We finished our new April Point resort video and posted it on YouTube. Check it out!
Island Reports
Get a taste of life on Quadra Island with Island Reports direct from April Point Resort & Spa
We post wildlife sightings, resort events, fishing reports and guests photos here several times a week throughout our season. Want to see your name in lights? Send on your own stories to photocontest@obmg.com.
Season's Greetings
Seasons Greetings from the crew at Oak Bay Marine Group
Looking for the perfect gift this holiday season but struggling for ideas? Purchase a gift certificate from Oak Bay Marine Group and give the gift of fishing and outdoor adventures and holiday relaxation.
Call 1-800-663-7090 to purchase your gift certificate.
Congratulations to the Boss!
We'd like to say a special congratulations to Mr. Bob Wright, the founder and owner of Oak Bay Marine Group. Bob was just selected to enter the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame.
Congratulations Bob!
To read Bob's article, visit http://bit.ly/rH5zYK
See you in the Spring!
Another season has come to an end for April Point Resort & Spa. We had another great summer on Beautiful Quadra Island with lots of excitement. We shuttled almost 52,095 guests on our 12 person capacity complimentary water shuttle in 4 months!
Live music, weddings on under the fir trees and lots of pedicures overlooking the Discovery Passage. We look forward to sharing all these things with you again starting in the spring of 2012.
Here’s what some of the crew had to say about their summer at April Point…
“Life on Quadra was slightly different than most. It rained through August but was hot in September! This didn’t stop the fish; they were never on schedule but always on time!” ~ ~ Leif, Dock Supervisor
“Another great season has passed at April Point Resort & Spa and I am already looking forward to opening in 2012. Every year brings new challenges – but the staff here at April Point is always ready and willing to face those challenges and to offer some wonderful solutions. It’s raining what can we do – how about the spa – ate too much – how about a bike ride – don’t want to fish – how about a zodiac trip and of course there is always the Gift Shop to browse through. We look forward to seeing all of our returning guests and we will enjoy welcoming all of our new guests and showing them what April Point Resort & Spa has to offer for that well deserved get away"
~ Bridget, Front Desk Manager
“My second season at AP (April Point) Front Desk proved once again to be an incredible experience. From meeting interesting people from around the world, working with a fantastic crew and working in a spectacular environment. I am Fortunate to be able to extend my season by finishing at PL (Painter’s Lodge).”
~Lynn, Front Desk
A Taste of April Point
April Point Resort & Spa’s second Annual Tastes of April Point was nothing but Incredible. We had new faces and familiar faces from all over BC come to indulge themselves on Quadra Island this weekend.
We kicked the weekend off with wine and cheeses from Vancouver Island. Nancy and Ben Gourlay from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks did a fabulous job of pairing their cheeses with wines from South End Winery (Jill Ogasawara and Ben McGuffie), Alderlea and Averill creek Vinyards (Jason Hyde) and Blue Grouse Wines (Jen Gidora). It may have been raining but that didn’t stop anyone from enjoying their evening. Jazz Berry Jam kept the mojo up in the Dining Room for the last time this year.
Saturday started with a Frog Coffee presentation. Perfect! Karla Foster did a great job teaching flavours and origins of coffee from all over the world. Three cups later and everyone was ready for the next event.
Saturday afternoon was a taste of all things decadent. Guests travelled between three venues sipping, smelling and tasting for the afternoon. Thanks to Stacy Talbot from Albion Fisheries and Lesley Brown guests relaxed outside on the Discovery lawn while sipping champagne and slurping 3 different types of oysters. During our second session guests were invited to challenge their senses with Ingo Grady during this “nose-on” presentation. And finally show cased in house 888 we had a house of typical pairings. This was my station favourite! With deep fried crab doughnuts, sangria and beer with ice-cream; this was my favourite station of the afternoon.
After snacking all afternoon as everyone was heading back to the Discovery lawn for a wine crush we were joined by a pod of about 200 Dolphins swimming and playing as they travelled north in the Discovery Passage.
Crushing grapes with a typical pair of fisherman rubber boots was a great laugh. The juice that come out of that barrel did not look at all appetizing but it was a blast watching these guys stomp while everyone sang The Drunken Sailor.
April Point’s Executive Chef Stephanie Dykes was the cherry on this weekend’s cake. Her five course meal was... absolutely breathtaking. Ingo Grady did a great job of presenting the wine pairings and Stephanie’s menu to the dining room for the evening.
To finish things up, guests were invited to enjoy champagne Sunday Brunch at Painter’s Lodge for one final feast and glass of champagne before heading home.
As always it was so great watching all the crew at April Point come together and help create this event that we hope will carry on over the years.
~ Caylin
Going out with a Bang!
Alright everyone this is the last weekend April Point Resort & Spa will be open. We are closed as of Sunday September 25th. It has been a great summer with lots of excitement and we will continue with this vibe until the end.
We are going out with a bang!
Our final and most indulgent event of the season is Tastes of April Point. This weekend you can introduce your taste buds to everything international and local Vancouver Island wines and fresh cheeses to exotic coffees, gourmet cuisine, fresh oysters, champagne and more!
Read more about this weekend at http://bit.ly/qtigTC
~ Caylin
Tyee Club Wrap-up
Bruce, Rick and Dwayne... 3 of the Fabulous 4 
Interest in the Tyee Club of British Columbia has never been higher with daily counts of over 40 rowboats in the Tyee Pool being a common occurrence. Catch totals for registered Tyee (30+ pounds) were slightly lower than usual with 23, but there was plenty of action with 15 to 29 pounders.
The Painter’s Lodge rowing team had a particularly good year. Our biggest registered Tyee was a beautiful 39 ½ pound Tyee landed by Jan de Bruyn of Calgary, AB and ably guided by Tyee veteran, Bruce Aikman. None of our other boats managed to register a Tyee but all of our guides landed fish and we were getting so many strikes that the Tyee Club spectators took to calling us the “Fab Four”.
Many thanks to Connor and Rob for making the rowboats look so great and thanks to guides Bruce Aikman, Rick Janzen, Dwayne Mustard and Joe Watson. Also many thanks to the intrepid guests who chose to participate in this legendary fishery.
Only 310 sleeps until the Pool opens again!
~ Dwayne
Explore Your Creativity
Our Live and Learn workshop are happening now! The Fun and Free Watercolours group had a great time learning from awarding winning artist, Leslie Redhead. This is just one of many getaways available at April Point Resort & Spa this month.
Leaving today was the Acrylics and Collage workshop, led by Louise Monfette. Louise’s love of colour and texture comes forth in her acrylic and mixed media works.
There was some major creativity going on in the Island View Room this week and there is still more to come!
~Caylin
Back Porch Banjo
The Back Porch Banjo played yesterday afternoon on the April Point patio and again in the evening. It was such a great for this. The sun was out, there were sea lions swimming around the point and music was awesome!
Next weekend is our BIG event, Tastes of April Point. Everyone is preparing for this weekend of indulgences with lots of care. There are still spots available, if you are interested get more details on our webpage at http://www.aprilpoint.com/resort/events/tastes/ .
~ Caylin
Photography by Dave Barr
Photography by Dave Barr 
The April Point Resort & Spa 2011 season is slowly coming to its end. With three short weeks left I know it’ll fly by. We are excited to start our fall Live & Learn programs tomorrow with our Women’s Yoga retreat.
We are even more excited for our 2nd annual “Tastes of April Point” weekend of indulgence. This event was a grand success last year and we expect nothing less than that this month. The executive chef has been working very hard on the Saturday night dinner menu. If it’s anything like her 5 course meal last year it also will be a grand success. This weekend of indulgences starts on September 23rd and there are still spots available.
We had Pender the transient Orca visit our dock waters this morning which consequently sent the seals to higher ground. 2 more pods of Orca were spotted in Kelsey Bay just north of Sayward. They were joined by a pod of about 200 white sided Dolphins! What a show that must have been.
Speaking of Orcas I was given some pictures taken by Dave & Mary Barr, frequent visitors at April Point. They got some amazing pictures last season during their stay and I have to share these amazing shots.
~ Caylin
