Saltery Bay

Saltery Bay Provincial Park is located on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, southeast of Powell River at the northern entrance to Jervis Inlet along Georgia Strait. Established in 1962, the park provides ocean access and encompasses both marine shoreline and forested uplands divided into two separate sites: a campground area and a day-use area. The park is renowned for its scuba diving opportunities, featuring the famous bronze Emerald Princess mermaid statue that sits 20 meters underwater at Mermaid Cove. The area combines coastal Douglas fir and cedar forests with rocky shorelines, tidal pools, and waterfalls, offering visitors a diverse natural experience on British Columbia's rugged coast.

The park's marine shoreline environment supports a rich diversity of coastal wildlife including harbor seals, river otters, mink, and numerous seabird species. Bald eagles are commonly observed hunting along the shore and nesting in tall conifers throughout the park. From the shoreline, visitors can occasionally spot killer whales and sea lions moving through the strait's nutrient-rich waters. Terrestrial mammals include black-tailed deer and black bears that inhabit the forested areas. At low tide, rocky tidal pools reveal abundant invertebrate life including starfish, sea urchins, crabs, and small fish, providing excellent opportunities for wildlife observation and education.

The park's vegetation is dominated by coastal temperate rainforest featuring mature and second-growth Douglas fir and western red cedar. The forest understory includes salal, Oregon grape, sword fern, and various mosses that thrive in the moist coastal climate. Shore pine and western hemlock also occur throughout the park's forested areas. Along the rocky shoreline, specialized marine algae and kelp forests grow in the intertidal and subtidal zones, providing critical habitat for marine invertebrates and fish. The riparian zone along Park Creek supports red alder, willow, and devil's club, creating important wildlife corridors between the forest and ocean ecosystems.

The park's landscape was shaped by glacial activity during the last ice age, which carved out the deep fjords and inlets characteristic of British Columbia's coast including nearby Jervis Inlet. The bedrock consists of ancient igneous and metamorphic rocks typical of the Coast Mountains geological province. Rocky shorelines feature exposed bedrock sculpted by wave action and tidal erosion, creating the distinctive tidal pools and coves that define the park's marine environment. Little Saltery Falls cascades over resistant rock formations in the forested interior. The area experiences ongoing geological processes including coastal erosion, sediment deposition in sheltered coves, and occasional seismic activity along regional fault systems.

Saltery Bay experiences a mild coastal climate typical of British Columbia's Sunshine Coast, with moderate temperatures year-round due to the Pacific Ocean's influence. Average temperatures range from 3°C in winter to 18°C in summer, with coastal fog common during summer months. The area receives approximately 1,200-1,500 mm of annual precipitation, with most falling as rain from October through March and relatively dry summers from June to September. The park's location on Georgia Strait exposes it to prevailing westerly and southeasterly winds, which can create choppy water conditions. Marine conditions are influenced by tidal currents and occasional strong winds, particularly during winter storms.

The Sunshine Coast region has been home to Coast Salish peoples including the Tla'amin Nation for thousands of years, who utilized the area's rich marine and forest resources for fishing, gathering, and seasonal camps. The name Saltery Bay refers to historical fish salting operations that processed salmon and other fish species for preservation and trade. European settlement increased in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with logging operations harvesting the area's old-growth forests. Commercial fishing and small-scale logging remained important local industries through much of the 20th century. The construction of the BC Ferries terminal at Saltery Bay established the area as a transportation hub connecting the upper Sunshine Coast to Vancouver Island.

Saltery Bay Provincial Park was established in 1962 by the British Columbia provincial government to protect coastal habitat and provide public ocean access along the developing Sunshine Coast. The park was created during an era of provincial park expansion aimed at preserving representative ecosystems and providing recreation opportunities. The famous Emerald Princess mermaid statue was installed underwater at Mermaid Cove in the 1980s, quickly becoming an iconic feature that attracts scuba divers from around the world. Over the decades, facilities have been expanded and improved to accommodate growing visitation, including campground upgrades, accessible facilities for disabled divers, and the development of the Mermaid Cove Trail system. The park remains managed by BC Parks as part of the province's protected areas network.

The Mermaid Cove Trail is the park's signature hiking route, following an easy 30-minute path through second-growth forest to a sheltered cove with an accessible ramp for disabled divers. The trail offers opportunities to view marine wildlife including seals, otters, and eagles while winding through coastal Douglas fir and cedar forest. The underwater bronze Emerald Princess mermaid statue at Mermaid Cove is the park's most famous attraction, sitting at 20 meters depth and welcoming scuba divers to explore the rich marine environment. Little Saltery Falls can be reached via hiking trails through the forested interior. The rocky shoreline throughout the park provides excellent tide pooling opportunities, particularly during low tides when diverse marine invertebrates become visible.

The park offers 42 vehicle and tent campsites including 2 double units, with facilities including pit toilets, showers, a sani-station, and multiple water taps throughout the campground. The day-use area, located 1.5 km north of the campground, features a concrete double boat ramp with parking for trailers, enabling easy water access for boaters and divers. Wheelchair-accessible facilities include two modified pit toilets and the specialized oceanside ramp at Mermaid Cove designed for disabled divers. The park is accessible via Highway 101 and is located adjacent to the BC Ferries Saltery Bay terminal, which provides connections to Earl's Cove and the lower Sunshine Coast. Fresh water is available from hand pumps and taps, and change room facilities serve both campers and day-use visitors.

BC Parks manages Saltery Bay to protect its coastal temperate rainforest ecosystem and marine shoreline habitat while accommodating recreational use. Conservation priorities include maintaining water quality in the marine environment to protect kelp forests and invertebrate populations that support the food web. The park's forests provide important habitat connectivity for wildlife moving along the coastal corridor. Management challenges include balancing increasing recreational pressure, particularly from scuba diving tourism, with protection of sensitive marine areas around Mermaid Cove. Invasive species monitoring and control efforts focus on preventing the establishment of non-native plants that could displace native forest vegetation. Education programs emphasize low-impact recreation practices, proper waste disposal, and wildlife viewing ethics to minimize human impacts on the park's ecosystems.