Keats Island: The Original Cottage Island

Way back in the day, Vancouverites and Sunshine Coasters alike had seasonal homes on Keats Island or went over to camp, either through groups like the Keats Baptist Summer Camp and Barnabas Family Ministries or independently. Anyone looking out the southwestern windows of the ferry approaching Langdale can see the huge cleared tract of land for Barnabas on the northern side of Keats. Summer populations can swell to as high as 1300 souls when the camps are in full swing.

Both Keats & Gambier are a part of the Sunshine Coast Regional District.

Keats is home to a number of full-time residents (last count 80) but there are no stores or publicly advertised vacation rentals. The 465 parcels of land from fractional acres (half-acre, quarter-acre) to large parcels of a hundred acres or more are privately owned. Properties occasionally come up for sale, so it pays to know realtors who specialize in Keats Island real estate! For an idea of land ownership and use see this excellent land use bylaw map for Keats. Residents and visitors from Keats shop in Gibsons which is accessed via BC Ferries Stormaway passenger-only ferry docking at Keats Landing and Eastbourne, water taxi, private vessel, and occasionally, by barge pushed by runabout!

Keats Island barge delivery
Do you know who Keats Island was named for? Sir Richard Goodwin Keats was a British Admiral serving under the famous Horatio Nelson. Keats fought in the Napoleonic wars and was even Governor of Newfoundland ('cause you know that's right next door, right? Brits!) - research Wikipedia

Keats Island and BC Coastal Range along Howe Sound

If you're interested in learning more about living or keeping a vacation cottage on this island, the Keats Community Forum is a great place for fly-on-the-wall observation.

Events are uploaded to an online Keats-only calendar... there's a lot of TBAs, but it's a good place to start.


How to get to Keats

Stormaway comes in to Eastbourne

To get to Gibsons, take the Sunshine Coast ferry from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver to the Langdale terminal. Or, if you're coming from Powell River, take the ferry from Saltery Bay to Earls Cove at the north end of the Sunshine Coast. Gambier/Keats Ferry Information

KEATS ISLAND RESOURCES

Stay up to date with everything Keats (BC) at keatsisland.ca/.

MAIN KEATS EVENTS

Big Ferry Schedule Change
Eastbourne Easter Egg Hunt
Keats Island Bake-Off
Keats Caber Toss
Golf Cart Race & Rodeo
Stormaway Schedule Change
Cribbage Tournament
Eastbourne Fishing Derby
Round Keats Paddle Race
10 Acres Estate Parks Festival

parks on gambier island bc

Keats Island is well known for beautiful Plumper Cove, a frequent destination for day sailors out of Gibsons and Vancouver, and for kayakers. Few people know that this is one of BC's oldest marine parks, and is open year round (minimal services in off-peak months). Fees are applicable May through September and full details about the park can be found on the BC Parks Keats Island page.

Other coves and beaches: Hard-to-come-by Cove, Pebble Beach, Highest Peak, Bridgman�s Bluff, Cotton Point and Andy�s (Silver Beach), Sandy Beach, Camper's Cove, Laurel Beach, Maple Beach, Sunrise Beach

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR KEATS

Keats may be a tiny-population and rural island, but there's still stuff you need to know!