A quick trip to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands – #sidneyshowcase #saltspringvisit
I had a chance to spend a couple of days in Sidney by the Sea (in Vancouver Island, British Columbia) and a day trip to Salt Spring Island invited on a very unique trip (as all the businesses who invited me did so because of the focus of my research in environment, the interest of my audience in sustainability themes and my own personal interest in showcasing local businesses).
In particular, I have found Sidney and Salt Spring Island rather underrated and when the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre invited me to visit and to organize a full-fledged tour, I jumped at the possibility. While I am a specialist in water, I’m not an ocean and marine policy expert. So this opportunity to visit the SODC would give me more exposure to marine and fisheries issues. My trip was complemented with a visit to the Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse, and the hotel where I stayed (the Sidney Pier Hotel and Spa) has implemented numerous sustainable practices.
Moreover, my transportation was taken care of by Salt Spring Air (from Vancouver to Patricia Bay in Vancouver Island and from Ganges Harbour in Salt Spring Island to Vancouver), however I took BC Ferries from Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour. Salt Spring Air is a carbon-neutral company. For me, this trip was not only a much-needed getaway but also a chance to (a) experience a number of products and services offered by local firms in Vancouver Island and the Gulf Island and (b) promote local businesses who have implemented sustainable practices all over.
This trip was definitely a perfect fit both for the consortium as well as for me, because of my interests in sustainability and in showcasing and promoting local businesses. While I definitely needed to have spent a full week there to at least begin to experience both areas (Salt Spring Island and the Saanichton area), and I really didn’t get as much rest as I wanted to, it was great for me to at least get away for a couple of days. I also had the opportunity to go down to Victoria to visit some of the friends I’ve made through Twitter. We had a drink at The Office Lounge down by Blanshard and Yates, and I had overall a good time.
This week will feature individual posts describing the activities I undertook while visiting Sidney and Ganges, as well as an overview of the companies who invited me. The hashtag on Twitter I’m using for Sidney is #sidneyshowcase and for Salt Spring Island is #saltspringvisit. Hope you enjoy the series!
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We were in Sidney a few weeks ago on our 2 week vacation. My grandparents used to live there and it’s change a bit since I was last there. I noticed the Ocean Discovery Centre but we did not go inside, nor do I think it was open while we were there.
Tyler’s last blog post..Parksville Kite Festival 2009
@ Tyler – you should have gone, it’s SO great!