Squitty Bay

Squitty Bay Provincial Park supports wildlife typical of the Gulf Islands, including black-tailed deer that are particularly abundant on Lasqueti Island due to absence of natural predators like cougars and wolves. Raccoons, river otters, and various small mammals utilize the coastal forest and shoreline habitats. Harbor seals frequent the bay and surrounding waters, while orcas, humpback whales, and porpoises occasionally pass through nearby channels. Bald eagles are common, nesting in tall trees around the bay and hunting along the shoreline. The intertidal zones support diverse communities of sea stars, anemones, crabs, and mollusks, while eelgrass beds in shallow areas provide nursery habitat for juvenile fish. Seabirds including cormorants, mergansers, and gulls feed in the bay, while great blue herons stalk the shallows. The forests provide habitat for songbirds including Pacific wrens, varied thrushes, and numerous seasonal migrants.

The park features coastal Douglas fir forest typical of the Gulf Islands' rain shadow environment, with Douglas fir, western red cedar, and arbutus trees dominating on drier sites. The understory includes salal, Oregon grape, oceanspray, and sword ferns adapted to the relatively dry conditions compared to wetter parts of coastal British Columbia. Arbutus trees are particularly prominent on rocky, well-drained slopes with their distinctive peeling bark and twisted forms characteristic of Gulf Islands landscapes. The forest has been affected by historical logging on Lasqueti Island, with a mix of second-growth and some mature forest areas. Shoreline vegetation includes salt-tolerant species such as sea asparagus, beach pea, and various grasses adapted to tidal influences. The bay's shallow areas support eelgrass meadows that provide critical habitat for juvenile salmon, herring spawn, and numerous invertebrates.

Squitty Bay occupies a glacially-carved embayment in Lasqueti Island's predominantly sedimentary bedrock, consisting of rocks from the Nanaimo Group deposited in marine environments during the Late Cretaceous period. These relatively soft sandstones and shales have been extensively eroded by wave action, creating the bay's current configuration and the gently sloping beach areas. Glacial activity during the Pleistocene epoch shaped the island's low-relief topography, with ice movement creating the general landform patterns and depositing glacial till that now forms much of the island's soil cover. The beach areas consist of mixed sand and gravel derived from erosion of the local bedrock and glacial deposits. Rocky areas along the shore occasionally reveal fossils and sedimentary structures that record ancient marine environments.

Squitty Bay enjoys the Gulf Islands' favorable rain shadow climate, receiving approximately 800-1,000mm of annual precipitation, significantly less than mainland British Columbia. Summer temperatures typically range from 15-25°C with predominantly dry conditions from June through September, while winter temperatures average 2-8°C with most precipitation falling from October through March. The bay's sheltered location on Lasqueti's eastern shore provides protection from prevailing westerly winds, creating relatively calm conditions suitable for anchorage during most weather patterns. The surrounding ocean moderates temperature extremes throughout the year, contributing to the mild climate that supports the area's distinctive dry coastal forest. Water temperatures in the Strait of Georgia reach 15-17°C in late summer, warmer than most British Columbia coastal waters and suitable for swimming.

Lasqueti Island and Squitty Bay lie within the traditional territories of Coast Salish peoples who utilized these islands for fishing, shellfish harvesting, and seasonal resource gathering for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence including shell middens indicates long-term use of favorable coastal locations like Squitty Bay. European settlement of Lasqueti Island began in the late 19th century with homesteaders, loggers, and fishermen establishing a small community. The island has maintained a unique character with limited development, no vehicle ferry service, and a population committed to sustainable, off-grid living. Squitty Bay served as a landing area and anchorage supporting island activities, with the eventual designation as a provincial park ensuring continued public access and protecting the bay from private development.

Squitty Bay Provincial Park was established as part of British Columbia's marine parks system to provide protected anchorage and recreation opportunities for boaters exploring the Gulf Islands. The park designation recognized the bay's value as a sheltered stopover location and the importance of maintaining public access on an island with limited visitor facilities. Park development has been minimal, with basic camping areas, pit toilets, and beach access suitable for the limited number of visitors arriving by boat. Management focuses on maintaining the area's natural character while providing essential facilities for boaters and kayakers. The park serves an important role in the network of marine parks that support recreational boating throughout the Gulf Islands and Strait of Georgia.

The main attraction is the sheltered anchorage in Squitty Bay, offering protection for boats of various sizes in a scenic, forested setting. The beach areas provide opportunities for swimming, beachcombing, and exploring intertidal life during low tides. Walk-in camping areas accessible from the beach accommodate boaters seeking overnight stops during multi-day cruises. Short trails connect the camping areas to the beach and provide access to different sections of the shoreline. The bay's calm waters are suitable for kayaking, paddleboarding, and small boat exploration. Wildlife watching opportunities include observing seals, otters, deer, and various bird species in their natural habitats. The park serves as a gateway for exploring Lasqueti Island, though most of the island is private property and visitors should respect local community norms.

Squitty Bay Provincial Park is accessible only by boat, located on the eastern shore of Lasqueti Island approximately 12 nautical miles from French Creek on Vancouver Island or 15 nautical miles from Westview near Powell River. The park offers walk-in camping areas accessible via short trails from the beach, with approximately 12-15 campsites equipped with picnic tables and fire rings. Facilities include pit toilets but no potable water, requiring boaters to bring adequate supplies. The bay provides good anchorage with depths suitable for most recreational vessels, though space can be limited during busy summer weekends. Lasqueti Island can also be accessed via passenger-only ferry from French Creek, though this involves a significant walk to reach Squitty Bay. The nearest supplies and services are in the small Lasqueti Island community or back on Vancouver Island, requiring careful trip planning and self-sufficiency.

BC Parks manages Squitty Bay Provincial Park to balance recreational use with protection of the bay's marine and coastal ecosystems. Conservation priorities include protecting eelgrass beds from anchor damage, maintaining healthy intertidal communities, and preventing degradation of camping areas from overuse. The park's popularity during summer months creates management challenges including waste disposal, campsite impacts, and disturbance to wildlife. Invasive species monitoring focuses on preventing establishment of non-native plants through biosecurity measures on boats and camping equipment. Water quality monitoring ensures the bay remains suitable for swimming and shellfish harvesting, important both for park visitors and local island residents. Climate change considerations include monitoring for impacts of ocean warming and acidification on marine ecosystems, potential changes to eelgrass distribution, and sea level rise affecting beach and camping areas. The park serves as an important protected area in the Southern Gulf Islands, contributing to regional biodiversity conservation and providing sustainable recreation opportunities in an increasingly pressured marine environment.