The Discovery Islands are a group of islands located at the northern end of the Salish Sea and the eastern end of Johnstone Strait, between Vancouver Island and the mainland coastofBritish Columbia, Canada.
Aerial view of the Discovery Islands
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Discovery Islands, between Vancouver Island and continental British Columbia, north of Strait of Georgia
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  Discovery Islands Location in British Columbia, Canada | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Johnstone Strait and Salish Sea |
| Coordinates | 50°16′41″N 125°09′08″W / 50.27806°N 125.15222°W / 50.27806; -125.15222 |
| Major islands | 20 |
| Administration | |
| Province | British Columbia |
Most of these islands have very few residents. Only Quadra Island and Cortes Island have ferry service. The remainder are served by private boat or float plane.
The complex geography of the area can make it difficult to determine when travelling by boat if a sighted coastline belongs to the mainland, Vancouver Island, or one of the Discovery Islands.
The Discovery Islands are all located within the Strathcona Regional District, except for a few of the southernmost, such as Hernando Island and Savary Island, which are in the Powell River Regional District. The larger islands within the Discovery Islands are:
The Discovery Passage starts where the Strait of Georgia narrows between Quadra Island and Vancouver Island and continues north to Chatham Point, where it meets the Nodales Channel and Johnstone Strait.
The primary attraction for visitors are salmon fishing, sailing, kayaking, and hiking.
