Thetis Island on the Georgia Strait - About the Island
Thetis is named for the Royal Navy ship HMS Thetis, that was on station in this area in the colonial days.
Many of the neighboring islands, including Kuper Island, are named for former members of the Royal Navy who were ship’s officers stationed on the west coast. There are also a significant number of locations named by and for Spanish explorers who were also instrumental in the discovery and mapping of much of the west coast of what is now Canada and the United States.
Thetis Island is part of the “Islands Trust” area, which includes most of the Gulf Islands. The Islands Trust is similar to a municipal level of government, whose primary function is the preservation and protection of the Gulf Islands and their unique habitat. Each island has representatives on the Islands Trust, and each island also produces it’s own zoning and bylaws to best reflect what the individual residents wish for their island.
There are no public lands on Thetis; no provincial parks, and no campgrounds or similar facilities. There are several camps run by church organizations, and a bible school, located right at the ferry landing. Those wishing to visit Thetis have a number of bed and breakfasts to choose from, as well as Overbury Farm Resort which has rental cabins, but no motels or hotels. The marina also has a rental suite. Campers need to seek permission of property owners in order to pitch a tent.
The climate of Thetis is generally drier than that of Mainland Vancouver or much of the Pacific Northwest, as it rests in a rain shadow of the mountains of Vancouver Island. The prevailing winds off the Pacific Ocean lose much of their moisture on the highermountains of Vancouver Island, giving the west coast of the “big island” several hundred of inches of rain a year, on average. Temperatures for Thetis are representative of the Pacific Northwest, varying little from those of Seattle or Vancouver, as a general guideline.
The fall and winter is temperate, with rainfall being predominant, and little, if any snowfall in an average year. Summers, from June through August, are warm and generally dry, with temperatures usually in the mid 70’s to low 80’s F, or mid to high 20’s Celsius. Very comfortable. The climate in the Gulf Islands is conducive to year-round cruising. Spring and fall offer more wind for sailing, and warm days with cool nights, with few other boats. Summer is the busy time, with the warmest and driest weather. Environment Canada can provide statistics on average temperatures and rainfall for representative months of the year for comparative analysis.
The easiest way to get an overall view of Thetis Island and its’ location in relation to the rest of the west coast, is to have a quick look at Google Earth satellite imagery. There you can see the relative proximity to Nanaimo, Sidney, Victoria, Vancouver, the various passes through the Gulf Islands, and the larger and more well-known spots like Saltspring Island. The marina has a navigation chart with waypoint information is on a wall in the pub, which can be used for quick reference as to distances from or to various destinations in the general area. At times it comes as a surprise when checking bearings or courses, as compass directions can be misleading, or confusing, because Vancouver Island is oriented almost in an east-west direction rather than the often assumed north-south. Much of what is thought to be a northward journey through the islands turns out to be almost easterly.
