Sechelt, BC

No trip to the Sunshine Coast is complete without a visit to Sechelt, the Coast's largest centre. A narrow strip of land guarded to the south and north by the Pacific Ocean, Sechelt, which literally means "Land Between Two Waters" in the Coast Salish tongue, offers a plethora of seaside activities and in-town attractions to accommodate every interest. Rated the second best place to dive on the planet by Jacques Cousteau, the Sunshine Coast's spectacular underwater attractions lure scuba divers from all over the world. The HMCS Chaudiere, a retired war ship, was purposely sunk in 1992 between the Sechelt and Salmon Inlets on the Lower Coast, creating an artificial reef for divers of all levels to explore, while a 2.7-meter (9-foot) bronze mermaid lures divers to her lair off the shores of Powell River, further up-coast. While you're down there, keep your eyes open for giant Pacific octopi. Averaging between 23- 27 kg (50 –60 lbs.), with an arm span of approximately 6 m, (20 ft.), this is the world's largest species of octopus. You'll have to see it to believe it!

On shore, gently poke a finger into the spongy sea anemones or search for starfish as you explore the tidepools at Smugglers Cove Marine Park. Perfect your sunbathing technique on the soft sands at Davis Bay, or enter into the annual Sandcastle Competition, which occurs each July. Far from the typical plastic bucket creations, past entries have included sand replicas of geckos, igloos, and even a sea monster downing a ship!

Sechelt is located on the Sunshine Coast's main highway, Highway 101. BC Ferries sails several times a day between Horseshoe Bay in Greater Vancouver to Langdale Ferry Terminal in Gibsons, 27 km (17 mi.) southeast of Sechelt, connecting this coastal paradise with BC’s mainland. This scenic 64-km (40-mi.) crossing through Howe Sound takes about 40 minutes. BC Ferries also sails from the Saltery Bay Ferry Terminal near Powell River to Earl's Cove, 59 km (37 mi.) north of Sechelt. Malaspina Coach Lines takes passengers from Vancouver across on the ferry to the Sunshine Coast with stops in Gibsons, Sechelt, and Pender Harbour, while scheduled flights arrive from Vancouver, Victoria, and Nanaimo into Sechelt, 27 km (17 mi.) northwest of Gibsons. A 24-hour water taxi service is also available from Gibsons, Secret Cove, and Egmont. Population: Sechelt: 8,000 Lower Sunshine Coast: 26,365 Elevation: 8 m (26 ft) Average July Temperature: 18ºC (64ºF) Average January Temperature: 4ºC (39ºF) Annual Rainfall: 3 cm (1 in.) Annual Snowfall: 93 cm (37 in.)

5 Day Weather Forecast for Sechelt

Date	Weather	High	Low
January 28, 2012	Partly Cloudy
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February 01, 2012