Boats snug at rest on a quiet morning at the marina.

I didn’t know exactly what to expect as we rounded the point and entered Snug Cove. But after two days in the bustle of Vancouver’s Coal Harbour, we were looking for someplace quiet and relaxing.  

The cruising guides agreed that this was a must stop for us on our quick tour of Howe Sound. But as we’ve come to discover, the short, telegraphed descriptions didn’t begin to do the place and the Union Steamship Marina justice.  

We edged our way deeper into the narrow cove, which sits on the northwest side of Bowen Island. A steep hillside blanketed in Douglas firs rose above our port side. And ahead was a small, white B.C. ferry tucked almost impossibly against the dock.  

A ferry enters Snug Cove.

I glanced behind me and saw the mountains of the mainland perfectly framed in the entrance. Yup, this was going to be a pretty stop.  

A dockhand pedaled by bike to meet us at the linear wooden dock. And as soon as the boat was safely secured, I could feel the low-key nature of the place beginning to work its magic. We figured on staying for one day. But I knew almost immediately we would be here a spell longer.  

That’s the allure of Snug Cove and the Union Steamship Marina.  

This was our first foray into Howe Sound and we were excited about visiting Bowen Island. This mountainous and wooded island guards the entrance to the long and stunning fjord about 12 miles from Vancouver.  

According to locals, the population of the island has swelled during the past few decades from about 500 to about 3,500 today. And judging by the price of real estate, they are mostly an affluent bunch.  

As we strolled around the beautifully manicured grounds of the Union Steamship Marina and then up the road beyond it, we quickly discovered all amenities we consider crucial to a great port.  

The new marina building.

Harborside pub? Check. A grocery store? Yes – in fact, two of them. A coffee shop? You bet, and one that roasts the coffee beans on premises. Bookstore? Small but good. Hiking? The trailhead was just a few blocks away.  

And how about food? Well, let’s just say that Snug Harbor offers enough to make most picky foodies happy.  

All of this would have been enough for us. But things got even better when owner Rondy Dike gave us a tour of the Union Steamship Marina’s amenities.  

The marina office recently moved to a floating, two-story structure that has been in the works for years and just opened recently. The bottom floor has marina offices, workspaces and a small but efficiently stocked chandlery.   

Upstairs in the new building was the kind of place cruisers dream of after a few weeks on a hook. There were the large, clean bathrooms. Large-sized washer and dryer. And individual shower rooms so spacious and inviting that the staff like to joke that you can save 50 cents by showering with a buddy.   

An innovative use for an old boat.

There was a lounge with a sofa, Internet access and a flat-screen television for those who want to reconnect.  

Old portholes looking out at the marina were mounted at each urinal and in the shower stalls, creating a “loo with a view.” Parts of a derelict wooden powerboat were incorporated throughout the upstairs, including the transom, which served as a sink basin.    

Throughout the building, the obvious attention to detail was befitting an architect – which, it happens, was Dike’s career before he decided to buy the dilapidated marina in the early 1980s.  

The marina property includes several cottages and buildings constucted in the early 1900s by the Union Steamship Company, which ran a busy resort at Snug Cove for half of the 20th century. Back then, Bowen Island was dubbed the “Happy Isle,” drawing as many as 5,000 tourists and vacationers on summer weekends for horseback riding, canoeing, boat cruises and dances at what was then the biggest dancehall in British Columbia. The resort closed in the 1960s, and the old marina had fallen into disrepair by the time Dike bought the site.

“It was a little junker marina,” he said. “(The property) was a big mud pit, dried. We dredged the area and built the whole thing from scratch.”

Dike hoped to dredge the harbor and finish the marina in time for Expo ‘86 in Vancouver.  Although environmental regulations and a strict development process on the island made that timeframe difficult, the years of patient progress has transformed the marina into a gem. 

About 70 percent of the marina hosts permanent moorage, giving the Union Steamship a steady base of revenue. It’s not surprising that boaters from Vancouver flock to Snug Cove on weekends, often occupying the space allocated for guest moorage.  

But U.S. boaters are more than welcome at the marina and can usually find a slip in summer, especially if they visit during weekdays.  

Enjoying an afternoon in the cockpit.

We wanted to make the most of our visit there – starting with soaking up the relaxing vibe of the place. It was surprising how quiet the marina was. The only regular noise was the hum of the ferry engine when it was docked a stone’s throw away from our slip. But it was a pleasant hum at that.  

Strolling the wooden docks, we saw boaters lounged in cockpits, chatting quietly or nursing a beer and a book. We followed suit.  

Eventually, though, we hauled ourselves up and wandered over to the deck of the pub, where we drank a couple of B.C.-brewed Okanagan Springs Pale Ales on the deck overlooking the marina.  

And we quickly discovered a common thread on Bowen – really good food.     

We tried the Tuscany Restaurant, which features wood-fired pizzas in a cozy, modern setting.  We were tempted by several other restaurants with very good reputations but skipped them, if only to give ourselves an excuse for returning here next year.  

Inside The Ruddy Potato.

There was another reason as well. We spent a lot of time – and quite a few dollars – shopping for excellent meat, veggies and cheeses at The Ruddy Potato, a high-quality food store a few blocks up the hill from the marina. With all the good stuff in our basket, we had to have at least a few meals on the boat.  

A larger, everyday grocery store, the Snug Cove General Store was even closer to the boat and perfect for grabbing the provisioning basics. But be warned – groceries on the island don’t come cheap, and the prices of some items can be high.  

We ate so well that we were really looking forward to the two-hour walk around Killarney Lake. We set out in the morning under a warm sun and welcomed the cool shadiness of the well-groomed, forested trails that snake around the lake. It was an easy, beautiful hike of about 9 kilometres, with little elevation gain.  

Next time we’d like to try the more ambitious Mount Gardner hike, a 17-kilometre trek that takes about seven hours and climbs to the highest point on the island, providing vistas onto Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast and Burrard Inlet.  

Part of the trail around Lake Killarney.

After grabbing a cup of freshly roasted coffee at the Happy Isle Cafe, we stopped by The Village Baker. I knew what I wanted as soon as I saw it – a sausage roll. I wasn’t disappointed. The flaky crust and meaty sausage was fantastic. Yes, happy tummy.  

We were not eager to leave Snug Cove. And the availability of moorage for a third night was tempting. In fact, we were pretty much ready to leave when Dike informed us that the marina has a car for boaters to use and then insisted we visit Artisan Square, a collection of shops and galleries about a mile and a half up a steep hill.   

Okay, twist our arms. This was research, after all. We poked our heads in the galleries and then stumbled upon what had to be the food Mecca of Bowen, the Artisan Eats restaurant and bakery.  

With the same owners as the Tuscany Restaurant, we figured it was going to be good. But we were floored by the selection of fresh dishes and baked goods. We sampled a few things, including a ratatouille muffin that melted in the mouth with a burst of savory flavor. The fresh-baked breads, pastries and sandwiches looked just as appealing. But we already had a boat full of food, so we just bought a few small things and then kicked ourselves for not finding the place sooner.  

The view from the loo.

Oh well. By then it was more than clear that we would be back to visit Snug Harbor again.  

Taking a last look at the sun-soaked, forested hills and the charming marina before we shoved off on Wednesday afternoon, I found myself thinking that while the island has undergone a lot of change in recent years, I hoped it doesn’t change too much before we set foot there again.  

This kind of magic will never get old. 

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