Gabriola Adventure Sailing
TRADITIONAL SAILING DINGHY ADVENTURES

7-Day Dinghy Sailing Adventure

Our unique 7-day is a one of a kind Gulf Island adventure. This is an opportunity to become intimately familiar with this traditional mode of transportation and with a variety of beautiful hand crafted wooden sailing dinghies.

During the 7-day tour all participants, regardless of prior experience will finish with a strong understanding of small boat sailing, marine navigation, tides and currents, camp craft, and gourmet camp cooking. In all of our trips we try to provide as much information about natural history, wildlife and local maritime traditions as possible. People of all ages and skill levels are welcome, but we strongly recommend a prior understanding of sailing, if possible.

COST $825 CDN / US Funds at current rate

DATES:
July 20-26, 2010

ITINERARY:
Typically each day will involve sailing for 3 – 6 hours leaving lots of time for beachcombing, swimming, exploring local communities, practicing seamanship and navigation, or just relaxing on the beach. There are a wide variety of local beaches available for us to stop and explore. Our groups are able to camp at several Provincial Parks, local campsites and seaside resorts. The specific route plan can be adapted along the way according to your interests and abilities. The islands we will be exploring have beautiful and unique features such as spectacular cliffs, sandstone rock formations, trail walks, Douglas Fir and Garry-Oak ecosystems, and a wide variety of bird and marine life.

DAY 0:
All of our multi-day trips include a ‘Day 0’. Day zero is the day before the trip starts. You will meet your guides and the rest of the group, sort out any last minute details, and shop for food for the trip. The guides can help with quantities and meal ideas for camp cooking etc.

DAY 1:
Launch from Silva Bay. In the morning on a making tide, We'll sail or row through Gabriola Passage and travel along the shore of Valdes Island to one of our favorite camping areas, Blackberry Point. Several possibilities for a shore-stop exist, including “Hole-in-the-Wall” or Pirates Cove for lunch or a break before arriving at Blackberry Point.

The cliffs along the shore of Valdes Island are spectacular with amazing honeycomb sandstone formations, displaying an infinite variety of patterns and images. In the summer months, afternoons are usually spent poking along these ledges and diving into the ocean.

We always plan to have time after sailing to spend relaxing and beachcombing. There will also be time for those interested to learn more about navigation, weather, tides or sailing theory.

Day 2 - 7:
On this 7-day trip our group will have many options for daily route planning and navigation. The route will depend on group interests and weather. Generally we will try to make some reasonable distance south in the first few days of the trip. Our goal is generally to make it to Salt Spring Island. Then we will have ample time to explore this and many other Gulf Islands as we work our way back north towards Gabriola Island. We will be able to spend time exploring some of the Gulf Island communities on our journey; checking out hiking trails, beaches, art galleries, shops, and seaside homes as we go. 

Getting to know the rest of the group is the most enjoyable part of the trip (next to sailing that is) as we share meals, learn new skills, and help each other with sailing and navigation skills. Friends are made quickly and more often than not, groups remain friends and many return again for more sailing or kayaking adventures.

After breakfast on the last day we will pack up camp and start sailing back to Silva Bay on Gabriola Island. Depending on weather and group interests we may be able to make the return journey on the outside of Valdes Island in the Strait of Georgia, or we can drop a few buoys and have a race - “guides buy the winners beer”. Once returning to Silva Bay we typically meet for dinner at the Silva Bay Bar & Grill for a final meal together.

INFORMATION DOCUMENTS:
Medical Waiver  |  What to Bring  |  Meal Ideas

TOUR AVAILIBILITY
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TRIP PAYMENT
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