Cowichan Bay (Ocean)

Cowichan Bay is one of those places where you can grab a paddle, push off from shore, and very quickly forget there’s a town behind you. Here, the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers meet the protected waters of the Salish Sea, creating a maze of tidal flats, salt marshes, eelgrass beds, and sheltered coastline that’s made for exploring by kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard. Stick close to the estuary for an easy-going float or, when conditions cooperate, point your bow farther into the bay for big views toward Salt Spring Island and the surrounding coastline. Best of all, you can finish your paddle with coffee, seafood, or a wander past Cowichan Bay’s famously colourful floating homes. Not a bad après-paddle scene.

And you probably won’t be alone on the water: great blue herons stalk the shallows, harbour seals pop up to see what you’re doing, migratory birds fill the estuary, and sea lions occasionally explore these waters. Beneath you, eelgrass meadows provide important habitat for juvenile salmon, herring, crabs, and other marine life. The estuary is also part of the traditional and unceded territory of the Quw’utsun’ People, who have relied on these waters and their abundant food sources for thousands of years. Come for the calm water and coastal scenery, stay for the wildlife, and don’t be surprised if your “quick paddle” turns into a few hours on the water.