.

Alternatively: The transit to Maple Bay on Vancouver Island (12 nm) makes a quiet lay day option. Maple Bay has a small marina, a boat yard, and the Wharf Street Restaurant above the docks. Less visited than the Gulf Islands proper; an easy anchorage.

Day 5: Montague to Winter Cove, Saturna Island — 22 nm

Saturna is the least-visited of the accessible southern Gulf Islands — farther from the ferry routes, no town to speak of, and a topography that is dramatic rather than pastoral. The lamb farm and the small general store at the Saturna Island ferry landing are the commercial infrastructure; the island is otherwise farm and forest.

Winter Cove Marine Park: On Saturna’s north coast, Winter Cove is the park anchorage — a sheltered cove behind a reef, with mooring buoys and room to anchor in the inner cove. Accessible through the passage east of Samuel Island. The passage is narrow and requires chart attention; stay in the marked channel. Anchorage is in 12–25 feet over sand and mud.

Tumbo Island: East of Saturna and north of Patos Island (US), Tumbo is a Parks Canada island in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. Landing requires a permit and an awareness of nesting season restrictions (April–August affects some shore areas). The anchorage off the SE corner in Reef Harbour is exposed but usable in calm conditions.

Saturna ashore: The hiking trail to Mount Warburton Pike (1,400 feet) leaves from near the ferry terminal. The summit gives views north to Vancouver and the BC mainland, south to the San Juans and Mount Baker. 3 hours round-trip; worth it if the weather is clear and you’re feeling ambitious.

Day 6: Saturna to Sidney — 20 nm

The return to Sidney is direct — south through the San Juan Channel or back through the islands. From Winter Cove, the most natural route is west-southwest through Plumper Sound to Sidney Channel, then south to Port Sidney.

Canadian exit: Notify CBSA before departing Canadian waters. The process for small pleasure craft is a phone call to the TRC (1-888-226-7277) with your clearance number, date of departure, and next port of call. If you won’t clear US Customs until you reach your home port, plan that clearance via CBP ROAM app or by calling Anacortes customs.

Final Sidney stop: A second night in Sidney before the return crossing is worth considering. The town is easy, the marina is comfortable, and the crossing of Haro Strait is better done in the morning when conditions are calmer than the typical late-afternoon NW wind build.

Day 7: Sidney to Anacortes or Home Port

The return crossing — Sidney to Friday Harbor or Anacortes — is typically a downwind run in the afternoon NW, or a calm motoring passage in the morning. From Friday Harbor, it’s 35 nm back south to Anacortes.

US re-entry: US vessels returning from Canada must clear US Customs. If returning to Friday Harbor, the customs dock is at the ferry landing. Report in person to CBP; have passports and a crew list ready. CBP ROAM app works for some smaller ports of entry — check current procedures before departure.