Ganges Harbour Salt Spring Island
Ganges, at the head of Ganges Harbour, is a favourite destination. This bustling seaside village has marinas, good anchorage, shops, galleries, restaurants, and two large supermarkets with marina delivery. There is a dedicated centrally located dingy dock. Thrifty Foods is the closest to the marinas. Above the store, entered from the street side is “The Local”, a liquor store associated with Thrifty Foods that also delivers to the marinas. Country Grocer (Liquor Agency in the store), at 374 Lower Ganges Road, has a van with pickup, and drop-off services at any Ganges marina. Mouat’s, a huge old hardware and household goods general store with a separate gift shop and apparel section, is a longstanding favourite.
The sprawling Salt Spring Island Saturday market, also called the Farmers Market, is held in Centennial Park at Grace Point on Saturdays 9am – 4pm, April through October. A Tuesday farmers market, no crafts, is held in the same location 2pm – 6pm from June to the end of October. Although boats and tourists are important to summer trade, Ganges is not just a summer resort village. It’s a bustling center of year-round local commerce.
Boats can anchor out in the bay. All buoys in the harbour are private. Moorage is available at Saltspring Marina, Ganges marina, or the town’s Kanaka Wharf. Larger yachts might side-tie along the 240-foot-long floating breakwater that extends into the bay from the Coast Guard dock. An airplane float, pump-out station, and some power and water are on the breakwater. A ramp leads to the shore. Because of the breakwater’s high freeboard, it is best suited to larger boats. If the wind blows, expect some movement.
The Saltspring Island Sailing Club’s docks, to port as you approach Grace Point, have some space for reciprocal clubs. It’s about a 1-mile walk to town. The Centennial Wharf public dock behind Grace Islet is permanent moorage only with some transient “hot berths” available if you call the Harbour Authority office. Off Mouat’s, the Kanaka Visitors Dock is close to shopping; Kanaka Dock moorage frequently opens up during the day as boats come and go.
Harbour Authority of Salt Spring Island: 127 Fulford Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 2T9; (250) 537-5711. Monitors VHF 09. The Habour Authority of Salt Spring Island manages eight marina facilities.
For more information visit our partner site Waggoner Cruising Guide. For all your yacht provisioning call our concierge desk at 778-432-0477. If you’re looking for a superyacht marina we accept 65′ to 220′ vessels. Phone or book online to reserve your slip or book the ultimate yacht Rendezvous.
