Cruising Saanich Inlet



Deep Cove Chalet and Restaurant

Saanich Inlet has several upscale marinas, dining venues, and hidden gems for boaters to enjoy; one could spend over a week just in the Saanich area enjoying these unique destinations.  After a delightful time at Mill Bay Marina on the west side of Saanich Inlet, we motored northeast across the Inlet to Deep Cove and anchored in front of the Deep Cove Chalet, a fine dining venue and a local’s best kept secret.  

Dining among the gardens at Deep Cove Chalet

The home, a historic chalet, was built as a teahouse for the B.C. Electric Rail Line in 1913 and has been a restaurant ever since.  You can anchor your dinghy just off shore in front of the chalet and walk up the path to have lunch or dinner (open Wed-Sun).  Look for the atrium-style windows on the second floor.  

Historic Elegant Dining at Deep Cove Chalet

Reservations are required and don’t forget to bring a nice pair of shoes to change into after leaving your boots on shore at the landing pad above the rocks; this is a high-class French restaurant with elegant table settings and a menu to match.  Anchorage for the mother ship is located south of the old pilings near the chalet with good holding on a flat mud bottom.  Exposed to westerlies, the anchorage is best in settled weather.  

Beautiful Bentwood Bay Resort & Marina

Next stop in Saanich Inlet to the south is Brentwood Bay and the beautiful Brentwood Bay Resort & Marina.  The Resort offers accommodations, a spa, swimming pool, and a fine dining venue with a classy pub.  Views from the dining room and patio are splendid, overlooking the marina and Saanich Inlet.  Less formal cafés in the area include the Seahorse Café located next door serving lunch and breakfast items.  

Swimming Pool overlooking Brentwood Bay Marina

The popular Blue’s Bayou, offering Cajun style dishes, is located to the south next to the Brentwood Community Dock (suitable for dinghies and small craft).  Nearby Butchart Gardens and beautiful Tod Inlet enhance the attraction of Saanich Inlet, drawing more boaters to the area.  It’s a short dinghy ride to Butchart Cove where you can tie at the dinghy dock and pay admission to enter the gardens at this backdoor location.  

Dinghy Dock in Butchart Cove

Butchart Cove also has four mooring buoys for boats 40 feet and under and one mooring buoy for 18 foot vessels and under – maximum stay is 24 hours.  

A stroll around Butchart Gardens is a special treat

Butchart Gardens, one of the highlights of Brentwood Bay, was once the site of a limestone quarry which supplied the nearby Portland Cement Plant, both properties were owned by Robert and Jennie Butchart.  The limestone deposit was exhausted in 1908.  

Lovely Butchart Gardens

Jennie envisioned turning the quarry into beautiful gardens.  Her plans were underway by 1912 and the Sunken Garden was  completed in 1921, more gardens were added in subsequent years.  Ian Ross, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Butchart, created a spectacular fountain with the assistance of his plumber and electrician.  

Old Quarry now a beautiful garden

The fountain was installed in 1964 at a smaller quarry site on the property, commemorating the 60^th Anniversary of Butchart Gardens.  Butchart Gardens continues to be an explosion of color with various species of flowers, shrubs, and magnificent trees covering 55 acres on the 130 acre estate.  

Many lovely spots at Butchart Gardens

The property is still family owned and has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada.  Boaters wishing to visit the Gardens also have the option of anchoring in beautiful Tod Inlet just around the corner from Butchart Cove.  

Pretty Tod Inlet

Tod Inlet has ample space for numerous boats to anchor, part of the Inlet is narrow requiring a stern-tie.  It’s a short scenic dinghy ride to Butchart Cove or you can dinghy to the dock on the southeastern shore of Tod Inlet to access a trail that leads to the front gate of Butchart Gardens (take the left turn at the Y in the trail, it's a 10 minute walk).   

Dinghy Dock in Tod Inlet

Bird Houses in Tod Inlet for Ecology Studies

This dinghy dock is provided by the Marine Conservation Society and BC Parks.  Look for the sandy beach next to the green Marine Ecology float and the bird houses atop several pilings.  Tod Inlet on the backside or west side of Butchart Gardens was the site of the Portland Cement Plant, a few ruins are found in the area.  The dinghy dock in Tod Inlet also serves as an access point for the Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, a worthwhile destination in and of itself for hikers. The Gowlland Tod Provincial Park has an extensive trail system leading south through the forest and the Gowlland Range, connecting to Goldstream Provincial Park miles away near the south end of Finlayson Arm.  Some of these trails permit bicycles and horses.  There’s much to see and do in the Saanich area of Vancouver Island, it's worth taking time to enjoy all that this area has to offer.