A Brief Tour of Pender Harbour & Area

 

The biggest event in Pender Harbour is the Annual May Day celebration, held the Victoria Day Weekend every year. There is a parade, aerial fly-over, many games and activities for children, craft and product displays, live music, outdoor barbecue and more. This event draws large crowds every year from all over the Coast, Powell River and the Lower Mainland.

Mission Boat Reunion Days, also called Hospital Bay Days is another popular event. It's sponsored semi-annually (may be moving to annual soon) by the Sundowner Inn, once a Columbia Coast Mission Hospital and the only medical facilities on the Sunshine Coast. The hospital was later moved to its present site in Sechelt.

 

A bit hard to find but worth the search is one of the few tiny patches of virgin Douglas fir left in the province. Stop at the information sign by Haslam Creek, 3 km south of Pender Harbour on Highway 101. Walk 300 metres to the north and climb down the roadbank towards the ocean. Trees of this stunning magnitude once covered the entire west coast.

Mount Daniel was once a sacred site of the shishalh Native peoples. The hike to the top is steep but not too difficult, and the view of the Harbour and Garden Bay, Katherine and Mixal Lakes is incredible. You can find traces of "moon rings," circles of stones marking the place of young shishalh girls' puberty rituals. Access the trail from Garden Bay Road. For maps and details for hiking and biking in this area, check out the excellent guide Sunshine and Salt Air.

Pender Hill is also a great hike with a spectacular view (see right). Once a lookout point for shishalh sentries, it offers a panoramic view of Pender Harbour, and the hike up is not as long or as steep as Mount Daniel. The summit is covered with soft moss, perfect for a sit down rest, stands of arbutus trees with distinctive red bark and various wild herbs - a perfect summer picnic site. Access the trail from Lee Bay Road.

Of course, the best way to really appreciate the Sunshine Coast is to travel by water. The intricate waterways and scattered islands are made to explore, and there are several marinas and marine parks in the area. Launch a kayak or canoe (kayak rentals available) and explore Sakinaw, Ruby or any of the smaller lakes. See the Sunshine and Salt Air visitor's guide for details.

Photo of Duncan Cove, Pender Harbour
Courtesy of Pender Harbour Resort

Katherine Lake Regional Park, with its still waters and gently sloping sandy beach, is a great place for small children.Or if diving is your thing, see our list of diving resources.

North of Pender Harbour are Ruby Lake, Klein Lake, the ferry to Powell Rivesr from Earl's Cove terminal and the small community of Egmont. The Forest Service campsite at Klein Lake is often very private, and the lake is home to some fine, fat trout. The excellent Klein Lake - Ruby Lake hiking and biking trail starts here. (If you start at this end, it's more downhill.) At the other end, stay at Dan Bosch Regional Park on Ruby Lake, with a nice beach and boat launch. Or go luxurious at the Ruby Lake Resort - the restaurant offers the best, authentic Italian food around.

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This brief tour is just to whet your appetite for more. For details, maps, brochures or more information:

• Check out the book Sunshine and Salt Air: The Sunshine Coast Visitor's Guide, an indispensable guide to recreation on the Sunshine Coast.
• Explore the Sunshine Coast Regional District's list of 101 Things To Do on the Sunshine Coast.
• Visit one of the Info Centres:

SUNSHINE COAST TRAVEL INFO CENTRES:
Gibsons ~ 886-2325
Sechelt ~ 885-1036
Pender Harbour ~ 883-2561

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