Sunshine Coast: Gibsons Landing

by Miss604 | March 13, 2010

I´ve profiled Gibsons, BC as a day trip destination before but having been able to take a walking tour yesterday with John, I figured it was time for an updated article about this seaside gem.

Hopping on a BC Ferry, the 40-minute crossing to Langdale from Horseshoe Bay is a breeze.

You have the choice to walk on or bring your vehicle across and if you choose the latter, I highly recommend heading to Lower Gibsons before you hop on the main highway.

Lower Gibsons or Gibsons Landing is home to the legendary Molly´s Reach from the CBC series The Beachcombers  - one of my most prized possessions as a child was a photo of Molly´s Reach autographed by Molly herself, actress Rae Brown. The town also hosts almost a dozen galleries on their main village street and harbour docks along which you can pick up the freshest seafood around.

In front of Molly´s we met with Celia Robben who is the President of the Sunshine Coast B&B, Cottage Owners Association and also runs Acturus Retreat. Celia walked us around Lower Gibsons as we learned about the area, its happenings, and how it is a hub of coastal artisan activity.

You can pick up an Art Walk pamphlet to do a self-guided tour of the galleries along Gibsons Landing. You can also keep an eye out for the purple artisan flag. These fly outside galleries, houseboats, private residences or studios if there is an opportunity for your to browse & purchase works from an artist.

Many of the galleries operate as co-ops where artists, crafters and artisans can get together and sell their works from a collective store-front. The paintings we saw were vibrant, colourful, and reflective of life in Gibsons. It may be pretty hard not to find a portrayal of Molly´s Reach somewhere in the mix, but with its bright yellow exterior and harbour backdrop, there´s no wonder this icon inspires many.

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