Last week, I had the utmost pleasure of visiting the sandy shores of Hornby Island. Hornby is considered part of the northern Gulf Islands, located about a half hour south of Comox, just off the coast of Vancouver Island in the Strait of Georgia (or what is becoming commonly known as the Salish Sea). To get to Hornby from Vancouver, it’s a three-ferry, seven-hour adventure, from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, then up island for a couple of quick rides on smaller ferries, first onto Denman Island, then finally to Hornby.

The amazing race is worth it. Hornby is truly a rare gem, one of those places where you can just feel your shoulders relaxing as soon as your car finally rolls off the tiny ferry onto the island’s gently curving, two lane roads with nothing but a solid yellow line to lead you to wherever you’re lucky enough to be staying.

You may have heard the hyperbole: Hornby is “the Hawaii of Canada”. After experiencing the island’s spectacular beaches first hand, I can personally vouch that the so-called hyperbole is pretty darn close to reality, at least in the summer months. Hornby’s main beaches are broad and beautifully sandy, accented by sun-bleached driftwood logs that look like a giant art installation placed just above the high tide line. If the tide is out, like it was when I was there, the hard packed sand flats create football field-sized playing areas for people of all ages. And the water is really warm.

But therein lies the rub: Hornby is also no secret, which means there are a lot of people stuffed onto that little island in the summer. Arriving directly onto Hornby from my usual haunt in Desolation Sound was a jarring culture shock. By mid-afternoon, the island’s famed Tribune Bay beach was completely packed. I’m talking hundreds, if not possibly thousands, of bronzed beauties of all shapes and sizes, shoulder to bare shoulder, stretching out onto every inch of the white sand like lizards in board shorts and bikinis.

Posted signs say “no alcohol”, but there doesn’t seem to be any sort of police presence on Hornby. Everyone was tipping back while in states of half or total nudity, to the point where I thought the island would probably do well to drop the “b” in its name to match the increasingly frisky late-afternoon beach behavior.

Away from the sandy sexiness, there’s plenty of places to eat and drink, including the charming Ringside Market, AKA “downtown Hornby”, a dusty intersection with a grocery and liquor store, gas station, bookstore, ice cream shop, and excellent outdoor Mexican eatery called V0R1Z0 (the island’s postal code). Follow the easy winding roads around the island and you’ll also discover wineries, a bakery, a distillery, pub, and fish and chip shop, plus plenty of artisans. And kids are everywhere.

The idyllic island’s one dirty little secret is this: their fresh water reeks like rotten eggs. Sometimes you can smell it on the beach as well. But hey, if you don’t mind showering in it, brushing your teeth in it, and drinking it (it’s perfectly safe, it just stinks), then you’re that much closer to being a local.

When you’re finally forced to leave this made-in-BC paradise, beware of the unattended, honour-system ferry line up. I saw a load of young dudes roll up in car with Quebec plates, butting ahead of half the line up of cars (possibly misunderstanding the signs). As soon as they emerged, they got severely lambasted by a pair of Hornby’s finest, fully outfitted eco-seniors. It proved to be a pretty testy situation, but hey, who would ever be in a good mood when leaving such a special place? It’s a locale that you can find it right here, in our very own wonderful, watery Salish Sea. Why go anywhere else?

Grant Lawrence is currently guest hosting North By Northwest, weekend mornings on CBC Radio 1 in BC.

Vancouver’s original city planners should be forever thanked for preserving so many of our beautiful beaches. Most of them are world-class, and many of us take them for granted. Since it’s beyond beach weather out there, and I’ve been a Vancouver beach bum most of my life, I’ve picked my top five. This ranking is based on natural beauty, view, crowds, and mostly importantly for me, swim-ability. So grab your beach blanket, your sunscreen, a great book, and your sexiest trunks. We’re going to the beach!

5. Jericho

When it comes to our many spectacular West Side beaches, Jericho is king. The beach is located at the end of Point Grey Road and borders the site of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. With amazing mountain views, this beach is a natural bay of sand, with a steady incline into the ocean, so you’re in deep enough to swim right away. That’s the problem with Locarno, Spanish Banks, and Wreck: you have to wade out way too far in ankle-deep water before you can swim.

4. New Brighton

East Van’s finest beach! Though admittedly buffered by industry on either side, this is a hidden gem of Hastings-Sunrise that boasts absolutely stunning views of Burrard Inlet, all the way from the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to Lion’s Gate. The beach is usually very quiet, possibly because of signs everywhere prohibiting swimming due to the very fast current. While most people hit up New Brighton Pool, much to my wife’s chagrin, I still take the occasion dip at the beach in the height of summer. It’s cold that close to the narrows, but very refreshing after a bike ride. Do not enter the ocean here if you are not a strong swimmer, and don’t go beyond where your feet can touch bottom.

3. Sandy Cove

This is admittedly a bit of a cheat, since this tiny oceanic oasis is tucked away along the rocky shoreline of West Vancouver, but it’s definitely worth the hunt. It’s an unmarked beach, located about 10 minutes west of Dundarave. Look for Rose Crescent, then take the set of stone steps through the woods to the beach. When you emerge it’ll feel like you’ve gone to Greece. Between jagged granite cliffs is a 100-metre stretch of sand and driftwood logs with excellent, clean swimming, and gorgeous views of UBC, Vancouver Island, and Howe Sound.

2. Bikini Beach

This is Vancouver’s greatest swimming beach. Sandwiched halfway between English Bay and Second Beach, this is a tiny spot located right at the entrance to Stanley Park. The natural sand has an excellent incline and the warmest water of any beach in the city. According to the regulars who have hung out there, literally, for generations, the beach received its name when bikinis were first revealed and deemed too scandalous for our main beaches, so the teenagers of the day gathered here, out of the line of sight of the lifeguards.

1. Third Beach

Found on the far western edge of Stanley Park and back dropped by magnificent cedars, Third Beach is not only Vancouver’s most spectacular beach, but also one of the greatest urban beaches you’ll find in the world. My mom took me to this beach every summer as a kid, and I’ve loved it ever since. There’s no better spot for a swim as the summer sun slowly sets behind the islands of Howe Sound. Like Wreck, Third Beach has developed its own unique scene, specifically over the past decade, meaning the north end can pretty much be taken over by a sea of half-naked hipsters transplanted from the Biltmore, but it’s still Vancouver’s absolute best beach.

What is your favourite (or least favourite) beach in the city and why? Tweet me up @grantlawrence or comment below.

The Lonely End of the Rink isn't so lonely anymore.

Hopes this finds you happy and healthy this spring of 2015! Much like the changing of the seasons, it’s a period of transition for me, especially at the CBC.

For the past ten years, I hosted a four-hour daily live show, Monday to Friday, on CBC Radio 3. I primarily played Canadian independent music, falling mostly under the umbrella of “indie rock”. It was an incredible experience to channel my DJ heroes like Wolfman Jack, Alan Freed, David Wisdom, and Nardwuar, while simultaneously broadcasting live to North America on SiriusXM satellite radio and streaming to the world on cbcmusic.ca.

Like many things at the CBC these days, Radio 3 is going through changes. The big one happened at the end of March, when we ended our live hosting on the network after a decade. The final broadcasting day, Friday March 27, 2015, was extremely fun but also very emotional. Ten years is a long time, and the audience and community that has grown out of Radio 3 is second to none. I’m proud to call many of the international listeners, who engaged with me on air through many means on a daily basis, my friends. Thanks again to all for the kind wishes for the future.

And the future is… now! I’m still at the CBC, still working with Radio 3 (which continues!) and CBC Music. You’re still hear me in recorded segments on Radio 3, and on various programs on CBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 doing what I always do: promoting new Canadian music. You’ll also see me all over CBC Music’s social media feeds and on regional CBC television. I also still host the CBC Radio 3 Podcast, and will be guest hosting on CBC Radio 1 this summer.

When it comes to writing, I’ve also proudly been writing a local Vancouver column for The Westender, the city’s longest-running entertainment weekly. The feature is called Vancouver Shakedown, and is all about the culture, society, and zeitgeist of this Terminal City. I’ve already caught roses and thorns while covering such topics as weather bragging, the whales still in captivity at the aquarium, attempted stroller theft, the new “heron cam”, and the infamous West Coast social condition known as “The BC Bail”.

I also continue to plunder away at my third book. It’s still a rock ‘n’ roll story, a warts-and-all tour diary expose of my many years on the road in The Smugglers. Sometimes the process is fun, other times embarrassing, and sometimes a struggle, but I’m determined to finish it for both my sake and for your hopeful enjoyment.

As for hockey, my team the Flying Vees had our best season ever, going 17-5-1. Sadly, we lost in the playoffs, but my hockey-obsessed son Joshua was able to come to some games and loved it.

When it comes to live events, I’m about to enter a very busy spring season of appearances in and around BC and Ontario. All the dates are listed below. If you’re around, it’ll be fantastic to see you as always.

Thanks for the support, hope to see somewhere this spring or summer,

-GL

Grant Lawrence Spring / Summer 2015 Live Schedule:

Sat May 2, Authors for Indies, 32 Books, North Vancouver BC, 1pm – 3pm.

Sat May 9, A Whisky Library, Lynn Valley Library, North Vancouver BC, 7:30pm (whisky and literature pairings; a benefit for the Trish McMordie Memorial Fund).

Fri May 15, Sun May 17, Word on the Lake Writers Festival, Salmon Arm BC.

Sat May 23, CBC Music Festival, Toronto ON.

Sun June 14, Canadian Independent Music Association 40th Anniversary Awards Gala, the Great Hall, Toronto ON.

Sat June 20, Unofficial CBC Radio 3 Fan Picnic, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto ON.

Fri July 17 – Sun July 19, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Jericho Beach BC.