This is an intimate cottage on the sea. From here, you can fish for salmon and halibut, kayak among seals, mountain bike as far as you like, surf the Pacific, or hunker down and write that novel.
We have a 1.2 acre south facing property on Sooke Basin, a protected bay off the Pacific. It's salt water, but you'd swear it was a lake. Calm as a mill pond most mornings, you'll wake to the sounds of ducks, geese, swans, and the odd snorting seal. There's often a morning mist, and sometimes you will feel compelled to take your coffee and go sit down by the water and just stare as the sun rises and the world comes to life.
The cottage is set on an oceanfront corner of our property, with the main house where we live set farther back, and on the other side of a 'wave' fence (You'll understand when you see it.) We want to make it perfectly clear that this is a shared property. Don't worry - it's still quite private, but you'll have a view of our front lawn out your side window. We'll be here most of the summer, although we're away for a couple of weeks here and there.
The cottage is best for a couple or at most a family of four. The bedroom has a queen bed, and there is a double sofa bed in the living room. The main room consists of a kitchen, dining area and living area. It's compact, but well done. (If you want a sprawling mansion, look elsewhere.) There is a new private hot tub on the cottage deck on the ocean side. We have a large (220 feet) dock, where we keep our main boat and an inflatable Zodiac-type boat. We just set the shrimp traps off the dock. Prawns are a little more work, but we can talk about that if you're keen. The kayaks and standup paddle board are kept under the deck or down by the water - help yourself to them. Who knows? If we're around, we may take you salmon fishing! (Keep some burgers on standby, though. Sigh.) Also lots of charters available nearby, because, frankly, we're not that good at fishing.
Our main property has organic vegetable gardens, an orchard, a greenhouse, and a variety of chickens. The Galloping Goose Trail goes by the end of our street, and is perfect for walking the dog, a morning run, or a good bike ride. The town of Sooke has some absolutely spectacular restaurants, and the nearby beaches are breathtaking.
Weather is usually nice in the summer, and this place gets stupidly beautiful, but this is the west coast of BC. It will probably be nice for your stay in July or August, but there is always the (small) chance that it could rain every day. Really unlikely, but be warned. June is probably riskier than September, weather-wise. For October thru May, bring a raincoat. Or maybe a snorkel. But it's still beautiful here in the late fall and winter. The ocean never freezes, the kayaks are there, the Galloping Goose beckons, and it can be wonderful. It can also be dark and rainy - a good time to sit in the hot tub, sip red wine, and read (or write) that great novel.
We've made up a list of attractions and things to do and know around Sooke. Send us an email and we'll zap it to you!
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