Montague Marina on Galiano Island is my favourite spot on the island.
Yes, it can be a little busier than some corners of Galiano but somehow there’s always a quiet place to sit, pause, and take in the view. A bench, a driftwood log, a patch of grass near the water. Space has a way of finding you there.
What draws me back again and again is the light. Montague feels brighter than anywhere else on the island, especially late in the day. The way the sun drops across the harbour is something special, and it’s no surprise this spot is known for its sunsets. The colours linger. The water reflects everything.
Most days, you’ll find me walking the dogs – Daisy, our 10-year-old Ausalier, and Finn, my kids’ Bloodhound. But my very best days at Montague are low-tide days in the summer.
Low tide turns the shoreline into something close to a treasure hunt. As kids, my mom called it gunkholing, not quite the right word, but it stuck, and it’s still what we call it. Those slow, curious wanders where you don’t really know what you’ll find.
On those days we come across scallops tucked into the sand, sea cucumbers, sea stars clinging to rocks, different kinds of crabs scuttling sideways, moon snail casings, and if we’re really lucky a nudibranch. It never gets old.
Afterward, the day often wraps up perfectly with a beer and a taco at The Crane and Robin. Simple, relaxed, exactly right.
Montague Marina isn’t flashy. It doesn’t need to be. It’s light, water, movement, and those small, quiet moments that somehow add up to a perfect Galiano day.