Bowen Island, B.C.: Dramatic views for a dream price

VANCOUVER, B.C. -- With a single ear-splitting horn blast, the sleek white ship slides out of its slip, bound for another scenic coastal journey.

Some passengers lounge on the top deck, sipping cold drinks in the warm sun, mesmerized by a pair of eagles riding the thermals overhead. Others linger inside, one deck below, chatting, reading or watching through picture windows as the city's skyline fades and a saw-toothed mountain range rises on the horizon.

Welcome aboard the Queen of Capilano, the best-kept secret in Canada's cruise capital. One of the smallest vessels in BC Ferries' busy fleet, the Capilano links the tiny coastal community of Bowen Island (pop. 3,500) to West Vancouver on the mainland.

It's hardly a tourist boat -- most passengers are Bowen residents who work or attend school in the city. However, at a mere $5.40 (U.S.) for a round trip, the 20-minute, 3.5-mile voyage crossing Howe Sound between Horseshoe Bay and Snug Cove is a don't-miss day trip for any Vancouver visitor. It's a great opportunity to experience B.C.'s dramatic coastline without paying big bucks for an Alaska cruise.

Crossing Howe Sound is "the cheapest, best coastal cruise in B.C.," in the opinion of long-time Bowen resident Bob Turner. An earth scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada, Turner notes that Howe Sound marks the entrance to the province's southern-most fjord -- "as nice a coastal fjord as exists" and every bit as beautiful as the remote northern fjords that are so familiar to wistful readers of cruise brochures.

Stand at the Capilano's bow, says Turner, and you can read the ancient geological tale etched into the landscape. Once upon a time, a thick river of ice flowed down through this valley, sandpapering the sharp edges off any surface in its path. At the peak of the ice age 15,000 years ago, that ice river reached just over a mile higher than the top deck of the Capilano.

The softly rounded profiles of the small islands in the middle of the sound -- Passage, Boyer and Anvil -- are evidence of that glacial scouring. Only the highest peaks, like those of the Tantalus mountain range seen in the distance, still retain their original craggy features. As the ice eventually moved back to higher ground, the ocean followed the retreat, turning hills into islands and valleys into bays.

JULIE OVENELL-CARTER

The popular public beach at Tunstall Bay is a perfect launching pad for an afternoon of water recreation. The beach is on the far side of Bowen Island from the ferry dock at Snug Cove.

Visitors to Vancouver frequently confuse the islands of Howe Sound with the more populous Gulf Islands, near Vancouver Island across the Strait of Georgia. The Howe Sound islands are small by comparison, and there are few full-time residents on them.

Bowen is the exception. During Vancouver's real estate boom in the late-1980s, many young families fled the overheated urban market for bucolic Bowen. Today, the population has more than doubled and Bowen is home to a disproportionate number of artists, artisans and self-employed professionals. And unremarkable homes now sell for remarkable prices.

Although some locals jokingly refer to it as "West Vancouver West" -- a reference to the fact that it is rapidly becoming a suburb of one of Canada's wealthiest neighborhoods -- Bowen still retains its rural charm. There are no franchised stores, hotels or restaurants, and even the gas station is independently owned.

There are several excellent swimming beaches and numerous hiking trails. The most popular half-day hike loops from the ferry dock, through a regional park and back to the village, where there are a handful of shops and restaurants, including a sushi joint.

JULIE OVENELL-CARTER

Ferry passengers leave on foot because the best activities in Snug Cove are within easy walking distance.

The best time to visit is on a sunny summer morning, when the eastern light illuminates Snug Cove and transforms the island into a lush tropical vision. Plan to stay for the day. You can walk most everywhere of interest, and there's an inexpensive cross-island bus service if you care to explore farther.

Your best bet for shore leave is to do as the locals do: Shop at the eclectic Sunday market on the village green; rent a kayak by the ferry dock and spend an afternoon exploring the shoreline; go for an ocean dip at Sandy Beach; stroll the forested path around Killarney Lake, or make the more challenging 2,300-foot trek up Mount Gardner to admire the panoramic views of Howe Sound.

On the return journey, when the afternoon sun spotlights the steep walls of the Sound, keep watch for wildlife -- deer, eagles, herons, seals, sea otters and sometimes even whales. With what you save on the price of this cruise, you just may want to spend on some really good binoculars.

* The Queen of Capilano crosses Howe Sound 16 times a day, with the first ferry leaving Horseshoe Bay on the mainland at 6 a.m. and the last ferry returning from Bowen Island at 10 p.m. Until Sept. 11, round-trip passenger fare is $6.50 Canadian (about $5.40 U.S.); round-trip car-and-driver fare is $20.50 (about $17.15 U.S.). For schedule information, call BC Ferries at 250-386-3431 or visit www.bcferries.com.

* On Bowen Island, pick up a trail map at the tourist information cottage in Snug Cove. For information about accommodations and recreational activities on the island, visit www.bowen-island-bc.com.

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