Deep Cove Dreaming in North Vancouver

Here’s a little recap of an afternoon trip to Deep Cove BC with friends.

It’s funny that even after living in Vancouver for fifteen months, I still found places in the Greater Vancouver area that both surprised and delighted me. Case in point: Deep Cove BC. I had heard about Deep Cove from friends but just hadn’t ventured there myself. Like Steveston, it seemed like too much effort and too many buses to get to. I’m a lazy traveller, I know. Don’t tell my parents (just kidding, they know how lazy I am).

But during my last week in town my beautiful friends Carmen and David took Kate and me for a drive out there. I didn’t know what to expect as I hadn’t done any research or seen many photos. However, when we got there and I saw the view, I wished I had made the journey sooner.

Deep Cove BC dreaming

Deep Cove is in the easternmost part of North Vancouver and is accessible by public transit. It’s at the foot of Mount Seymour and offers outdoor recreation activities for the many athletic Vancouver residents. Activities include kayaking, rowing and hiking along the Baden-Powell Trail to Quarry Rock.

It seemed like a little village detached from the real world, with a small main street. The strip had a few different dining options. This includes the quintessential fish and chips shop and an ice-cream store. There are also a couple of boutiques and an art gallery.

We conveniently stopped for pizza prior to arriving at the cove, so sat at one of the park tables on offer. We contently ate our pepperoni slices as the sun tried to break through the clouds and shine on the water of the pristine bay before us.

After dinner, we walked along the water, with me stopping to take too many photos from too many different angles. I also think the prettiness distracted me from the fact I was being bitten in weird places by mosquitoes. This was, of course, discovered days later.

We strolled up the street and decided we need to get one last ice-cream together this summer before retreating back to the water’s edge. Do you like how Carmen matched her ice-cream to the retro furniture colours? Totally on purpose.

We tried to dare each other to walk in the knee-deep water to sit in the red seat, but no one took the bait. However, I did enjoy being able to look down into the clear and calm water and see each individual pebble on the ocean floor. A sea with such clarity is remote in Australia, as most of our beaches are known for their waves.

I took photos of David contemplating life (I can’t confirm this) on the rocks. Then two young siblings came by to clamber onto it, pretending to be its princess and prince.

I imagined cooling off in the water on one of the scarce hot summer days that embrace Vancouver each year. I think kayaking around the cove wouldn’t be too bad either. Or you could just lie in the park and waste the day away. I had fun practising shooting at night with the marina and house lights reflecting off the cove’s water.

If you have time during your Vancouver visit, ensure you make a stop at Deep Cove and enjoy the calming bay views. And if you can, stop by and see my friends at Deep Cove Brewers + Distillers on your way back into the city. The beers and the people are superb.

Which Deep Cove photo is your favourite?

P.S. Don’t leave without checking out my other favourite Vancouver day trips and other things to do with a day in North Vancouver.