HALFMOON BAY

        
        




The romantic name of Halfmoon Bay suits this peaceful curve in the coastline. Gentle bays and coves provide protected harbours for marine traffic, and pristine wooded shores beckon. The community of Halfmoon Bay can be reached by the uniquely named Redrooffs Road, so-called because a popular local resort once featured a cluster of tourist cabins, all with red roofs. A diverse community, the region stretches northwest along the coast from Sargeant Bay and includes Redrooffs, Welcome Woods, Halfmoon Bay, Secret Cove and Wood Bay, and is protected from the open sea by North and South Thormanby Islands. Houses are nestled in sheltered pockets along the shoreline and in the forest, with a few more concentrated areas such as Secret Cove and Welcome Woods.

Not far from the southern most turnoff onto Redrooffs Road, you will find Sargeant Bay Provincial Park, noted for its abundance of inter-tidal and marine wildlife. A not-too-strenuous hike through a beautiful cedar forest will take you to one of the prettiest little coves on the Coast with sand and pebble beaches and fascinating tidal pools. Or take the Triangle Lake trail. The name is a bit misleading, as it's not really a lake but a swamp area with lily pad ponds, waterfowl and other marshy delights.

A bit farther along Redrooffs Road you enter Welcome Woods, a mostly residential housing area. Along the winding shoreline you will find Welcome Beach Wilderness Reserve, an undeveloped wilderness area of walking and hiking trails. Welcome Beach itself is down a steep trail and appears to be private property, lined as it is with summer cottages. It is, however, a fine public beach.

Beautiful Welcome Beach - Photo Courtesy of Halfmoon Haven

Cooper's Green Dive Sign

Continuing along Redrooffs Road will bring you to Coopers Green, a small regional waterfront park with a free boat launch and the most accessible diving in the area. Watch out for those giant Pacific octopus - the biggest species in the world - this is where they hang out. The water temperature below 30 feet stays at a comfortable 7 degrees centigrade (45 degrees Fahrenheit). Dive sites are protected, which means no collecting of specimens and no hunting, but there's lots of great looking, even from shore in the tidepools.

At the northern end of Redrooffs Road you will find yourself in the small but charming village of Halfmoon Bay.  The Halfmoon Bay Heritage General Store is a community gathering spot with a post office, liquor sales outlet and great ice cream. It's located on the waterfront in Halfmoon Bay near the government wharf (from which you can see Anchor Rock, Whale Island and Coopers Green). There are art galleries in the village displaying local work. Like the rest of the Sunshine Coast, the Halfmoon Bay area is famous for its artists, crafters and otherwise talented folk, many of whom open their home studios to the public. From Halfmoon Bay General Store at Mintie Road, you can access Redrooffs Trail, a gently sloping forested walkway with rest benches and signage for historical significance and nature interpretation. An easy 1 km walk, this stretch of trail is all that remains of a once-extensive system running all the way to Sechelt.

Halfmoon Bay Village

Old Growth Tree in Caren Range

Just beyond the General Store, Redrooffs Road re-joins Highway 101 again.  A right turn here will soon bring you to Trout Lake - good fresh water fishing, swimming, boating and picnicking. The Trout Lake hiking and biking trail and the Trout Lake Forest Service Road are great places to explore. The Caren Range of mountains are accessed from Trout Lake, offering excellent hiking among 1800-year-old trees, some of the most ancient in Canada. These first-growth cedars date back to before the white man's arrival on the Coast. Several rare species of birds make the Caren their home, as does the extremely rare Bay lynx, a large wildcat found only in the Caren and the Tetrahedron areas.

North of Halfmoon Bay and Smuggler Cove you will find Secret Cove and Wood Bay. Secret Cove is an area of residential housing with some retail and commercial development focused mainly on recreation. There are marinas, restaurants and several galleries in the small village core. Along the highway between Trout Lake and Secret Cove, watch for the trail to Homesite Creek where you will find a small waterfall and limestone caves to explore.

Wood Bay

Kayking in Halfmoon Bay - Photo courtesy of Sunshine Kayaking

The intricate waterways and scattered islands in the Halfmoon Bay area are made to explore by kayak or canoe. Kayak rentals are available, or if you own your own boat, there are several marinas and marine parks in the area. Smuggler Cove Provincial Marine Park is a large waterfront park offering attractions for both land and sea explorers. There are glorious hiking trails, camping facilities, picnicking and an all-weather boat launch and anchorage.

Across Welcome Pass, between North and South Thormanby Islands is Buccaneer Bay, a low sandy spit with a fantastic swimming beach.  Simson Marine Park on South Thormanby is bigger than Vancouver's Stanley Park, with abundant distractions for boaters - a seal rookery at Bertha Rock, granite grottos at the south end and a heritage homesite and farm where you can stop for a picnic. Merry Island is another small jaunt across the water southeast of Thormanby and the site of the Sunshine Coast's only lighthouse, still manned by a real live person.

Beach on Thormanby Island

The 243-hectare Jedediah Island Marine Provincial Park is located between Lasqueti and Texada Island in Georgia Strait, with access available only by boat.  Most of the year, those who make the effort to paddle beyond the federal docks soon have the ocean to themselves.  Jedediah's isolation and tranquility make it an excellent destination for kayaking and wilderness camping.  An old road crosses the island, linking Long and Home Bays.  Approximately 5 kms. of walking trails cross the island, connecting the secluded bays and old-growth forest.  Be sure to keep an eye out for the herds of wild Sheep and Goats.

The sheer tranquility of Halfmoon Bay with its little villages and unique areas makes it a must-see destination for those looking for a peaceful getaway.  And the outdoor enthusiasts have a wide selection of activities to keep them busy for a long while!