Buccaneer Bay Park is a small marine park located on the sand spit on the southern tip of North Thormanby Island. The large sheltered bay provides safe anchorage in most summer conditions. The shoreline is accessible by dingy.
This park is accessible only by boat and provides opportunities for fishing, swimming, camping and picnicking. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful broad sandy beaches and warm waters.
Watch out for extensive shoal patches from North Thormanby to the north of Derby Point on South Thormanby Island.
Camping is only permitted in the designated camping area, which is only accessible by boat. The sites are available on a first come, first served basis.
A backcountry self-registration system is now in place at this park for camping. There are five backcountry sites available with one party allowed per site.
While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead. Please, plan to bring your own wood for campfires. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
This park has two pit toilets, no flush toilets.
This park offers warm water with a broad sandy beach. There is no roped-off swimming area and there are no lifeguards on duty.
Kayak and canoe camping is available. There are kayak rentals available outside the park at Halfmoon Bay.
Care is needed paddling through Welcome Passage due to the high numbers of large vessels moving through this small channel, as it creates extremely large wakes. The large wakes combined with windy weather conditions makes this section of water treacherous.
When ocean kayaking, consult marine charts for tide currents.
Charts Required:
1:50,000 Maps Required:
Kayak and canoe camping is available. There are kayak rentals available outside the park at Halfmoon Bay.
Care is needed paddling through Welcome Passage due to the high numbers of large vessels moving through this small channel, as it creates extremely large wakes. The large wakes combined with windy weather conditions makes this section of water treacherous.
When ocean kayaking, consult marine charts for tide currents.
Charts Required:
1:50,000 Maps Required:
There are opportunities for ocean fishing. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. Licences can be purchased in Secret Cove.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
This park is located in Georgia Strait off the Sunshine Coast at the south end of North Thormanby Island, near Secret Cove.
Conservation
A recent expansion to this park added 44.5 hectares of foreshore. This protects sea grass meadows and sand shoals, which provide habitat for a rich variety of marine life, including shorebirds, salmon, rockfish, sandlance and Dungeness crab.
Wildlife
Colonies of seals, sea lions and birds may be found on the beaches and in the water. Please respect their space.
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.