The businesses, services, and people who make a stay on Grouse Island work. We try to keep this list current — let us know if anything's out of date.
Most guests fly in. Then it's a short hop by car and boat to the dock.
Campbell River Airport is closest. Comox Valley and Nanaimo are within easy driving distance if your routing prefers them.
The closest airport — about 15 minutes by taxi from the BC Ferries terminal or the water-taxi docks. Daily flights to Vancouver via Pacific Coastal, plus seasonal connections from Calgary and elsewhere.
campbellriverairport.ca →~90-minute drive south of Campbell River. WestJet and Pacific Coastal serve major Canadian cities. Good fallback if there's no Campbell River flight that day.
comoxairport.com →~2-hour drive south. Useful for routes out of Vancouver, Toronto, or Calgary.
nanaimoairport.com →Grouse Island is boat-access only. Pick the option that fits your trip.
Campbell River's local water-taxi service. Direct charter to the dock. Our caretaker can book this for you, or you can book directly.
campbellriver-watertaxi.ca →The caretaker does not run a transfer himself, but he can arrange a water taxi on your behalf and meet you at the island dock for an orientation. If you arrive on your own boat, just coordinate a time and he'll meet you at the dock. Either way, he can also pre-stock the house with groceries before you arrive — share a list, pay food cost plus a stocking fee, and dinner ingredients are ready when you walk in.
The dock takes vessels up to ~40 ft. Launch ramps are at Discovery Harbour (Campbell River) and Heriot Bay (Quadra Island). Let us know your beam and draft before you arrive.
Don't have your own boat with you? Stand-up paddleboards are included with your stay. A rowboat can also be rented for a separate fee — useful for short crossings to Quadra or fishing in the cove. Operators must hold a valid Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). The rowboat is not for runs to Campbell River — that's what the water taxi is for.
Our rowboat is listed separately on GetMyBoat. Book the dates of your stay there.
getmyboat.com →Required to operate any motorized recreational vessel in Canada — including small boats with low-horsepower outboards. Quick online course / test.
tc.canada.ca — PCOC →Most Campbell River guides will pick you up directly from the dock. Ask when you book. The major runs move through Discovery Passage from June through October.
Long-running Campbell River charter operator. All five Pacific salmon species pass through these waters seasonally.
coastwild.com →Travellers' Choice award winner for five years running. Experienced guides, well-maintained gear.
outsidercharters.com →Brant Peniuk has been guiding the Discovery Passage for over 50 years. Salmon, halibut, and ling cod.
peniukssportfishing.com →Owned and operated by guide Steve Babcock, who has been working these waters for decades.
talltale.bc.ca →A fuller list at FishingBooker — Campbell River.
The west side of Grouse Island is a Top-5 site for both operators below. Both rent gear and run charter trips out to the wall.
The largest charter operator in Campbell River. Their site has detailed write-ups of every local dive site, including ours.
abyssal.com →PADI 5-Star Dive Center based in the Comox Valley, running charters up to Discovery Passage. Full training and gear.
pacificprodive.com →A non-profit reference site for the area — every named dive site with photos, depth, sea life, and access notes.
divecampbellriver.com →Quathiaski Cove has a small but well-stocked grocery; Campbell River has the full-size supermarkets.
The grocery you can walk to from the Cove ferry dock. Daily 9 am – 8 pm (Sun 9 am – 7 pm). Quality range; bakery, deli, fresh produce.
truvaluefoods.com →Small natural-foods grocer in Q Cove. Curated organic items, vitamins, body care. Tue–Sat, 10 am – 5 pm.
islandpantry.ca →Full-size supermarket on Dogwood Street. Daily 7 am – 10 pm. Delivery available.
saveonfoods.com →BC Island chain, located on Merecroft Road. Well-organized, fresh produce, strong local selection.
qualityfoods.com →Saturdays in summer (June–September). Produce, baked goods, flowers, crafts. The right place to stock up for a slow Saturday dinner.
A Quadra institution. The kitchen does coastal classics with local ingredients. The pub has live music on Fridays.
heriotbayinn.com →Locally-sourced menu at the resort just up the Cove. Reservations recommended.
gowllandharbour.com →Lunch and dinner on the patio during golf season. Casual.
quadraislandgolf.com →A directory of every Quadra cafe, take-out, food truck, and dining option, maintained by the community tourism site.
quadraisland.ca →We provide paddleboards and kayaks on the island; for everything else (bikes, e-bikes, a round of golf, guided kayak tours, more advanced sea kayaks), Quadra has you covered.
Mountain bikes, road bikes, and e-bikes in Heriot Bay. Call ahead — e-bikes book up in summer.
quadraislandbikerentals.com →Walk-up rentals at the Heriot Bay Inn marina. Good option if you're already over there for lunch.
heriotbayinn.com/marina →Tours and rentals based in Heriot Bay — full-day, half-day, and sunset paddles, plus lessons.
quadraislandkayaks.com →Self-guided kayak, canoe, and SUP rentals for multi-day Discovery Islands trips.
coastmountainexpeditions.com →Nine-hole course in the middle of the island. Casual, scenic. Patio for lunch. Bonus: the course will pick you up at the Quathiaski Cove ferry dock and drive you to the first tee — just call ahead.
quadraislandgolf.com →The We Wai Kai Nation's museum and cultural centre at Cape Mudge. Repatriated regalia, potlatch artifacts, history of the Laichwiltach people. Profoundly worth your time.
nuyumbalees.com →Hike-in lighthouse with sweeping views down Discovery Passage. Watch the salmon boats work the Cape from the bluff.
A long, low spit of land on the east side of Quadra. Walking, picnics, beachcombing — and the shellfish-harvest beach we mention on the rental page.
The interior of Quadra has a quiet trail network through second-growth forest and around chains of small lakes. A nice contrast to the shoreline.
Works for police, fire, ambulance, and Coast Guard from the island. Cell service is reliable on the dock.
If your VHF is on the boat, channel 16 is monitored 24/7 by Comox Coast Guard.
Local health resources — clinic hours, on-island services, after-hours information.
quadraislandhealth.ca →For non-emergencies that aren't a 911 matter — power, water, propane, locked-out, etc. — the caretaker is on call.