By Mark Lester

When I tell people that I sell private Islands for a living, many of them tell me that it has always been a dream of theirs to own one, or at least experience living on one. For many people, there is a special allure to a private island that even the most spectacular waterfront estate cannot begin to match. In British Columbia we are blessed with a protected and breathtakingly natural inland waterway that contains numerous private islands, deserted coves, marinas and exquisite waterfront properties. The Canadian Gulf Islands are part of the same archipelago as the San Juan Islands in Washington State and have many of the same characteristics. The bulk of Vancouver Island provides shelter from Pacific storms to the islands being in the lee along the island’s east coast. Generally the climate is sunnier and warmer the further one gets away from the mainland mountains which trap cloud and create precipitation.

The rainfall in the southern islands is 15 to 20 inches annually whereas at Vancouver International Airport, it’s 30 to 40 inches. The northern inlets, Howe Sound, Jervis Inlet and Desolation Sound receive even more rain. The seawater temperature is the opposite of the air temperature. Sea water temperatures in Desolation Sound and the inlets reach the 70s and sometimes 80s in spots during the warm summer months. The closer one gets to the open sea at either end of Vancouver Island, the colder the water. The seawater off Victoria, for example, does not vary more than a few degrees year round.

There are about 100 islands in the Southern Gulf area and eight of the larger islands enjoy ferry service. This southern area is considerably more populated than the northern part of the Gulf. It is located in the centre of the major population of B.C. and is easily accessed from Victoria, Nanaimo and Vancouver. Many people have started with summer cottages and have ended up with full-blown houses for their retirement. The private islands in the Southern Gulf range in size from less than a ¼ acre to more than 1,500 acres. Over 20 of them have been subdivided, often without concern for moorage, water or perk testing. This type of subdivision is no longer allowed.

I believe the principal attraction of island ownership is the basic feeling of splendid isolation from that other world across the water. One’s very own private kingdom with a moat provided by nature and the drawbridge is always up. The pride of ownership that comes with that feeling is an important consideration.
When prospective purchasers of these idyllic kingdoms ask me about purchasing a private island, I ensure that they are well informed about the factors that should be considered. Some of these factors include the following:

1. Location

The location of an island is one of the most critical considerations. Be aware of the surrounding area and the services, amenities, or lack thereof, that are available. Some private islands are close to larger communities, which is attractive to some buyers but a detriment to others. Other islands are less accessible, which again, is attractive to some purchasers and less so to others. Generally, the more remote the island, the tougher the access.

Filed under: Island Industry, Regional