Gambier Island
Encyclopedia
Howe Sound
Howe Sound is a roughly triangular sound, actually a network of fjords situated immediately northwest of Vancouver.-Geography:Howe Sound's mouth at the Strait of Georgia is situated between West Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. The sound is triangular shaped, open on its southeast towards the...
near Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It is about 17,000 acres (69 km²) in size and is located about 10 km north of the Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, British Columbia
Horseshoe Bay is a West Vancouver community of about 1,000 permanent residents. Situated right on the western tip of West Vancouver, at the entrance to Howe Sound, the village marks the western end of Highway 1 on the British Columbia mainland....
community and ferry terminal in westernmost West Vancouver.
A rugged and sparsely populated island, it is far quieter than its neighbour Bowen Island
Bowen Island
Bowen Island, British Columbia, is an island municipality in Howe Sound, is part of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and is an island included within the jurisdiction of the Islands Trust . Approximately 6 km wide by 12 km long, the island at its closest point is about 2 km...
, which is popular with day-tripper
Day-tripper
A day-tripper is a person who visits a tourist destination or visitor attraction from his/her home and returns home on the same day.- Definition :In other words, this excursion does not involve a night away from home such as experienced on a holiday...
s and summer vacationers. Gambier Island is accessible only by B.C. Ferries passenger service, water taxi
Water taxi
A water taxi or water bus, also known as a commuter boat, is a watercraft used to provide public transport, usually but not always in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating in a similar...
or other boats. There is no central road network.
The island elects two trustees to the Islands Trust, an organization that unites small island communities in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to oversee development and land use. Other islands in Howe Sound include Keats Island and Anvil Island
Anvil Island
Anvil Island, also often called Hat Island, is the third-largest of the islands in Howe Sound, British Columbia, Canada, and the northernmost of the major islands in that sound. It is located northeast of Gambier Island and southwest of Britannia Beach and west of Porteau Cove. The Defence...
.
Population
There are under 200 long-term residents on Gambier, but the population swells to about 1,000 in the summertime due to the island's summer holiday homes. The island's scenic setting and solitude make it popular with artists and writers.Communities
The main wharf and settlement area is called New BrightonNew Brighton (Gambier Island)
New Brighton is an unincorporated settlement on the southwest side of Gambier Island in the Howe Sound region of British Columbia, Canada. It is the main wharf and settlement area on the island. The other named community on the island is Gambier Harbour, to its east....
, on the west side of the island. Gambier Harbour
Gambier Harbour
Gambier Harbour is a harbour and unincorporated settlement on the east side of the southwest end of Gambier Island in the Howe Sound region of British Columbia, Canada, which is immediately northwest of Vancouver...
, another small community, lies to the east, with another wharf and boat dock. A locality at the north end of the island is Elkins Point while another on the southwest side of the island is Hopkins Landing.
Facilities
Gambier Island has a general store and one bed and breakfastBed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
. Barging companies provide service from Gibsons and Horseshoe bay for transport of large items. Fire service is run by volunteers. There are no garbage processing facilities on the island.
The community centre hosts concerts, children's Christmas parties, barbecues, and the like. It is available for rentals.
Halkett Bay Provincial Park
Halkett Bay Provincial Park
Halkett Bay Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada....
is located on the southeast side of Gambier.
Gambier Island hosts the annual "Commotion by the Ocean" blues and rock festival each summer. This event started in 2000.
Camps
Camp Artaban is an AnglicanAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
camp, serving children, youth and adults. Sailing, canoeing, swimming, hiking, volleyball, crafts, camp fires, music, games and much more is offered. Worship is held in an outdoor chapel, and all programs include components for spiritual growth. Camps are offered on a weekly basis during the summer and on weekends in the spring and fall. Programs include girls camp, junior and senior coed camp, family camp, single parents camp,sailing camp, and a fine arts camp. During the spring and fall seasons, the facility is available for use by outside groups. Camp Artaban was named after Artaban, the main character in Henry Van Dyke
Henry van Dyke
Henry Jackson van Dyke was an American author, educator, and clergyman.-Biography:Henry van Dyke was born on November 11, 1852 in Germantown, Pennsylvania in the United States....
's book "The Other Wise Man". Across the bay (Port Graves), Mount Artaban was named by Reverend A.T.F. Holmes, Vicar of Lulu Island
Lulu Island
Lulu Island is the name of the largest island in the estuary of the Fraser River. The island makes up most of the City of Richmond, a major suburb of Vancouver, British Columbia...
, for the camp. An older name for Camp Artaban was Long Bay. The camp was established in 1924 by Reverend J.N. Brachner.
Camp Fircom, a United Church
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
summer camp for children, youth and families, is located on the island's south-eastern edge near Halkett Bay. During the summer it offers camping experiences and programs, a tradition that began in 1923. During the fall to spring months the remote site is offered for rental by user groups of all shapes and sizes. Camp Fircom has recently (2011) undergone a $7.5 million renovation and the new facilities include:
- Accommodation for up to 180 people
- Canoes and rowboats
- Archery field and equipment
- Sports equipment
- Miles of hiking trails
- Secluded, pebbled swimming beaches
- Workshop and classroom space
- A gorgeous light-filled dining hall
- State-of-the-Art kitchen facility
- Spacious, covered outdoor patio with a fireplace
- Beautiful and serene Outdoor Chapel for quiet reflection
- Two outdoor fire sites, ideal for campfires and music
Camp Latona is an outdoor education center and youth summer camp on the north end of Gambier Island. Camp Latona was originally a Sea Cadet Naval Base during WW2 and became a summer camp in the early 1950's. Thousands of children have spent their summers hiking the trails of Gambier Island or paddled the waters of Howe Sound from Latona. The Camp is a favourite rental location for schools and private groups to learn about environmental sustainability, alternative energies, diverse ecosystems and First Nations studies. Many groups use the camp for corporate retreats and leadership team building on the newly installed Zip Lines and High Ropes Courses. Camp Latona also has undergone considerable revitalization recently with new cabins, boats, activity areas and the building of a massive Tipi Village.
History
The island was named by Captain RichardsGeorge Henry Richards
Admiral Sir George Henry Richards was Hydrographer to the British Admiralty from 1864 to 1874.-Early life:Richards was born in Anthony, Cornwall, the son of Captain G S Richards, and joined the navy in 1832....
in 1860 for James Gambier
James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier
Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier GCB was an admiral of the Royal Navy, who served as Governor of Newfoundland, and as a Lord of the Admiralty, but who gained notoriety for his actions at the Battle of the Basque Roads.-Early career:Gambier was born in New Providence, The...
, Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet is a military naval officer of the highest rank. In many nations the rank is reserved for wartime or ceremonial appointments...
who had a distinguished career in the British navy, was a Governor of Newfoundland and served as a negotiator of the Treaty of Ghent
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent , signed on 24 December 1814, in Ghent , was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
ending The War of 1812 between Britain and the United States.