Moon Vancouver & Victoria by Andrew Hempstead

Moon Vancouver & Victoria by Andrew Hempstead

Author:Andrew Hempstead [Hempstead, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Avalon Travel
Published: 2014-10-11T21:00:00+00:00


SWIMMING

The best beaches and ocean swimming is east of downtown starting at Oak Bay and extending all the way up the Saanich Peninsula. Most of the summer crowds spend the day at these beaches sunbathing; although a few hardy individuals brave a swim, water temperature here tops out at around 17°C (63°F). Willows Beach, at Oak Bay, is popular with local residents, but doesn’t have as much sand as points north.

At the south end of Arbutus Cove is Hollydene Beach, a short stretch of sand that is as soft as anything found in the Victoria region. Continuing north is Cordova Bay Beach, a wider stretch of sand with similar cool waters. Farther north still is Island View Beach Regional Park, where a long stretch of sand is backed by piles of driftwood and a forested area.

Warmer than the ocean are lakes dotted throughout the region. I’ve swum in most places and found Eagle Beach on Elk Lake to have the warmest water. It’s a large shallow lake with a mostly sandy bottom that warms the water through the day, plus the beach is backed by a row of grand old willow trees. To get there follow Highway 17 north toward the ferry terminal; you’ll see the lake off to the left of the highway before reaching Sayward Road, where you will need to exit. At forest-encircled Thetis Lake, west of downtown along the TransCanada Highway, the water is cooler than Elk Lake, but the small stretch of sand is a pleasant spot to relax in the sun.

If the ocean water surrounding Victoria is a little cold for your liking (as it is for most residents and visitors alike), head downtown to Crystal Pool (2275 Quadra St., 250/361-0732, 5:30am-11pm Mon.-Thurs., 5:30am-10pm Fri., 6am-6pm Sat., 8:30am-9pm Sun., adult $5.75, senior $4.50, child $4), which has an Olympic-size pool, a water slide, two kids’ pools, sauna, and whirlpool.



Download



Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.