The musical resonance of one long BC Ferry blast permeates the shores of Horseshoe Bay, inviting visitors to discover adventures beyond the confines of the lower mainland.

One long blast, signaling the boat’s imminent departure for waters beyond, commands the attention, if only for the moment, of all who visit.

From sheltered Bowen Island to the natural port of Horseshoe Bay, the shores of Georgia Strait were first home to the Sta-mish Coast Salish people, whose ancestors migrated down the coast about 5,500 years ago. They called their secluded seaside home Chai-hai, or low sizzling noise, named after the chatter noise made by the abundant small fish on the bay’s beaches at night. For aboriginal communities situated to the north and the lower mainland, the area was a summer meeting and trading destination.

In the latter half of the 19th century, Vancouverites discovered the area as a place of maritime beauty and cottage charm. Dan Sewell, in 1918, lured to the area by the outstanding fishing, was among the first pioneers to call Horseshoe Bay home. Like many who visit Horseshoe Bay for the first time, it was love at first sight. Sewell eventually bought waterfront property and established a lodge and marina which would become one of North America’s finest sport fishing destinations, hosting celebrity anglers such as Roy Rodgers and Bing Crosby.

The Black Ball Line pioneered ferry service from Horseshoe Bay in the 1930s, transporting cottagers across Howe Sound to the Sunshine Coast dock now known as the Langdale terminal. Today’s Horseshoe Bay terminal also offers commuter service to the upscale community of 3,000 on Bowen Island, and is the gateway of the second most travelled crossing on the Georgia Strait – Horseshoe Bay/Nanaimo. On this traverse, the ferry departs Horseshoe Bay and heads west past Bowen Island towards the outer Gulf Islands of Gabriola and Valdes, which are visible in the distance. The visual feast includes unparalleled views up the fjord of Howe Sound. Many islands punch through the normally calm waters, and one can see Bowyer, a privately owned island, the recreation-oriented Gambier Island, and the rugged and mysterious Anvil Island near Porteau Cove Provincial Park. Once the ferry is in the middle of the Strait, a glance north reveals Lasqueti and Texada Islands; a look back offers spectacular views of the craggy Coast Mountains. For the more than 3 million passengers who travel the Horseshoe Bay/Nanaimo route each year, every moment spent on deck or looking out a window provides something magical, whether it’s an orca’s dorsal fin slashing the dip of a wave, or a bald eagle circling high on thermal winds.

As the ferry pulls out of Horseshoe Bay, four long blasts issue another communication, a warning to the multitude of pleasure craft speckling the Bay to ‘beware of the big boat’ and ‘to get out of the way or risk collision’. This maritime signal also serves as a call to maritime adventure, a harbinger back to the charm of a century old cottage lifestyle and the never-ending sensory treat of an ocean vista.