Travel for Dogs: Bowen, A Dog Loving, Island Community
What better name for a dog-friendly island than Bowen Island?
We visited the island community of Bowen in British Columbia with Knudsen June 2013.
Bow-wow-en is an island located North West of Vancouver and South of B.C.’s Sunshine Coast. There are about 3,500 inhabitants (human) year round, with many commuting daily to jobs in the city. In the summer the population reaches nearer 5,000. Of course for the visitor, the island is equally accessible by BC Ferry from Horseshoe Bay, leaving every hour – a short 20 minute ride. The ferry is a very reasonable $11/return for a foot passenger. The last ferry back to the mainland is about 10:10 P.M..
Dogs are allowed on the Ferries but are relegated to the car deck. They say once you’ve been on the island for a few days you start to settle back to a slower pace… you are Bowenized.
Dogs abound down on the waterfront and on the main town strip near the Snug Cove Ferry launch. The Historic Union Steamship Company and Marina has in recent years created a large, flat grassy field with perfect views of Snug Cove surrounding mountains. The grassy outlook is large enough to accommodate picnickers, impromptu Bocce ball and of course dogs – at once.
The island has quite the collection of local furry inhabitants. At one point the black Labrador Retriever was the dog of choice for islanders*. Today there is a great variety of all types of dogs, right through the range of smaller dogs – many Bischon types, to big dogs like the Saint Bernard types.
You will find many dogs tied up along the boardwalk while the humans step into any number of quality pubs and restaurants for the music and food. There’s often even a dog friendly face who offers to watch your dog as you head in for a coffee or burger. I go with my instinct whether to decide a ‘stranger’ is okay to watch my dog.
Dog Days of Summer are repeated in August every year. Competitions include the cutest dog, dog look alike contests, a costume parade and rally competitions. Boaters are known to schedule their holiday to arrive for the Dog Days. So as you can imagine this event becomes notorious far afield and anticipated all summer!
This year Doggie Days will be held on Sunday, August 11, 2013. Nominal registration fee for humans. Dogs are free. Pre-registration required. All proceeds go to BC Guide Dog Association.
This dog friendly (and human friendly) community is a testimony to the wonderful experiences abroad friendly to dogs.
If you bring your dog along when you travel you can take the time to reinforce a good recall. Take along a long leash. The travel weary dog may backtrack on his training.
We took the day to dedicate totally to whims of dog walking. Knudsen loves the island and the sail over. As on many dog friendly areas the odd dog will often join in fetch and other games. A small entourage of smiling faces gather round to have their fill of playtime! I practice “sit” with each of the dogs. It is all good fun!
With the added benefit that the island public are very forgiving and loving of puppy behaviours, it makes for enjoyable and focused training.
There are other and less traditional ways of arriving to Bowen Island in B.C. Cormorant Water Taxi for foot passengers leaves from Granville Island in False Creek, Vancouver. Not for the feint of heart, the kayak trip across Howe Sound from the mainland is probably one of the most scenic trips around. Pet accommodation on a kayak is not unheard of! If you sail there are a number of operations on the mainland to charter a motor or sailboat. I’ve sailed over in one of the 242 Martins from Granville Island (though without Knudsen).
*Thanks to anecdotes from the Bowen locals including author and dog owner, Nick Faragher (“The Well: and Other Stories” (thistledown press)).
For accuracy 🙂 The island was renamed in 1860 in honour of Rear Admiral James Bowen not its four-legged inhabitants!
