PLAYED · SALT SPRING ISLAND · THREE BOATS

From the logbook

Salt Spring Island Family Fleet Escape — 4 Days / 3 Nights

Four days on Salt Spring Island — cross by yacht, sail into Butchart Gardens, fish the Gulf Islands, and fall asleep under the stars.

Aug 23 – Aug 26, 2026 · Salt Spring Island · 3 boats

How long: 4 days · 3 nights
Group: 12-16 guests · four families
Where: Salt Spring Island
Boats: Princess F49 · Axopar 37 · Axopar 28
Stay: 5-star Airbnb, Long Harbour

The day

Four families crossed from Vancouver by boat, settling into a private island home near Long Harbour for three nights. Days were spent on the water — gliding into Butchart Gardens from the sea, pulling up crab pots and spot prawns, and landing a hefty salmon off the Axopar. One afternoon took the group across the island to Mount Maxwell for views over the Gulf Islands, and another brought a quiet visit to Shin Mei Spiritual Centre by boat. Evenings meant seafood dinners together, with some of the kids trading the house for a yacht sleepover under a sky full of stars.

Highlights

Sailed right up to Butchart Gardens
Landed a big salmon together
Pulled up crab and spot prawns
Starlit night aboard the yacht
Fleet rafted up at the marina
A deer wandered close on the island

Day by day

Day 1 · Sun, Aug 23, 2026

11:00 AM PTCoal Harbour Public Dock, Vancouver — Guests board the Princess F49 and Axopar 37 at Coal Harbour Public Dock and settle in for the journey to Salt Spring Island.
Late morning – late afternoonStrait of Georgia — The Princess F49 and Axopar 37 travel south along Vancouver and Richmond before crossing the Strait of Georgia toward Salt Spring Island.
4:00 PM PTLong Harbour, Salt Spring Island — Both boats reach the Long Harbour area in the late afternoon. Guests unload, settle into the 5-star Airbnb, and slow the pace down after the crossing.
EveningLong Harbour — Everyone gathers for a chef-prepared dinner at the Long Harbour home. After dinner, most guests stay at the house, while several children are driven to the nearby Yacht Club to spend the night aboard the Princess F49.

Day 2 · Mon, Aug 24, 2026

MorningMorning Reunion — The children who slept aboard the Princess return to the house in the morning. Everyone gathers for breakfast and prepares for the day's activities.
Late MorningButchart Gardens by Boat — The group leaves Salt Spring Island aboard the Axopar 37 and cruises toward Butchart Cove for a visit to The Butchart Gardens.
AfternoonFishing, Crabbing & Spot Prawns — After Butchart Gardens, the group spends the afternoon fishing and crabbing before meeting the Axopar 28 near Salt Spring Island for the spot prawn portion of the day.
EveningSeafood Dinner & Overnight — The group returns to Long Harbour, where the chef prepares a seafood-focused dinner using planned ingredients together with suitable fresh catch from the day.

Day 3 · Tue, Aug 25, 2026

MorningMount Maxwell Island Tour — After breakfast, the group takes the island vehicles to Mount Maxwell Provincial Park for a few hours of sightseeing.
AfternoonShin Mei Spiritual Centre by Boat — In the afternoon, the group boards the Axopar 37 and heads toward Shin Mei Spiritual Centre on Knapp Island.
AfternoonFishing, Crabbing & Spot Prawns — After visiting Shin Mei, the Axopar 37 continues with fishing and crabbing before meeting the Axopar 28 again near Salt Spring Island.
EveningSeafood Dinner & Final Island Night — Everyone returns to Long Harbour for dinner and one final evening together. Most guests stay at the house, while the children using the Princess can return to the yacht for their final onboard night.

Day 4 · Wed, Aug 26, 2026

10:00 AM PTCruise Back to Vancouver — After a 10:00 AM check-out, guests divide between the Princess F49 and Axopar 37, load the luggage, and begin the return journey across the Strait of Georgia.