Pender Harbour and Egmont at a glance
Pender Harbour and Egmont sit north of Sechelt on Highway 101, on the way to the Earls Cove ferry terminal. The shoreline here is built around boats, with marinas and coves among forested hills. Egmont is also where boat tours leave for Princess Louisa Inlet and where the trail to Skookumchuck Narrows starts.
Most visitors treat the area as a day trip or a stop on the way north. If a boat trip is your reason for coming, read about the Princess Louisa Inlet boat tours from Egmont first.
Egmont, BC: boat tours and the end of the road
Egmont is a small harbour village near the Earls Cove ferry terminal. It matters to visitors for two reasons. Boat tours to Princess Louisa Inlet and Chatterbox Falls leave from here, and the walking trail to Skookumchuck Narrows starts at a parking lot nearby.
Both outings take most of a day, so base yourself in Sechelt or closer and set out early. Our getting there page explains the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, which is the first step if you arrive from Vancouver.
Boat trips and tours from Egmont and Sechelt
Boat trips to Princess Louisa Inlet, seaplane combinations and other Sunshine Coast tours, with live prices and availability.
Skookumchuck Narrows from Egmont
From the parking lot near Egmont, the trail runs 4 km one way via Brown Lake to the viewpoint at Roland Point. Allow about an hour each way, and add the walk back to your plan. At the viewpoint you watch tidal water squeeze through the narrows.
The best viewing times change from day to day, so check a current table from the Canadian tide service on the day you go. Currents here can exceed 30 km/h. The narrows are not an ordinary swimming stop and not a stretch for beginner kayakers. The Skookumchuck Narrows guide on Roberts Creek goes into viewing times, the rapids and safety in more detail.
Ruby Lake and Dan Bosch Park
For a swim stop that is calm and easy to reach, go to Ruby Lake. Public access is through Dan Bosch Park at 15555 Sunshine Coast Highway, about 10 minutes by car south of Earls Cove and Egmont. The park has a sand beach, toilets and picnic tables. Parking is limited, so arrive early on warm days.
A shoreline loop of a quarter mile (about 400 m) leads along the water. It is a short stroll, not a walk around the whole lake. Dogs must stay on a leash.
Place names on this stretch of coast
The shíshálh Nation uses its own names for places here. Pender Harbour is ḵalpilin, Madeira Park is salalus, Halfmoon Bay is xwilkway and Jervis Inlet is lekw’emin. They are different places, so do not swap one name for another. Signs and maps use the English names. Our page on the shíshálh Nation tells more.
Onward from Earls Cove and nearby stops
The ferry from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay takes 50 minutes on the scheduled crossing. Saltery Bay is a terminal, not downtown Powell River.
Princess Louisa Inlet
Boat and seaplane options from Egmont, plus Chatterbox Falls.
Powell River
The ferry from Earls Cove, the Sunshine Coast Trail and Desolation Sound.
Smuggler Cove and Halfmoon Bay
A forest walk to a sheltered cove, 16 km west of Sechelt.
Sechelt Inlet kayaking
Rentals, tours and marine parks for paddlers.
Pender Harbour and Egmont: frequently asked questions
Where do the Princess Louisa boat tours leave from?
From Egmont, near the Earls Cove ferry terminal. See our Princess Louisa Inlet page for durations and 2026 prices.
How long is the Skookumchuck Narrows walk?
The trail via Brown Lake is 4 km one way from the parking lot near Egmont to Roland Point, about an hour each way.
Can I swim or kayak at Skookumchuck Narrows?
Treat the narrows as a place to watch, not to swim. Currents can exceed 30 km/h, and the narrows are neither an ordinary swimming stop nor a beginner kayak section.
Where can I swim at Ruby Lake?
Dan Bosch Park at 15555 Sunshine Coast Highway has a sand beach, toilets and picnic tables, about 10 minutes south of Earls Cove.
How long is the ferry from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay?
The scheduled crossing is 50 minutes. Check the current timetable before you go.
Is this the official website for Pender Harbour?
No. This is an independent travel guide to Sechelt and is not connected to BC Parks, the shíshálh Nation or any tour operator.