Sidney Island is one of the

southern Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands are a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from " Gulf of Georgia," the original term used by George Vancouver in hi ...

located between the southwest

coast The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

and

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...

, BC, near James Island. Sidney Island has an elevation of 77 meters (252 feet 8 inches) above mean sea level at its highest point. It is located just east of the town of

Sidney Sidney may refer to: People * Sidney (surname), English surname * Sidney (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Sidney (footballer, born 1972), full name Sidney da Silva Souza, Brazilian football defensive midfielder * ...

which is on the east coast of the

Saanich Peninsula Saanich Peninsula ( str, W̱SÁNEĆ) is located north of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is bounded by Saanich Inlet on the west, Satellite Channel on the north, the small Colburne Passage on the northeast, and Haro Strait on the east. The ...

. Sidney Island is a part of the

Capital Regional District The Capital Regional District (CRD) is a local government administrative district encompassing the southern tip of Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The CRD is one of several regional di ...

, while its land titles are legally described in the Cowichan Land District. In 1859

Captain Richards Sir George Henry Richards (13 January 1820 –14 November 1896) was Hydrographer of the Royal Navy from 1863 to 1874. Biography Richards was born in Antony, Cornwall, the son of Captain G. S. Richards, and joined the Royal Navy in 1832. ...

named the island for Frederick W. Sidney, who, like Richards served in the survey branch of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

The northern end of the island (including Sidney Spit, a sandspit) is part of the

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is a national park located on and around the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada. In the National Parks System Plan, this park provides representation of the Strait of Georgia Lowlands natural region, the ...

. It was formerly the Sidney Spit Marine Park under provincial jurisdiction. Sidney Spit is accessible by kayak, canoe or boat. There are 21 mooring buoys, and dock space is available to boaters on the government dock. Sidney Spit is also accessible by the privately operated walk-on passenger ferry that runs between the Sidney Pier (in Sidney) and Sidney Spit during the summer months. Sidney Spit is known for its sandy beaches and backcountry camping. There are 26 walk-in, backcountry camp sites available at Sidney Spit, and facilities include pit toilets and picnic tables. Due to the high sodium content there is no longer any potable water at Sidney Spit. It is recommended that visitors bring their own water. Campfires are not permitted. Wildlife is abundant on Sidney Spit, as this island is an important resting spot for migrating shorebirds.

Sidney Island Strata

The southern part of the island (about 80%) is organized into a private strata corporation containing 111 strata lots, each of which is generally between one and three acres in size with 200 to 400 feet of oceanfront.

References

External links

Southern Gulf Islands map in the Capital Regional District

Sidney Island on BritishColumbia.com

Sidney Spit ferry

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve
{{GulfIslands Greater Victoria Islands of the Gulf Islands Cowichan Land District