Low Tide at Spanish Banks

There are many beaches around the Vancouver city center that not only residents will visit but also tourists will flock to, especially during the Summer season. One of Robyn’s favorite hang out spots is Spanish Banks, further away from the busy tourist beaches such as Kits Beach or Jericho.

The coolest part of Spanish Banks, to me anyway, is how far the tide goes out. You can literally walk for 10 minutes out on to the sandy banks towards the water. Once you have hit the water, you can easily go wading in the ocean at knee depth, waste depth too. Just be careful not to venture too far into the water as the currents can become strong with the movement of the tide.

Yes that it Vancouver in the background with Stanley Park to the left. Spanish Banks is a great place to relax, go for a sandy walk, or even have a BBQ with friends.

The younger crowd will be out there with their skim boards as the banks produce many little water channels with ankle deep water. When the tide is low and the sun is out, the water is fairly warm too.

See that marker in the right side of the above photo? At low tide you can actually walk out to it! The Great Blue Heron’s usually hang out there watching for fish and cooling themselves off.

Something that I always look forward to is the sailing of the various cruise ships heading out to Alaska. Here a Celebrity Cruise ship is passing by Atkinson Lighthouse. I love the different shades of blue so I tried not to change the colouring too much.

If you are looking for something to do during these sunny, warm (or hot) days here in Vancouver, head over to Spanish Banks! Put your feet in the sand, in the water and try to soak up the incredible beauty the area has to offer you.