SAVARY ISLAND

Savary Island is a great destination that is full of fun local folklore.  As part of the Powell River region, it offers amenities and getaways that are affordable and are easy to get to.  It is the perfect place to buy a new home no matter what stage of life you are in.  People find that starting a family in the Powell River region is easier and more affordable than elsewhere.  It’s also a popular place to retire. 

Finding definite information on Savary Island is hard.  Over time what is true about the island and what is merely myth has been greatly debated.  Some of the major myths can be proven and others are local folklore.  Some think the local folklore was started by business people who wanted to build traffic to their stores and restaurants.  Others think it was started by local residents who wanted to keep the population from growing.  There are seven major myths about Savary Island.

1) The Beaches are Made of White Sand:  This is true! Sort of.  The island is very nearly surrounded by sandy beaches that turn white from the sun’s heat.  Most of Savary Island itself is sandy except for Mice Point.  Mice Point, which is the eastern point of Savary Island, is rocky.

2) It’s Always Sunny:  The Island is actually located in the rain shadow that is located between Vancouver Island and British Columbia’s coastal mountain range.  It gets a lot of sun, but most of the area is usually grey and cloudy.  Some people think that the grey rain clouds fade away over the island and then reappear in other places, but the natural flora of the island shows that Savary Island is actually a rainforest. 

3) Warm Waters:  Incoming and Outgoing tides meet north of Savary Island at the Georgia Strait.  This by itself produces warmer water.  That naturally warmer water then flows over the sun heated beaches and the hot sand raises the temperature of the water even further.  It is said that the water around Savary Island is the warmest water in the Pacific Ocean north of Mexico.

4) Savary Island is Mosquito-less:  This isn’t exactly true.  The ratio of sand to water and regular land mass on the island keeps Savary Island from being an optimal habitat for mosquitoes.  While there are some mosquitoes on the island, the population is far from troublesome.

5) There is No Water on Savary Island:  There is almost no surface water on Savary Island, but there is groundwater.  Getting to it is simple as drilling a short way down or paying a visit to Indian Springs.

6) No Cars Allowed:  Savary Island didn’t have many cars until the 1990s.  Since the 90s, the charge to bring your car over by the barge has been lowered and that has caused the vehicle population to grow.  Unfortunately driving on the island is still a problem because there aren’t any paved roads on Savary Island.  Instead the Island has “Lund Taxi’s” which are big trucks or SUVs that can handle the unpaved by-ways and they can haul you and all of your stuff wherever you need to go.

7) No Lodging Available:  The major hotel on Savary Island burned down early in the island’s history.  It was rebuilt not long after that and then ended up being demolished in 1982.  A Bed and Breakfast has been opened in its place, but there are not any big options for staying on the island unless you have friends who live there.

POWELL RIVER REAL ESTATE

RE/MAX agents have the local listings of places to buy and rent on Savary Island and can help you if you want to sell a home that you have in the area. 

Powell River property is often more reasonably priced than the property you’ll find a little ways south in the Vancouver Region.  In addition to being more reasonably priced, the homes you’ll find in the Powell River region are also typically larger houses and are kept on larger lots than the homes you’d find elsewhere. 

It doesn’t matter if you want to spend a day on Savary Island or the rest of your life.  Savary Island is a great place for both desires!  If you are looking to buy a new home, contact our RE/MAX office and one of our agents will get you started and before you know it, you’ll be in your new dream home! Savary Island is safe, quiet and has a ton of great activities to keep you busy!