October 23, 2019
Day 4: South Pender Circuit
Pender Island used to be one, but in 1902 a canal was dredged at a narrow point, making it much easier to get from one side of the island to the other. Consequently we now have North Pender and South Pender, joined by a short bridge which was installed in 1955.
The population of North Pender is only about 2000, but in South Pender it is just 150. So today's ride to South Pender was truly into the "wilderness".
Before setting off on such a perilous circuit, we naturally stopped by the bakery here in the North. It is called the Vanilla Leaf, and is a natural meeting place for the island. We found the quality good , including a date square (known in Eastern Canada as a "matrimonial bar") that won Dodie's approval, and a not too oily blueberry-peach muffin.
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Any of the cyclists that we read here on Cycleblaze that seem to relish hill climbing (like the Andersons and Classens) would not be disappointed on the Gulf Islands. South Pender has a generous helping of ups and downs, including a few slopes where when going down it feels like you have stepped onto an elevator. But the really captivating part of the place is the large number of sea views, which you can enjoy without feeling bugged by traffic on the road.
Here is what that road looks like generally:
Referring to "the road" on South Pender is a bit of a simplification. There are actually "a few" roads, that go anywhere. But for a road to go anywhere here, it means going out to a point. Here is the route we took:
Our first sea view was of course right at "home".
But the next view was at the split of the two sections of the Island. It really is a narrow passage. A roadside plaque explained that before the canal this was a portage site. It seems remarkable that following the separation it was half a century before anyone felt like bridging from one island to the other. The bridge, anyway, gives a good vantage point for looking at the canal:
Although South Pender has little population, it does boast at least one church. The size and style of these Island churches is familiar by now.
Another spiritual line is that which was followed by the native people of the island, the WSANEC. Two roadside installations we found explain their relation to the seasons and the ecology. One of these was a Poet's Cove, where the Marina was discovered to have been built on the site of a 4000 year old village.
The 4000 year old village was undoubtedly nice, but the Marina at Poet's Cove had charms of its own. Built at the bottom of a cliff, it features a number of buildings with pleasing design and very high materials and landscaping standards.
Poet's Cove is on the Gowlland Point road, and Gowlland Point really was a fitting destination for our ride. From here we could see islands of the San Juan group, in the States, and beyond that - however faintly - Mount Baker on the mainland.
In the pleasant (though weak) sunshine, standing by the ocean at a place like Gowlland Point is immensely soothing. No doubt, that is why so many build houses by the sea. Here is one, right at the point:
We were able to circle around South Pender in just a few hours, which put us back at the B&B early in the afternoon. As we cycled, we remarked at the calm and beauty all around, at at the interesting and cosy houses. But we wondered, how much calm and beauty can one have, before going stir crazy? We did think of the joy of a wood stove and a good book, but then again, how many months before that thrill would wear off? Hopefully it's enough months to get the mortgage paid down!
In our own case, we are usually cycling until late, and actively trying to find our next accommodation. But today, we have "nothing" to do. Aha, there is always the Internet! I am off to turn up the heater and settle in to read other blogs on Cycleblaze!
Today's ride: 33 km (20 miles)
Total: 153 km (95 miles)
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