Vibrant Victoria



Goldstream Boathouse Marina at the head of Finlayson Arm

After departing Brentwood Bay, we paid a visit to Goldstream Boathouse at the end of Finlayson Arm in Saanich Inlet.  We had an enjoyable visit with Alida Seymonsbergen of Dutch descent and owner of the marina.  She was happy to share their plans for future marina improvements.  She also had some interesting bear stories to share, including a big black bear that wondered around their boatyard earlier that day.  After a pleasant visit we headed back north, rounding Saanich peninsula and anchored for the night in Roberts Bay just north of Sidney.  Roberts Bay offers good holding in a flat mud bottom.  The only drawback are a few large wakes from passing boats that make their way into the anchorage, but the bay becomes settled in the evening as boat traffic subsides.  

Anchorage, Buoys, and Sandy Beaches along Sidney Spit

The following morning we made a stop at Sidney Spit to check on the park buoys, buoy regulations, and water depths.  We found the area to be quite shallow with extensive eel grass; however, there is still suitable anchorage and buoys appropriate for moderate size boats; smaller boats and dinghies can make use of the park dock.  

Attractive Gonzales Lighthouse

From Sidney Spit we continued south down Haro Strait in calm seas.  Passing the attractive Gonzales Lighthouse, we rounded the point and soon entered Victoria Harbour, active with pleasure craft, commercial vessels, little water taxis and seaplanes.  

Entering Victoria Harbour

Since seaplanes land and take-off in the narrow entrance to the harbour, boats must follow a marked lane along the shore, keeping a row of yellow spar buoys (like the yellow line down the center of a road) to port when entering and departing the harbour.  

Yellow Spar Buoys mark the boat lane into Victoria Harbour

Moorage space was available in front of the Empress Hotel and Parliament Building within easy walking distance of other downtown attractions.  

China Town district in Victoria

Mixing pleasure with work, we toured Olde Town, China Town, and enjoyed dinners out in the vibrant city of Victoria.  While looking for the Thrifty Foods grocery a few blocks south on Menzies Street, we found a nice lunch venue nearby.  

The Bent Mast Cafe

‘The Bent Mast’ café, serving light tasty dishes, is in one of many historic homes found throughout Victoria.  Construction on the house began in 1884, one year before the ‘last spike’ of the Trans Canada Railroad was driven in.  The house is located in the James Bay district, but was then called the Beckley Farm area, land that was used by the Hudson’s Bay Company to grow vegetables.  

The old Hudson's Bay Company Building

The old Hudson’s Bay Company building still stands at the corner of Menzies and Simcoe Street adjacent to ‘The Bent Mast’ café.  Rumor has it that the house (café) was a brothel in later years, what with it being relatively close to the docks.  Drugs were also a problem of the time, the Port of Victoria became one of North America’s largest importers of opium from Hong Kong.  The opium trade was legal and unregulated until 1865 and not banned until 1908.  The Hudson’s Bay Company was established by British agent James Douglas and his entourage who arrived in 1842 to set up a trading post.  It was feared that Fort Vancouver would fall into American hands due to the Oregon territory boundary dispute.  

Olde Town District in Victoria

Fort Victoria was built in 1843 in the area known today as Olde Town in the heart of Victoria’s downtown.  Miners later made their way to the region in the late 1800’s when gold was discovered.  Victoria was a convenient seaport and major outfitting center for the mainland goldfields.  Through the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, Victoria became the busiest seaport north of San Francisco.  Vancouver Island joined British Columbia and together became the sixth province of the Dominion of Canada in 1871, with Victoria named as the capital.  

The beautiful Parliament Building

The beautiful Parliament Building was constructed between 1893 and 1897 and the impressive Empress Hotel was constructed in 1908 by the Canadian Pacific Railway.  Other grand buildings include Craigdarroch Castle built by Robert Dunsmuir, owner of coal mines and a railway on Vancouver Island; his son James Dunsmuir built his own grand residence at Hatley Park in present day Colwood in Esquimalt Harbour.  And then there’s the cute Emily Carr House & Garden on Government Street.  

The Impressive Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria

With much to see and do within greater Victoria, it’s hard not to have a great time.  With the winds picking up and more Waggoner work to be done, we decided to stay another night at the Victoria Harbour Authority Docks, a good excuse to have ‘Tea at the Empress.’