Tunstall Bay Beach is a popular beach for sailing, swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding. Well known for its sunsets; this area becomes one of Bowen Island’s most popular beaches to visit in the summer months. Therefore the municipality has enacted certain rules to slow the amount of visitors, so to avoid disappointment this summer, read on my friend.
In This Post
The Beach
The municipality classifies it as a Community Beach. Making it more easily accessible and have the highest degree of maintenance and monitoring.
There are washrooms, parking, waste bins, and swim floats from May to September.
It’s one of only two relatively sandy beaches on Bowen Island, the other being Alder Cove.
Getting There
With no Uber or Lift or Taxi Service on Bowen Island you have to get creative. Read more about getting around Bowen.
Rentals to get to Tunstall
Our favourite option is of course booking eBike rentals from Bowen eBikes (new tab) or using our Low Speed Vehicle to get to Tunstall Beach from Snug Cove. We sell out almost every weekend in the Summer Time, so reservations are recommended. If you don’t have a reservation, you can try your luck with a walkup service, more likely to get walkup service in the mornings when Bowen eBikes first opens.
Another rental option is Zoom Zoom Bowen, renting out moped style scooters.
Rental companies on Bowen, tend to shut down for the Winter starting around October/November and opening up again February/March. Check their websites for specifics.
Bussing to Tunstall Beach
Your next best bet to get to Tunstall Beach from Snug Cove is taking Bus 280.
Fares are cheap, and even cheaper if you already rode the bus from Downtown Vancouver to get to Horseshoe Bay. It’s because the bus system in Vancouver and on Bowen Island are both run by Translink. Your ticket might still be good on Bowen island to get to Tunstall Bay if you’re quick enough.
Being quick off the ferry helps, because the buses leave shortly after the ferry arrives. Walk off the ferry before cars unload, and head straight to the bus stop. This will ensure you are not waiting for the next hour for the bus to return from its long trip. Buses leave only about once an hour, and tend to leave right after the ferry docks in Snug Cove.
Last note on taking bus 280, is that it does not go to the golf course or Cape Roger Curtis. So if you were hoping for the Cape, you can walk there in about 30min – 45min from Tunstall Beach. If you instead were hoping to go to the golf course, it’s a much longer 1.5hour climb then decent up Sunset Road, then down Cowan Point Drive. Or you might get lucky with our last option.
Hitchhiking to Tunstall Bay
The final option for getting to Tunstall Beach from Snug Cove is hitch hiking. While there are some dedicated locals, and friendly visitors often picking up people, it really is hit or miss. Smaller groups or individuals being more likely to be picked up than larger groups.
Parking There
Avoid the beach club parking, it’s often roped off in the Summer Time, and is private property. Non members have been towed off.
There is parking on the side of the roadway but can be limited in the Summer Time. Try taking a smaller vehicle, or carpooling or biking over.
In the Summer Time, with limited parking, and a lot of demand to visit this area, it isn’t uncommon for people to park well up the hill and walk down 10min. Be prepared to walk if coming in July/August.
Activities
Swim Bowen challenges swimmers to a 1500m swim and 750m swim every year. Sign up for the next one on their website. 2024 Swim Bowen Event.
Tunstall Bay Community Association is located just over Tunstall Bay Beach.
Things to note
Unfortunately, our dogs are not allowed in July and August. They are also not allowed, at Bowen Bay or Sandy Beach either. Perhaps this rule is to curb the number of unruly dog owners, as great as you may be, some bad apples ruined it for the rest of us.
While this beach is supposed to be accessible for wheelchairs, I would say it isn’t or at least give it a 2/5 stars for wheel chair accessibility.
Ecoli is generally quite low in these waters and safe to swim in year round. The biggest risk will be boats if you swim past the swim bouys without a large marking on yourself. Or hypothermia if you decide to swim past September for any extended duration.
Bioluminescence can be found here when swimming during a new moon in August. If you have never swum with it, it is well worth a try and highly encouraged as a group adventure for after dark. As with any swimming activity, I would never recommend mixing alcohol, darkness, and swimming.
Conclusion
Tunstall Bay Beach is a great area to go and relax, especially for families looking for a shallow slope into the water. Waves are generally small, and the water is safe to swim in. Providing year round enjoyment to locals all over the island, and is a favourite for magical sunsets.
There are some additional rules to follow in the Summertime as outlined by the Municipality.
Getting there is relatively easy, and has the most parking of any of the community beaches on Bowen Island. Just be sure, if you’re bussing, to not miss your bus in or out, as it’ll be at least an hour before the next one.
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