To get to Malcolm Island you can take a BC Ferry from Port McNeill. The ferry trip is 25 minutes each way, and the ferry leaves every four hours. It was a very foggy crossing, and no wildlife was seen, in fact nothing could be seen not even the water!

Sointula is the seaside town you arrive at on reaching Malcolm Island by ferry. Sointula means "place of harmony" in Finnish and was established in 1901 as a Finnish community. The Sointula Co-operative Store association is the oldest co-op in the province having been established in 1909. It is the local meeting place for this island community and carries everything from lotto tickets, to fishing gear, groceries, ice cream, books, and pet food, and well everything!

When the colony of Finnish settlers arrived, they had the dream of building the perfect community, and escaping the drudgery of working in the coal mines on Vancouver Island. Alas, utopia only lasted a decade, but still the heritage of that former community lives on in the present day. Fishing is the primary occupation of those living on Malcolm Island.

Visitors have a few options for seeing the island: car, boat, or bicycle. At 23 km (15 miles) long and 5 km (3 miles) wide, a bicycle can easily get you around the island. The Sointula Resource Centre which allows bikes to be borrowed for free is located right across the street from the ferry terminal.

When you need a coffee, breakfast, soup or chili or how about a cinnamon bun? Go to Coho Joe's which is also a B&B. Plenty of vegan meal options along with plant based dairy alternatives for your coffee or cereal. Next to Coho Joe's are a couple of small gift shops selling fabric art, T-shirts, and fishing float art.

About 700 people live on Malcom Island today. At its height, the community saw approximately 2,000 Finnish settlers. However, Finnish culture still exists today as the language can be heard while wandering around the village or seen on much of the signage within the community. This rowboat and the community around Rough Bay made me think of those early days.