Sidney Spit
 

I've posted this in another thread (on Cedarwood Inn and Suites), but thought I should repost with the title specific to my questions. Sidney Spit has intrigued me, and if we stay in Sidney (which is our current plan), it would be relatively easy to access. However, I haven't been able to get very much information about it. How much does the ferry cost to get there? Can you rent kayaks or bicycles once there? Are there nice hiking trails? Places to eat?

FYI: We'll be in the Victoria area for 3 days and 4 nights and plan to rent a car. We're planning to go to Butchart Gardens, see some sights in downtown Victoria, go kayaking, and to go hiking and/or bike riding (perhaps on Galloping Goose Trail).

So far I haven't been able to find rates either. You've probably already looked at this site:
http://www.britishcolumbia.com/trans...ails.asp?id=26

There were no rentals and no places to eat at least the last time I was on Sidney Island. It's just a park with a long sandy spit, trails through forests and fields, and walk-in campsites. My favourite moment was when I was walking along a trail in the woods by myself and all of a sudden a fallow deer sprang up from the beach and he and others bounded across my path. It was magnificent. Unfortunately, there were too many people with dogs on my last visit.

By the way, I drove by the Cedarwood and it looks quite nicely kept up from the outside.

The answer of course is to rent your kayak(s) in Sidney and paddle there yourself.
From my first hit;
$42 per day for a single or $50 for a double.
http://www.islandadventuretours.com/
Empower yourself, be your own ferry.

Thanks, icithecat for the suggestion of kayaking to Sidney Spit. How far is it? How do you think the scenery along the way compares to that on other kayaking trips we could take in the greater Victoria area?

It appears to be three kms to the spit, BUT do not trust me, trust your nautical maps. Sidney island is a lot larger around in circumference than the trip from the harbour in the town to the spit. The scenery will leave you with that ' Lost at sea' feeling for a while, but the opposite shore is in vision unless the weather moves in.


This is the key. The weather here can be cruel.
Open ocean kayaking is not for the feint of heart or weak of armed.

You asked about it. I do not want to encourage you into something beyond your comfort zone.

We are not experienced sea kayakers, so kayaking to Sidney Spit probably isn't for us. I'd like to do some kayaking where we can see some wildlife. I've been considering the 3-hr. kayak with SeaQuest Adventures (http://seaquestadventures.com/), out of Sidney (C$85 pp). They "guarantee" Orca sightings. I read somewhere (can't remember whether it was their site or elsewhere) that “K and L Pods (Orca families) return to the Islands each year near the end of May or beginning of June (which exactly when we'll be there -- May 30 - June 1); this then allows guests to view up to 89 Orca whales.”

We've gone whale watching with SeaQuest and they were great! The advantage of going whale watching from Sidney (rather than from Victoria harbour) is you are only usually 10 minutes (instead of 30-45) from the whales.
By power boat, Sidney Spit is about 10 minutes from Sidney so not far to kayak. Having said that do not do it if not experienced sea kayakers as this is a very heavily trafficked area and weather and tides can be tricky. Take the little ferry. It's fun.

There is nothing on the island except pit toilets and campsites. Having said that it offers great walks to see the deer, birdlife and the beach is wonderful, especially when the tide is out.

There are lots of great hikes in the greater Victoria area: Elk/Beaver Lake is a 10km hike around the lake and is between Sidney and Victoria. East Sooke Park is fabulous (about 35 minutes from Victoria), our favourite sections of the Galloping Goose are near Matheson Lake and Sooke Potholes. Great for bike-riding. Also good is the Lochside Trail, between Sidney and Victoria where you are walking/biking through farm country.

If going to Butchart in July/August, take a picnic dinner and watch the fireworks. They are unbelievable.

Enjoy!....