At the edge of dramatic fjords, sparkling
lakes, and green mountains, immersed in clean air, is The Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, which made my must see list.
The Sunshine Coast is divided into lower and upper coasts, and connected by waterways and a 177 kilometer or 110 mile long smooth windy highway perfect for driving and biking.
I drove the All-New 2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe on The Sunshine Highway, which was great fun.
Sunshine Coast activities include boating, kayaking, wildlife viewing and checking out one-of-a-kind artists finding inspiration in natural beauty. It's also very romantic--perfect for falling in love.
Many come to get married.
The Lower Sunshine Coast goes from Howe Sound to Jervis Inlet, and includes the communities of Gibsons, Sechelt and Pender Harbour.
Let me tell you more.
I arrived on a breath-taking 40 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver to Langdale, minutes from Gibsons. Gibsons was voted the most livable community in the world under 20,000 inhabitants, and my first stop.
Gibsons is surrounded by nature, and many folks from Vancouver commute to get the best of both worlds.
I immediately met locals, who said they'd moved to Gibsons for clean air, and could finally breathe well without sinus infections or asthma.
At the same time, I was aware of the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Mill tucked behind a mountain 10 kilometers east of Gibsons. Yet according to everyone I spoke to, the mill's advanced technology controls keep pollution and potential smell at bay.
I experienced clean fresh air myself.
Gibsons is where American heart-throb, Zac Efron, recently filmed Charlie St. Cloud. He stayed at Encil House B & B. Same as me. (I'm just saying.) Canadians will know Gibsons for the the long running CBC TV Show "Beachcombers".
Gibsons is a scenic village with funky restaurants, shops and art galleries. Wheatberries is their local coffee and bakery chain with no plans for expansion because life is good here. There's no need to move on.
The Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives is in Gibsons and features the area's seafaring history. Normally this would be a must-see on my list but my time was short. I hope you go though, for knowing the history of a place will enrich your experience.
When you walk around Gibsons, check out local art galleries. If you're a real art afecionado take an Artworks Tour with Cindy Buis (604) 886-1250.
The Sunshine Coast has many colorful artists, and the community developed a unique system for enjoying them.
When ambling along the Sunshine Highway look for purple flags. They signal an artist is at work and welcoming you to come in, chat, and learn about his or her craft. Perhaps buy a painting or two.
I discovered an amazing artist named Motoko. (An aqua lavender masterpiece hung in the conference room of The Painted Boat, a resort in which I stayed in Pender Harbour.) Motoko is influenced by her Japanese roots and the scenic beauty of Sunshine Coast.
On The Sunshine Coast, naturally, I recommend sailing and kayaking.
Greg Williams of Gibsons Sailing was recommended for sailing, and Jamie Mani of Alpha Adventures was recommended for kayaking a bit further up the coast at Sechelt Inlet. Kayaking is also available at Pender Harbor.
A place is as much about people as it is about its environment. I stayed in the three main areas of the lower coast with warm and engaging people.
In Gibsons, Keith and Taya of Encil House B & B welcomed me with warmth, wine, and views.
A former banker and current marketing executive, this couple renovated the classic home that Prince Charles' estate once considered purchasing, and made it a dream B & B.
Zac Efron, as I was saying, stayed in the upstairs room at Encil House, which I was given for one night.
This gorgeous studio combined classic and modern touches; a full-kitchen with colorful flowers on the table.
In the morning fresh muffins, yogurt, fruit and coffee were served overlooking the water. It was so delicious. As you see, I hung around for lunch, too. Taya's good company had a lot to do with it. :-)
After Gibsons, the next day I headed north for Sechelt... the most populated town on The Lower Sunshine Coast.
Here I met Jack and Sheila Pope, owners of the Coracle Cove Waterfront B & B.
As soon as I arrived to their colorful well-appointed home, emanating warmth and a Mexican Canadian character, Jack invited my girlfriend and I to hop aboard his boat to go to the Lighthouse Pub. The pub is fun and food central for Sechelt, B.C. Apparently, the place to be.
Here's photo from our drive to dinner.
As you see, no traffic.
Jack and Sheila built their house in 1999, which was architecturally-designed with care.
My room overlooked the water, and was painted in a cinnamon Gypsy Love color, which tied in to their romantic getaway theme.
The next morning we enjoyed eggs and home-made bread overlooking the water. We watched birds as Jack gave us an education.
"Birding is big in spring, though it kind of starts in January and February. It's seasonal with males coming first to establish their territory. Sparrows will do counter-singing if another comes in their territory. The home boy will sing, "This is my territory!" They'll go back and forth and may get aggressive. Hummingbirds are extremely territorial."
The next day I departed Jack and Sheila's place for the Painted Boat Resort Spa & Marina further up the coast at Pender Harbour. Overlooking a magnificent harbor, offering kayaks and canoes by the hour, I stayed in an elegant two-bedroom suite with a full-kitchen, dining room, and living room. This would be the choice for a traveling family.
I love fitness rooms. The Painted Boat's state-of-the-art equipment and infinity edge pool with a hot tub overlooking harbour view blew me away. Their spa. Most elegant, offering a respite from hectic living. Or traveling. Whatever your case may be.
But perhaps the element I'll take away most from Painted Boat was dining in their restaurant. Headed by spunky, creative chef David Cox, his team focuses on local organic ingredients and make everything--from soups to breads to sauces and ice cream--on the premises.
I started with Organic Greens salad that came with home-made pickles and toasted almonds. For the main course, Pacific Halibut with warm caponata, potato gnocchi and green beans. The sauce was divine. Dessert. Yes, I had one. Home-made lemon tart with sorbet and fresh berries.
When on the Lower Sunshine Coast, I highly recommend The Restaurant at Painted Boat.
I stayed two nights at Painted Boat Resort and did day trips from there.
Normally, I'd kayak and sail but I was getting over something that happened in Los Angeles before I'd left on vacation, and needed to go easy.
Everyone said, "Go to Egmont. Take a boat to see the waterfalls and fjords." I would have loved to. I missed this and other water sports, which I very much want to go back and experience.
Meanwhile on my day trips, I loved driving windy roads, seeing scenic beauty like Ruby Lake (photo above), and visiting The Westcoast Wilderness Lodge located in Egmont... yes, a stunning location and classy-looking wilderness resort!
Their vibe reminded me of the elegant but rustic Fairmont in Jasper only this was significantly smaller, quainter, and with unmatchable views. (See top photo in this article.)
And here's Tara, daughter of Westcoast Wilderness Lodge owners Paul and Patti Hanson.
It was a real pleasure to meet Tara when I meandered into the front office to say hello. She warmly showed me around and smiled for the camera in front of the lodge's magnificent view.
I understand Paul takes tourists out on his zodiac to legendary natural destinations like Skookumchuck Rapids and Princess Louisa Inlet, passing diverse wildlife.
I hope to see you on the clean air Sunshine Coast next time.
To continue reading about the Upper Sunshine Coast, click here.
Thank you to Sunshine Coast Tourism and B.C. Ferries for sponsoring my stay and putting The "Clean Air" Sunshine Coast on my readers map.
To follow my clean air search and explore air pollution solutions together, subscribe to the Chasing Clean Air RSS feed!
More information on Lower Sunshine Coast festivals and transportation
Annual Summer Festivals (partial list)
Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts - this year at Rockwood Centre, Sechelt August 12-15, 2010
Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival - Various venues, Gibsons Landing August 19-21, 2010Garlic Festival, Lions Park Pender Harbour - August 28, 2010
Pender Harbour Chamber Music Festival - August 20-22, 2010
Getting Here is half the fun. Seriously.
Drive - I flew from Los Angeles to Seattle (cheap Southwest flights) where I picked up a car and drove four hours to Horseshoe Bay, Vancouver. I took a B.C. Ferry to Gibsons on the lower Sunshine Coast.
The beauty of driving is the 177 kilometer or 110 mile long Sunshine Coast Highway (Interstate 101)-- a dream road of curves on the lower-coast, well-paved everywhere, offering breath-taking water and mountain views and, in my experience, no traffic.
Enjoy the view and feeling of king of the road.
Wherever you originate it's likely and highly recommended to take what is known as the most sophisticated ferry system in the world. You will glide on protected blue waters, spacious skies overhead, lush green hills in the distance. With car or without.... come. If you live on Vancouver Island, ask for price breaks on multiple ferry passes for Sunshine Coast journey.
Malaspina Coach Lines - bus goes from Vancouver to various Sunshine Coast destinations.
Westcoast Air - provides scheduled floatplane service and charters to Sechelt from Vancouver Airport (YVR), Vancouver Harbour, and Nanaimo.
Kenmore Air - has flights from Seattle to Pender Harbour, and are now mileage partners with Alaska Airlines
Tofino Air - provides scheduled floatplane service and charters from Vancouver Regional Airport and Vancouver Island into Sechelt. New service includes Victoria.
