10 Reasons why Powell Riverites choose to live hours away from any other civilization
Photo by Paul Hamilton on Flickr
Why would anyone live in Powell River?
There has to be a reason. Over 13,000 people call it home. Or rather, If someone was thinking of moving there, how could they be convinced?
We’ve gathered what we think are some of the hidden gems and best parts of where we come from. We hope you enjoy them – and share them!
Without further ado, here are 10 Reasons to Live in Powell River:
Goat Lake. Photo by Brock Ellis
10. More fresh lakes than you can shake a stick at!
Powell Lake, Haslam Lake, Dodd Lake, Goat Lake, Duck Lake… the list goes on.
And most of our lakes have the freshest water you’ve ever tasted, and on top of that, FREE camping! What more could you ask for?
Photo by Garrett Knorr
9. Fishing, fishing, fishing
Being located right on the Georgia Strait has its benefits. We have some of the best saltwater fishing on the west coast. (Campbell River might disagree, ha) And the best part is, they’ve been biting lately.
Photo by David Stanley
8. Trails
Hundreds of kilometres of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and ATVing— whatever your little outdoor heart desires. And of course there’s the Sunshine Coast Trail. Since it’s Powell River, is everyone is looking out for each other. There are several volunteers that take care of the trails – the ATV club, the BOMB (Bloody Old Men’s Brigade) Squad, and members of the PR Cycling Association, just to name a few.
7. Diving.
Did you even know cold-water diving was a thing in Powell River? It is. People even prefer to go in the winter, because the water is more clear. The “Emerald Princess” is a very popular shore dive, where you can visit a 9ft bronze mermaid statue in Mermaid Cove near Saltery Bay. It’s submerged under 50ft of icy water near a wrecked rowboat. Sounds inviting, no?
The Powell River Canoe Route. Photo by Ziemek Trzesic
6. The Canoe Route
8 lakes, 5 portages, and several campsites are situated along this 57km adventure.
5. Hockey
As you might know, hockey is a bit of a religion in Powell River, and we’re even home to our very own Junior A hockey team, the Powell River Kings. Many locals turn up for the summer Kings Hockey Camp every year, and there is a men’s league team (the Regals) that have a rich and proud history. Plus, we’ve had a few guys from town make it all the way to the NHL – Gary Lupul, Brad Bombardir, and Micah Aivazoff, to name a few.
Lund, BC. Photo by Carlos Megia Greene
4. Lund, BC
Lund, the most northern point on the Sunshine Coast, is the “gateway to Desolation Sound” (which is a real place, not something we made up). Desolation Sound is what you call a boater’s paradise – with anchorages like Grace Harbour, Refuge Cove, Prideaux Haven, and a collection of islands like Quadra, Cortes, and Read Island. Add to that – mountains, wildlife, and warm water for swimming – it’s absolute perfection. And we can’t forget our favourite part about Lund, the water taxi to Savary Island, which some have dubbed the “Hawaii of the North”. (I sure wish people would stop spreading that rumour!)
3. Low Crime Rate
Powell River is a pretty darn safe place to live. The crime rate is lower than the average in BC. Heck, most people don’t even lock their doors!
2. Cheap Waterfront property.
Where else could you afford a waterfront property without selling your soul to the devil? Certainly not anywhere else in BC.
Photo by Janis Behan
1. Some of the BEST sunsets in the world.
With Vancouver Island off in the distance, and views of Harwood, Savary, and Texada, we have some of the most picturesque sunsets in the world. And I’ve seen my share of sunsets! The greatest part is, there’s nothing obstructing our views – no tall buildings, no big tankers sitting in our bays, no cruise ship terminal – just pink sky as far as the eye can see.
There’s our top 10 reasons to live in P.R. Do you agree, or do you think we missed some obvious ones? Leave a comment here for us, or on our Facebook page. If we get enough responses, we’ll post another list (and give you credit for your suggestion).
Janis Behan