Departure Bay Beach

Departure Bay Beach

Departure Bay is a rocky and sandy beach destination in the community of Nanaimo, BC on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Rolled out along the shoreline in Departure Bay is a long sandy and rocky beach. At high tide there is little beach to explore. At low tide the ocean receeds revealing a massive beach to explore with many species of marine life exposed like crabs, star fish, jelly fish and more. 

The beach is set in a horseshoe shaped cove surrounded by waterfront homes and high cliff banks. Activities enjoyed at the beach include swimming, beachcombing and sightseeing. The beach is also a beach launch site for kayakers looking to explore the coastline. There are islands along the coastline worth exploring like Newcastle, Jesse, Snake and Brandon Islands.

There is parallel parking available on the street in front of the beach providing easy access to the shoreline via some stairs. On the high bank are some sightseeing benches, picnic tables and a section of grass where there are washrooms. 

Across the street from the beach are some shops serving coffee, ice cream and other goodies.