Getting To The Islands
BC Ferries (tel 250/386-3431 in Victoria) sails to five of the Southern Gulf Islands - Saltspring, Pender, Saturna, Mayne and Galiano - from Swartz Bay, 33km north of Victoria on Hwy 17 (a few others can be reached from Chemainus and Nanaimo . Reckon on at least two crossings to each daily, but be prepared for all boats to be jammed solid during the summer. Pick up the company's Southern Gulf Islands timetable, widely available on boats and in the mainland infocentres, which is invaluable if you aim to exploit the many inter-island connections. If you just want a quick, cheap cruise, BC Ferries runs a daily four-hour jaunt from Swartz Bay around several of the islands. All the ferries take cars, bikes and motorbikes, though with a car you'll need to make a reservation (in Vancouver tel 604/669-1211, in Victoria tel 386-3431 or 1-888/223-3779). Bear in mind that there's next to no public transport on the islands, so what few taxis there are can charge more or less what they wish. For the San Juans you obviously have to pass through US and Canadian immigration, but you can get good stopover deals on ferries between Sidney on Vancouver Island and Anacortes on the Washington mainland, and foot passengers travel free between the four main San Juan islands. Aim to have your accommodation worked out well in advance in summer. Campers should have few problems finding sites, most of which are located in the islands' provincial parks, though at peak times you'll want to arrive before noon to ensure a pitch - there are reservations in some parks . For help with B&Bs, use the BC Accommodations guide, or contact the Victoria infocentre or specialist agencies .
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