We’ve all done it. Decided on a whim to go for a day out to somewhere new. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. My recent last minute decision to race off to Bowen Island seemed to be more of a “doesn’t”….
I woke up to glorious blue sky and sunshine and decided to take the kids for a day out to this little island I had heard so much about. After scrabbling about a bit to borrow a bike rack from a friend we were finally in the car and drove off merrily to Horseshoe Bay.
The problems began when my son realized he had forgotten his bike helmet. A quick rush around the village of Horseshoe Bay soon established that there is not a bike shop, second hand shop or any other kind of outlet that sells bike equipment. At this point we decide to cut our losses, lock up the bikes at the ferry terminal and head off on foot.
Having timed it perfectly (by luck and obviously not judgment) we buy tickets and board a ferry that is just about to depart. By now I have shelled out $16 for parking (only to find I could have parked across the street for $12) and about $30 for return foot passenger tickets on the ferry. So I congratulate myself on having packed a decent picnic – at least I don’t have to buy food on the ferry. The kids immediately begin to scoff it down and show no interest in looking out for whales or taking in the scenery.
The voyage across to Bowen Island is less than half an hour and we offload feeling recharged and a little calmer as well as being back in the spirit of a day’s adventure.
The first thing that comes into view upon disembarking is a little board walk where a small outlet sells tacos and ice creams. We march straight over and begin ordering scoops of rainbow ice-cream and bottles of water. As the shop assistant passes me the first cone it suddenly dawns on me that I have forgotten to visit the ATM and, when I ask, the ice cream lady confirms they do not take cards. Not fazed by my complete incompetence the store owner happily tells me where the nearest bank machine is located and insists I needn’t return to pay off my debt until returning to the ferry dock at the end of our day. I am grateful and the children breathe a sigh of relief before slurping down their rapidly melting ice-creams.
While licking we stroll towards the small spattering of shops and cafes that run up the hill. We browse some artisan shops and decide where we shall return to later for more treats. My daughter needs the bathroom and the librarian graciously lets her use the facilities in the historic library building despite signs requesting they not be used as public washrooms. While there I ask for a recommendation of a nice beach to visit. We are instructed to continue down the side street beside the library to find our way to Sandy Beach. Within a few minutes we find it and settle ourselves in for some seaside fun. Most of the beach is actually rocky and full of barnacles, but to be fair there is a small patch which is clear of bothersome spiky objects and allows less painful access to the water. We swim in the frigid sea and to the delight of the children there is a small sunken boat which they can wade out to and view through their goggles. The relative peace of the beach is broken by the arrival of a summer camp consisting of 20 kids and their supervisors. It just adds another element of fun for my own children who, while shy to join in with them, enjoy watching the antics of kids playing with water guns, soaking their camp leaders and generally having a blast.
Eventually we decide to leave the beach and wonder back to choose some trinkets in the shops. My son buys (another) toy car in the grocery store – it would have cost about $2 on the mainland and is double the price here. My daughter opts for a pair of handmade earrings. While chatting with the owner/artist in the gallery we discover that there are buses on Bowen Island which would have provided a great way to get around and see a lot more of what is on offer. However, at this point we have had a nice afternoon of sand and sea, chosen souvenirs of sorts and are ready to wait for the next ferry. On reflection, after seeing the hilly terrain, the bikes wouldn’t have been a great option for us anyway. So, the day, all be it chaotic, turned out to be a nice break from the norm and quite acceptable – we pay for the ice-creams by the dock and step aboard the next ferry home. As we pull into Horseshoe Bay the children spot a sea otter and a friendly harbor seal and agree we’ll return again with Daddy and a bit more of a plan. However, for now it seems that last minute adventures can work out after all!