Islands in Howe Sound
Passage Island marks the entrance to Howe Sound. It has a few year-round residents and spectacular views of Downtown Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Ships entering Howe Sound will pass east or west of Passage Island.
Bowen Island is the most populous island and is nearest Vancouver, being just opposite Horseshoe Bay. It is incorporated as an island municipality and is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver.
Gambier Island is the largest of the Howe Sound islands, to the northwest of Bowen, near the Langdale ferry landing. Gambier Island is in the process of some concentrated development along its eastern shores in Brigade Bay and Douglas Bay. Numerous seasonal homes line the shores of the southern bays (West Bay, Centre Bay, Port Graves, and Halkett Bay) along with several local yacht club outstations in both the southern and northern parts of the island. The western shore of Gambier and its adjacent Thornborough Channel is still largely taken up by log booms and forestry activity.
A third, smaller but extremely steep and conical island to the northeast of both is Anvil Island, also known as Hat Island. Anvil Island has a summer church camp as well as a number of seasonal homes, primarily in the southern bay formed by a prominent eastward projecting peninsula. The north facing bay of this peninsula is exposed to strong overnight and winter outflow northerly winds.
Keats Island, near Gibson's Landing, has numerous summer homes lining its shores, in addition to a large church camp for children, a large retreat resort and Plumper Cove Marine Provincial Park. The island is serviced by water taxi from Langdale. There is a small core of permanent residents living in Eastbourne.
Between Keats and Bowen Islands lie the Pasley group, a cluster of privately owned islands, each with a scattering of seasonal homes. Further southeast lies Worlcombe Island, also seasonally inhabited.
Just north of Horseshoe Bay lies Bowyer Island, another steep sided island with seasonal homes along its south and west shores.
Uninhabited islands in the northern section of Howe Sound include the Defence Islands, a pair of rocky islands that comprise the Defence Islands Indian Reserves 28 and 28A.
Christie Islet and Pam Rocks just south of Anvil Island are recognized bird breeding sites and a great place to view seals sunning themselves. Pam Rocks is a reporting weather station for the marine weather system. Winter northerly gales can reach close to hurricane force here (see squamish wind).
Between Gambier Island and the Port Mellon mill lies Woolridge Island, privately owned with a single residence.
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