BCeh! / Vancouver Island / Gulf Islands / Denman & Hornby / Top 10 Things To Do

Denman & Hornby Islands Things to Do
Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada

Denman and Hornby Islands in the central Gulf Islands is a very popular area for bird watching as there are many prime areas that are frequented by many marine birds and predator birds like the Bald Eagle. Popular activities on Denman and Hornby Islands include exploring hiking and walking trails, scuba diving deep beneath the ocean, sight seeing hoodoo rock formations, biking the narrow roads, fishing for salmon and kayaking currents and ocean channels.
Refer to Parks and Trails List and/or the Eco-Tourism Tour and Guides Business Listings.

1. Wildlife Viewing: Denman and Hornby Islands is a well equipped with bird watching areas. The beaches and the rock crabs, clams, eagles, marine birds and the forests with a healthy population of black-tailed deer. Out on a boat it is not uncommon to play tag with the seals, dolphins, or loons. Tall blue herons amongst the hundreds of sea birds playing the coastline.
   
   
2. Cycling: Cycling both Denman and Hornby Islands is an adventure of biking coastlines. The shoreline backroads of these islands leave you refreshed with scenery at any of the many parks and beaches. If Island hopping is your thing then the BC Ferry ride to and from the islands is one of the prettier rides of the fleet.
   
   
3. Hiking and Walking: The walking paths and hiking trails lead you to paramount vistas high above cliffs or down through easy grade forested trails and beach access routes. The trails take you to areas where you can wade out to islands through shallow water like Sandy Island or take beach walks through Helliwell Park or Boyle Point Park.
   
   
4. Ocean Fishing: Denman and Hornby Island fishing in and around the inlets and bays for the salmon catch of the trip is said to be best fishing the area south of Denman and out by Boyle Point Park. Enjoy a rod and reel experience and while your at it take some time out and take in the picturesque island scenery.
   
   
5. Lake Fishing: Yup ... there is some lake fishing on Denman and Hornby Islands. On Denman Island there is some Trout fishing available if you know what bait to use to out smart an island fish. Try fishing the Chickadee and Graham Lakes if your up to it?
   
   
6. Kayaking and Canoe: Check the tides and the weather, but one can kayak from Buckley Bay on Vancouver Island to Denman Island and onto Hornby island as long as the seas are calm. Kayaking in no slouch either taking you to marine parks and investigating the coves and inlets of both islands. Paddle away because the views are endless.
   
   
7. Beach Worshipping: Sandy beaches grace both Denman and Hornby Islands. From the soothing sandy beaches to the unique beach experience like walking the spit on the north end of Denman Island out to Sandy Island Marine Park at low tide. There is the shores of the beautiful beaches of Tribune Bay on Hornby Island protected by the beaches of Helliwell Park at the point.
   
   
8. Scuba Diving: Denman and Hornby Islands scuba diving is top notch for scenery and marine wildlife. The nearby Flora Islet is where the scuba divers head to see the six-gill sharks. The docile six-gill sharks, a sluggish shark by shark standards, can attain lengths of over six meters (20 feet) but are more likely to get as big as 4. Scuba Diving is big out here on Denman and Hornby Island because of the areas like the south end of Lambert Channel, Heron Rocks, Norris Rocks and Toby Islet picturesque sandstone clefts.
   
   
9. Boating: In one word ....Unbelievable! Denman and Hornby Island has many coves and surrounding areas with private inlets, cozy forested coves, passing by towering rock cliffs while always taking photos of wildlife, investigating the sandy secluded beaches as you stroll by.
   
   
10. Island Day Trip: Stay and spend some quality island time on Denman island and visit Hornby for a day or two. Or stay on Hornby Island and explore Denman. That is how close they are. If you need a little city in your vacation then the BC Ferry ride back to Vancouver Island leads to Courtenay. At least.. set aside a day trip to experience the culture at the island next door. If you do not, you will regret it later.