Its maze of inlets, islands, sandy shores and rocky shoals gives the British Columbia coast some of the best cruising in the world–19,000 kilometres of spectacular coastline.

So it’s no surprise that boaters flock here from around the world. Anne and Laurence Yeadon-Jones first found their way to Vancouver Harbour in 1988, after they left London’s Docklands, sailed the Atlantic, cruised the Caribbean and explored the eastern seaboard of the United States. They’ve never left, choosing to rent an apartment in Vancouver’s West End and moor their 36-foot sailboat Dreamspeaker near Stanley Park.

In the ensuing 15 years, they’ve explored many nooks and crannies of BC’s coast, gathering useful information for boaters and meeting all sorts of colourful characters. The result is Voyage of the Dreamspeaker, a personal chronicle which details one idyllic summer cruise from Vancouver to Desolation Sound. On the way the authors unearth snippets of intriguing history and meet coastal pioneers old and new, and they interweave these stories with their own past adventures and new discoveries of an area they have grown to love.

From the bustling urban marinas of Vancouver’s False Creek to the warm and secluded waters off Musket Island Marine Park (near Hardy Island), the authors describe their favourite places to visit from Vancouver to Toba Inlet. Browse Molly’s Lane Market in Gibsons, buy some fabulous home-baked bread at the Gambier Island General Store and don’t miss visiting Harry Roberts’ original log cabin and apple orchard on Nelson Island, which is kept beautifully intact for visitors.

Illustrated with unforgettable colour photographs and detailed charts and maps, Voyage of the Dreamspeaker will inspire even the most cautious of boaters to cast away and explore the best BC has to offer.