For five years, my husband Tim and I have cruised the British Columbian coastline. From Centre Bay to Montague Marine Park. Prideaux Haven to Gorge Harbour. We crisscrossed the Strait of Georgia, heading out for weekends and weeks at a time. Then we had kids. And we wondered if our free-wheeling days of cruising were finished.
Cruising doesn't have to end because of children. From my experience, this is when the real fun starts! Boating with kids offers a world of exploration I had previously ignored. Anchorages provide tidal pools, beachcombing, sea life. Crossings are an excellent opportunity to teach navigation and night skies are filled with stars and constellations normally not seen in the city.
Below are my four favourite destinations to cruise to with the family:
Newcastle Island Worried about your first boating trip with kids? Try Newcastle Island. Playground? Check. Large field to kick a ball in? Check. Showers? Pub offering a dining area for kids? You bet. Nature is in abundance here with walking trails through the woods, tidal pools for examination, and at low tide, mud flats to romp around in. Pirates Cove Ahoy there me hearties, sail on over to Pirates Cove and let your scallywags run free. A child's paradise awaits you.
On our trip, our little lads and lassies were eager to pillage the treasure chest located at the north end of the marine park. Pirates of all ages can take a treasure but they are encouraged to leave some loot behind for future plundering. Plan ahead parents. This is an anchorage to be creative in.
We hid goodies among the driftwood. The children had treasure maps, eye patches and pretended to be pirates as they searched for the buried booty. Once found, they stayed to play on the beach and swam in the ocean.
Tribune Bay In the heart of summer when the sun high, the water is clear and the sand is hot, this is an anchorage reminiscent of a Caribbean lagoon, not the Pacific Northwest. Warm water. Tidal pools for exploring. And at low tide, the beach continues on forever. In other words, days upon days of activities for young and old alike. And to make it even more perfect, a short walk away is a grocery store, some restaurants and an ice cream stand.
Rebecca Spit Love it here! Located on Quadra Island, Rebecca Spit is a narrow hook of land with warm pebble beaches, beautiful walking trails, and large pieces of driftwood. The stone beach was a highlight for my husband and son. They spent hours gathering rocks and throwing them into the water. When that became boring, they grabbed pieces of driftwood and played pebble-stone hockey.
Untie the lines! Grab life jackets! Get out there. It does takes a bit of extra planning - what food to take, clothes to pack and toys to bring - so be prepared. And plan your anchorages. The last thing you want is to be in a beautiful bay without shore access. That may have been nice as a couple, but it spells trouble as a family.
Remember - shore access is a must. Beaches provide hours of enjoyment. Tidal pools are nature's classroom. Pick a few destinations with amenities. But most importantly, go sailing!
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