Island Guide
The Nature of
Savary Island
Savary is a glacial sandbar about five miles long, lying east to west and anchored at its rocky east end by Mace Point. Here is the land, the water, and the wildlife that make it feel like nowhere else on the coast.
The Land & Water
Why Savary feels different
The Shape of the Island
A glacial sandbar
Savary is a sandy glacial deposit about five miles long, lying east to west and narrow north to south. A shallow, sandy shelf rings the whole island, and the rocky headland of Mace Point anchors its east end.
Duck Bay Shallows
Why the Water is Warm
Some of the warmest swimming on the coast
Savary sits in the rainshadow of Vancouver Island’s mountains, and two tidal flows fork around the island and meet just to the north. Combined with that shallow sandy shelf, it gives the shallows a warmth you rarely find this far up the coast.
Spirit Tree Trail
The Forest
Coastal Douglas Fir country
Arbutus, cedar, grand fir, hemlock, maple, white pine and Douglas fir grow across the island, along with hidden Garry-Oaks. In May, chocolate lilies bloom on the natural meadows.
Government Dock
Quiet by Nature
Few bugs, few big mammals
With almost no surface water, mosquitoes are scarce, and so are large mammals. Deer, squirrels, bats and mice are the year-round residents, while river otters den down at Mace Point.
Wildlife
Who you'll share it with
