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Denman
Island's Realty Magazine
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About Hornby
Island
Hornby Island is one of the most beautiful of British
Columbia’s Gulf Islands. Its alluring blend
of tropical flavoured white sandy beaches and northwest
coastal rainforest make it an attractive vacation
destination and a beautiful place to call home.
The Island is nestled in the Strait of Georgia,
off the eastern shore of Vancouver Island, and opposite
Buckley Bay, 20 km (12 miles) south of Courtenay,
B.C. (Comox Valley), and 80 minutes north of Nanaimo,
B.C.
While Hornby is best known for its beaches (Tribune
Bay is named as one of Canada’s top five beaches).
Hornby also boasts a reputation as a world leader
in recycling, having established a profitable program
more than 25 years ago, and is a centre for specialty
farming and the arts. Hornby Island’s 1000
permanent residents have developed a diverse local
culture, fueled by environmentalism, an appreciation
of the arts, and community involvement in government.
The beautiful West
Coast style homes, select acreages and investment
properties on Hornby are considered prime real
estate, with good appreciation rates. With its stunning
natural beauty and exciting local culture, Hornby
Island represents an ideal place if you’re
thinking of relocating to a rural community.
Hornby Attractions
Without a doubt, Hornby Island’s most popular
attraction is Tribune
Bay Provincial Park, boasting almost
1 km of fine white sand beach and aquamarine waters
with near tropical temperatures. Nicknamed “Little
Hawaii” by locals, the south-facing Tribune
Bay (photo)
is a paradise for beach lovers, naturalists and
hikers. After relaxing in the sand, be sure to investigate
the unusual rock formations and hoodoos along the
shoreline, home to countless species of intertidal
sea life. To get to Tribune Bay, simply follow the
main road off the ferry to the Co-op, then take
a left until you reach the park entrance.
If you take a right from the Co-op intersection,
you will be heading toward Little Tribune
Bay, the second of Hornby’s white
sand beaches. Little Trib’ is favored by locals
for it claims many of the benefits of Tribune Bay,
but attracts far fewer people. Similarly, Whaling
Station Bay on the northeast side of Hornby
is a quiet and charming sandy beach where you can
enjoy swimming, sun bathing, and beachcombing.
Not to be outdone by its sandy cousins, the rocky
beaches of Hornby Island are both numerous
and intriguing, with their abundance of curious
sea life and stunning views of the Strait of Georgia
and the Coast Mountains. Beach access points are
marked on the map in the Denman
& Hornby Islands Tourism Brochure.
 Perched
atop rocky St. John’s Point, surrounded by
old-growth Douglas fir and the Pacific Ocean, sits
beautiful Helliwell
Provincial Park (photo).
The park’s stunning bluffs provide spectacular
panoramic views and guard the northern entrance
to Tribune Bay. In late April and early May, the
hillside along the bluffs bursts into colour with
the bloom of thousands of spring wildflowers. Several
walking trails are provided, including a 5 km loop
trail that meanders by Garry oaks and the rocky
shoreline before winding through the majestic forest.
Just off the tip of S. John’s Point, is Flora
Islet, a recent addition to Helliwell and one of
few locations in the world where divers can observe
the rare and mysterious Six-gill
shark. This mild mannered deep sea shark, along
with underwater gardens and caves, attracts divers
and biologists from all over the world.
Ford’s Cove is another centre
of activity on the Island, where you’ll find
the Marina and public dock, a general store, the
Arbutus Arts gallery, and vacation lodging. At any
point through the year, you’ll find the docks
well employed by recreational sailors, fishers and
scuba divers.
Hornby Island’s Mt. Geoffrey
(photo)
is fast becoming one of British Columbia’s
top venues for mountain bike racing. With trails
like No Horses Trail, a half-pipe like trail that
follows a riverbed, it’s no surprise that
cyclists are flocking to the Island for annual racing
and training. The regional district has a map
of the park showing access points and other
valuable information.
With its stunning natural beauty, Hornby has easily
attracted artists and artisans
of all persuasions, and their presence has significantly
contributed to the Island’s eclectic culture.
When visiting the Island, be sure to stop in at
the galleries and open studios to view the exquisite
work of Hornby’s potters, painters, photographers,
silversmiths, weavers, sculptors and other artists.
Hornby Island is a special haven for nature lovers,
with a plentiful assortment of wildlife.
The Island’s deer population is quite large,
probably due to the lack of natural predators on
Hornby. Majestic bald eagles are a common sight,
particularly at Helliwell. Owls, the increasingly
threatened Great Blue heron, orca whales, sea lions
and seals are other animals that can be observed
easily..
The Co-op Store (photo)
is the centre of commercial activity on Hornby Island.
In addition to the large co-operative food market
and gas bar, you’ll find Jan’s Café,
the VOR IZO Espresso Bar, clothing, book and craft
stores, and a full service Bike Shop. In the summertime,
a lively community market operates across the road,
where local craft and food merchants sell their
wares, often accompanied by live music.
In the middle of the Island, sits the beautiful
Hornby Community Hall (photo),
a handmade cordwood structure built by the hands
of the community. The Hall stages visual art, music
and community events throughout the year. On Saturday
mornings in the summer, the lot behind the Hall
is home to a wonderful Farmer’s Market, where
organic produce is plentiful.
Events on Hornby Island
Several annual events occur on Hornby Island throughout
the year, attracting visitors from around the world
to celebrate the Island’s natural and cultural
beauty.
In March, the Herring Spawn brings
eagles and Stellar sea lions to feed in the waters
off Hornby, providing a spectacular wildlife display
for locals and tourists alike. A parade, nature
walks, educational displays, art shows, a photo
contest and the Herring Ball are all part of the
festivities.
The Hornby Island
Blues Workshop is one of Canada’s
premier blues instructional camps, offering numerous
workshops with some of North America’s most
respected artists, and electrifying main stage performances.
If you enjoy the blues, be sure to sign up well
in advance as they sell out every year!
Possibly the Island’s most intensive artistic
offering is the Hornby
Festival, a 10-day celebration in August
of the very best in Canadian classical music, opera,
visual arts and comedy. The Festival’s world-class
entertainment is a very popular attraction year
after year.
Also in August is the Tribune Bay Sandcastle
Sculpting Contest and Salmon BBQ. This
is a great event for people of all ages. If you
like hanging out on the beach and feasting on locally
caught salmon be sure to attend!
On Labor Day, the Island celebrates
the end of the summer season with a variety of activities.
Later in the month, the Harvest Festival
presents the best local produce, plus two days of
bake-offs and live entertainment.
 Finally,
at any time during the year on a Friday night you
can catch Friday Night Jazz at
the Thatch Pub. Running for over 12 years now, this
weekly performance showcases the Annie Siegel Band
and guests playing a wide array of jazz standards
and bebop.
Conclusion
Combine Hornby’s venerable white sandy beaches,
majestic coastal forests, abundant wildlife and
intriguing culture, and you have a magnetic West
Coast community to call home. Hornby Island is a
wonderful place to relax and enjoy the beauty of
nature, and experience the best of the arts and
specialty agriculture. It is a decidedly active
community, where an appreciation for the environment
and ingenious thinking is paramount.
Whether you are seeking to permanently relocate
or find an ideal cottage property, an investigation
of Hornby
Island real estate is worth your attention.
Although Hornby property listings can be scarce
at times, opportunities always make themselves known
to those who truly desire to live the Hornby dream.
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