One of the Gulf Island's most popular marine parks, Pirates Cove is located on the southeast corner of De Courcy Island, 16 kilometers southeast of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.

There are several middens in the park that indicate native use of the land going back over 3000 years. The largest of these shell refuse heaps underlies the present campground. Today, this rich intertidal area is still abundant with clams and oysters, but of greater excitement is the large number of sand dollars to be found.

Outdoor enthusiasts can hike the 4 kilometre trail or explore the sandstone beaches and caves. As would be expected, swimming and kayaking are popular activities at Pirates Cove, called Gospel Cove by the Aquarians, with great beachcombing on the east coast of De Courcy Island. Pirates Cove also offers a variety of opportunities for viewing wildlife .

Access to Pirates Cove Provincial Marine Park is by private boat only, through Dodd Narrows from Nanaimo.

Jedediah Island

The 243-hectare Jedediah Island Park is located between Lasqueti and Texada Islands in the Sabine Channel of Georgia Strait.

Part of Jedediah Island's charm is that it is not easy to reach. Those who venture out on the water are rewarded with sheltered provincial wilderness campsites on several marine park islands. It's difficult to overstate how pleasant it is to stay at any of them.

Jedediah's isolation and tranquility make it an excellent destination for kayaking and wilderness camping. What sets Jedediah apart is its size (240 ha) one of the largest island parks in the province. Visitors are free to camp anywhere on Jedediah. Some of the best sites are near the shoreline around Long Bay, 

Informal campsites abound around the sheltered shore of both Long and Home Bays. As well as sites on the clearings above the beaches at both bays, look for a series of trails that runs around Long Bay and a short distance through the forest to several small bays on the east side of the island.

Home Bay is semi sheltered by Mother Goose Island, which lies just offshore, but it lacks the tranquillity of Long Bay. Both bays teem with shellfish: when the tide goes out, the exposed mudflats are ripe for clam raking.

Jedediah's north and south ends are rocky and hilly; most visitors will be content to explore the trails that run through the middle section of the island. An old road crosses the island, linking Long and Home Bays. Unlike many of the nearby islands, Jedediah has never been subjected to wholesale logging; much of the forest cover through which visitors walk is old growth.

A herd of feral sheep and goats graze in the fields that surround a farmhouse standing above the shoreline at Home Bay. The horse was brought to Jedediah in the 1980s and stayed on after the owners sold out. The weathered house is boarded up now, as are all the outbuildings, but there is still a definite feeling of a working homestead about the place. A shed houses antique farm equipment beside an orchard of gnarled trees

The scene is an unusual one to find in a provincial park, and reminiscent of Ruckle Provincial Park at the south end of Saltspring Island, site of one of British Columbia's first family farms.

Jedediah Island Provincial Marine Park is located in the Strait of Georgia, between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. Access to the park is by boat 

Princess Louisa Marine Provincial Park on the Sunshine Coast has a charm and scenic beauty that must be seen and experienced to be fully appreciated.

Voted the "most scenic natural anchorage" in the world, the marine park is located in the Princess Louisa Inlet and is accessible by boat or plane only - there are no public roads. The only entrance to the marine park is through the Straight of Georgia by way of Jervis Inlet, 90 km north of Skookumchuck Narrows.

This 65-hectare park offers a unique setting with tranquil waters surrounded by a magnificent granite-walled gorge. Cut by a glacier, the walls rise to heights in excess of 2,100 metres.

Until mid-June, the warm sun melting the mountain snow creates more than sixty waterfalls that cascade and spume down precipitous walls to mingle with the waters of Princess Louisa Inlet below.  Tumbling 45 metres at the head of the inlet is the beautiful Chatterbox Falls, one of the most visited and celebrated nautical destinations in British Columbia. 

Princess Louisa Inlet, referred to as Suivoolot or "sunny and warm" by natives, serves an active part in native lore for groups such as the Sechelt Nation. As placid as a mountain lake, the ocean waters of Princess Louisa Inlet move constantly with the tides, but currents are practically non-existent except for the seven to ten-knot Malibu Rapids at the entrance.

The area surrounding Chatterbox Falls was originally purchased by James F. MacDonald in 1927 and passed on to the non-profit Princess Louisa International Society in 1953, so that "all may enjoy its peace and beauty". After years of guardianship by the Society, the park's administration was given over to the Government of the Province of BC for all to enjoy. The park was created on June 24, 1965. 

This spectacular park contains 9 wilderness walk-in campsites and basic facilities. Visiting boats can moor at the floats. During the high-use season, usage may be limited to 72 hours only. Canoeing and kayaking provides a wonderful perspective from which to view both scenery and wildlife. A hiking and walking trail enables visitors to view and appreciate the natural beauty of the royal fjord from the tranquility of its shoreline. MacDonald Island is accessible by dinghy.

Visitors to the park should stay on the marked trails and be aware of the presence of black bears in the area. Other attractions in the park are the mountain goats, alpine meadows and native petroglyphs.

Facilities include campsites, a picnic shelter, toilets and a ranger cabin. Boating facilities provided include mooring buoys, stern pins, a boat dock and a dinghy dock.

Princess Louisa Provincial Marine Park is located approximately 38 miles (60 km) northeast of Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. Egmont is a convenient and popular departure point for cruises up Jervis Inlet and Queens Reach to Princess Louisa Inlet and the Chatterbox Falls, one of the most splendid trips you can take in BC, to the tranquil paradise.