The Sewell’s Marina Blog

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Sewell’s Marina Top 5 Points of Interest

Howe Sound marine wildlife tour
Aug 21

Sea Safari Eco-Tour

  1. Defence Islands -northern most islands of Howe Sound and large Bald Eagle nests.
  2. Howe Sound Caves – peak into these sea caves created by hundreds of years of the waves surging against the shore.
  3. Playing in the ferry waves – the best natural roller coaster experience in our outdoor playground.
  4. Lighthouse Park –  the largest stand of old growth forest in the lower mainland.
  5. Worlcombe Island – the southern most island in Howe Sound on the door step to the Straight of Georgia.

Boat tours Vancouver, boat tours howe sound, marine adventures

Self-Drive Boat Rental

  1. Pam Rocks – a seal colony where moms have their pups and teach them their ways.
  2. Snug Cove – a small island community with amazing local shops and bakeries.
  3. Plumpers Cove Park – a Provincial park on Keats Island with a great lawn for a picnic.
  4. Christie Island – a bird sanctuary and home to Cormorants and Gaulacous Winged gulls year round.
  5. Cliffs of Anvil – witness the immense nature of the cliffs of Anvil created during the last ice age 10,000 years ago.

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Fishing

  1. Hole in the Wall – a historical fishing location for Chinook and Coho Salmon especially in Spring
  2. South end of Bowen – the hump is always a good spot from 1/2 mile to 4 miles out into the Straight of Georgia
  3. Hutt Island & Tunstall Bay – the top producing winter fishing locations for winter springs (Chinook)
  4. Bell Buoy to T10 marker – A great location August through September for any salmon that are open to catch.
  5. Defence Islands – Often a great location for Chinook Salmon and a very successful herring spawning location.
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What makes the Arbutus tree special?

Howe Sound, Vancouver
Aug 17

The Arbutus tree; also known as the Madrona or Madrone,  is native to the western coastal areas of North America. It is very difficult to transplant and loves very rocky areas that face south in the sun. Their bark is a orange/red colour and it peels like the skin of a snake exposing a satin feeling trunk underneath. It is an evergreen tree that flowers in the spring and grows red berries in the fall. When the berries shrivel they grow barbs that they use to attach themselves to animals for transplant. These trees can grow up to 98 feet in ideal growing conditions. Their colours and curving trunk makes them a beautiful tree to sketch into landscapes.

Howe Sound, Vancouver, boat rental, rent a boatFirst Nations people used the bark and leaves to soothe stomachs and sore throats. Often the bark was brewed into a tea to be consumed. Many birds feed off of their berries along with deer and bears.

They are made of such a dense wood and can grow relativity quickly that they do better after small forest fires that take out the Douglas Fir trees that block their sun. They can tolerate droughts as we have seen this summer but don’t fair well in an overly wet winter that leads to fungi growth on their leaves.

The best places to see them in Howe Sound is along the rocky shorelines that face south. Rent a boat or join the Sea Safari and check them out off Deeks Creek, the cliffs of Anvil, Lions Bay or Halkett Pt on Gambier Island.

Natures wonders are all around us, get out and explore!

Fish, Fish, Fish!

Charters
Jul 21

This spring and early summer has brought so many gems for many to see. From the big marine mammals down to the smaller creatures in our eco-system. Here is a picture of a large school of anchovies that were seen from our docks. This species is a bait fish that many other animals feed on. Some examples being the Harbour Seals, Otters, Humpbacks and Salmon.

vancouver salmon fishing

School of Anchovies

We also noticed that there were some very small fish, upon taking a sample and consulting with the Vancouver Aquarium’s Research team we are excited to discover that what we found was a late larval Northern Anchovy. Each year the marine diversity in Howe Sound is growing. It is very exciting to watch it happen right before our eyes.

Vancouver salmon fishing

Northern Anchovy Larval

Today we have a big school of Pink Salmon just off the entrance to the marina and many onlookers are enjoying watching our local seal Oreo and her newest offspring chase and catch their dinner. Salmon Fishing in the Vancouver area is hot! With three species of salmon (Coho, Chinook and Pinks) now swimming and feeding in our waters now is a good time to wet the line and catch some fresh salmon for the BBQ. Rent a boat or hire a guide excellent salmon fishing grounds are just minutes from our dock. https://www.sewellsmarina.com/fishing-charters/