BCO Coastal Gems: Jervis Inlet

Jervis Inlet is the principal inlet of the British Columbia Coast.  It slices through the Coastal Mountain range, narrowly zigzagging over 80 km through stunning granite-walled cliffs and forested mountains. This inlet is the deepest of British Columbia’s Inlets reaching depths of over 720 meters or 2,400 ft. and is located about 95 km northwest of Vancouver.  The inlet was named by George Vancouver after Rear Admiral Sir John Jervis.

Like much of the rugged BC Coast, Jervis Inlet was an area of extensive logging and fishing in the 19th and 20th centuries. It also has a history as a seasonal settlement for local First Nations.

Access points and service centers include Egmont providing access to Sechelt and Vancouver as well as Saltry Bay providing access to the Northern Sunshine Coast and Powell River. Both of these locations are approx. 25miles travel by boat. There are no roadways into Jervis Inlet, this is another of the water access only areas of the coast. The remote location and breath-taking beauty make it a location for outdoor enthusiasts.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Communicating from Remote Properties

Twenty years ago, or even ten years ago, communication on a remote recreational or residential property was a non-issue. If the phone company didn't go there, you didn't have service and that was that. People who lived or vacationed on these properties did so knowing they were cutting themselves off from the rest of the world when it came to day to day communications.

Today, with smart phones and cell service and high speed internet filling every part of our lives, fewer people are willing to accept a complete cut off from their daily lives of communication. While there are still some who simply want to get away from it all, for many people getting away from it all no longer means being completely out of touch. While they want the peace and serenity and sense of getting away that these types of properties provide, they don't want to be cut off from the world at large.

Today there are options for those wanting to stay in touch. 

~Satellite phones provide phone service where cell phones can't. Sat-fi devices even allow you to use your wi-fi enabled devices to text, call and email over satellite networks. For example: http://ca.globalstar.com/sat-fi/lander.php 

~There are some internet companies that specialize in providing service to places no other company reaches. Xplornet specializes in providing reliable high speed internet to rural locations in Canada.

~Satellite TV companies such as Shaw Direct can provide service in many remote recreational locations.

~Some smaller communities in places where regular service doesn't always work (such as Sayward on northern Vancouver Island) are providing their own internet services. 

Communications services can allow people the freedom to escape to a remote recreational or even remote residential property while still being able to connect with their lives when needed. For some people it may mean longer vacations, or the ability to work from a home that is not in an urban centre. 

Of course, you can still go with no communication. It's all about choosing how your coastal lifestyle will look and work for you.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

BCO Fly Day - Office on the Wing

Before the weather changed this week Shelley had the opportunity to go flying for about three hours. The pilot was able to cover a lot of the waterways and islands in Discovery Passage and up to the northern end of Vancouver Island. The water was calm, the sun shining and the fall colours spectacular!

 

These flights are valuable both to provide aerial photos of properties and to give Shelley or Ed, whoever has gone out on the flight, a better perspective of the location, size and siting of the properties.

(398 Smelt Bay Rd, Cortes Island. Great perspective of the size and location of this property.)

Before heading out on a flight a lot of pre-flight work is done in the office so that the time in air is used well. We first create a list of properties we would like aerial photos of, and then we group them according to location. At that point a rough idea of a route can be created (in cooperation with the pilot). The properties are laid out on a large map.

Each property then needs to have mapping and reference photos if they help so that the properties can be identified from the air. As Shelley says, there are no nice lines on the actual ground and the plane moves pretty quickly!

Taking photos from a small float plane is a challenge, both in getting the photo and with being able to focus while flying in a small plane. You never know when the pilot will bank to get you the best shot.

(To get the photo of this Bones Bay lease tucked against a steep shoreline, the plane is banked almost sideways as Shelley clicks away!)

When the photos come back to the office it takes time to download, sort them into the correct property files, and then update as needed throughout our marketing materials.

Just another aspect of BCO business that sets us apart.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Quinsam Salmon Hatchery

Vancouver Island is home to a number of salmon hatchery programs where the public is welcome to view the ongoing efforts to enhance and encourage the wild salmon populations of the west coast.

Quinsam River Hatchery is our local hatchery and is a common field trip destination for the local schools. It is also a great place to walk, especially in the fall when the salmon are running upstream. It is not uncommon to see bears, eagles and lots of seagulls on the banks of the river, feasting on the salmon swimming upstream.

The hatchery itself is also an interesting place to walk around and look into all the pens, troughs, etc. From one week to the next you never quite know what you'll see!

Salmon are such an integral part of the coast, both from a fishing view point and also as a common topic in our news and political arenas. The hatcheries provide a valuable look for the general public, through their educational programs and displays, into the importance of salmon in our local waters and within our coastal culture.

The hatcheries also happen to be on rivers which provide beautiful walking trails, making them the perfect place for a Sunday walk.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

Power on Remote and Recreational Properties

When dealing with recreational and remote properties there are considerations that don't come up with regular residential properties. For instance - is there power and where does it come from?

Some recreational and remote properties are close enough to small communities that they can hook into existing BC Hydro power supplies. It can be surprising how many boat access communities, such as Quatsino on the NW coast of Vancouver Island, actually have power from BC Hydro. This is then just like obtaining power for any new property - lines need to be accessed and power brought into the property through coordination with BC Hydro, neighbouring properties and local communities.

For properties beyond the scope of BC Hydro, there are still options for power. Many of the older, more established remote properties will have gas generators of some sort. This involves generators and usually a battery bank to store power so that the generators aren't running all the time. This requires gas to be brought on to the property, and general upkeep on the equipment.

Solar power has become an attractive option for some, and it is not unusual to see a house or cottage with an array of solar panels on the roof, or as a stand-alone system. These supply a battery bank which stores the energy. Some larger properties have been known to use solar power but keep a gas generator on hand as an emergency back-up system.

Another option for those who have access to a running water supply is personal use hydro-power. This requires a license for the water use, and on a good, strong water source can be a great power supply. There are a variety of set-ups depending on the amount of power required.

All of the options have pros and cons when it comes to upkeep, initial cost of installation and materials, efficiency, etc. It requires some good research both on the options and the property itself. At BCO we have a good deal of information on alternative energy and are always looking out for new and innovative ideas in power for remote/recreational properties.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

BCO Coastal Gems: The Southern Gulf Islands

When people think of the Gulf Islands of BC the first islands that come to mind are the big ones: Saltspring, Mayne, Pender and Galiano. While these are the anchors of this island system, the Gulf Islands are also home to a myriad of smaller islands.

 Galiano Island

Islands such as Ruxton and Gossip are smaller, boat access islands but still are home to many - either as a recreational get-away or as a permanent residence.

Gossip Island in the foreground

There are also private islands dotted among the bigger islands.

Leech Island with Thetis Island behind

The Gulf Islands are renowned for natural beauty, great climate, relaxed atmosphere and diverse culture. They are becoming known as a food and wine destination as well as a vacation destination.

Decourcy Island

The Gulf Islands offer residents and visitors alike a quick escape. They are close to both Vancouver and Vancouver Island yet are very different in culture. Each island offers something unique. The islands are very popular with boaters who like to explore the many beaches and protected hidden coves.

Visiting the main Gulf Islands is as simple as a ride with BC Ferries, while the smaller islands require either a personal boat, a water taxi or a charter flight.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!

BC Coastal Gems: Cortes Island

Cortes Island is a perfect example of west coast island living. As one of the Discovery Islands off the central eastern coast of Vancouver Island it is popular with boaters and vacationers alike. As one of the two Discovery Islands with ferry access, Cortes also attracts a fair number of people year-round, and has a permanent population of about 1000 people. 

The relaxed, rural lifestyle attracts a cross-section of society, from old school hippies to new age environmentalists, from burned out city executives to small scale farmers - and everything else in between. There is a strong First Nations history and presence on the island as well as a more recent resource-based history and on-going presence.

The island is 130 square kilometres and boasts some beautiful beaches as well as gorgeous lakes. Smelt Bay Provincial Park is a popular summer camping destination. There are three main population areas on the island, where one can find a public school, a medical clinic, a library branch and small community amenities.

Smelt Bay

Cortes Island is considered a major gateway to the very popular Desolation Sound region. For the outdoor enthusiast it is truly one of the best jumping off points for a variety of outdoor activities including fishing, prawning, kayaking and hiking. This area enjoys a nice temperate climate and the waters here are warmer than in most other areas on the coast.

Access to Cortes Island is a 45-minute trip via regularly scheduled ferry service from Heriot Bay on Quadra Island.  Quadra Island is a short 10-minute ferry ride from Campbell River.  During the summer months there is also regular float plane service from Vancouver and Seattle directly into Cortes Bay.

It's a Coastal Lifestyle ... Live It!