Discovery Island Marine Park is a boat-access BC Parks site two nautical miles east of Victoria on southern Vancouver Island. The nearest boat launch is Cattle Point in Oak Bay.
BC Parks describes it as a popular kayaking and camping destination for visitors, local residents, and school groups.
Discovery Island is a close-to-Victoria marine camping trip with serious water and boundary considerations. Campers use a large open field southwest of Pandora Hill, with a pit toilet, information shelter, self-registration box, two raccoon caches, and picnic tables.
The main trail links points in the park, including open grass fields, rocky shoreline, the lighthouse area to the east, and open grass fields to the west. Paddlers may see seals, sea lions, otters, and bald eagles between Oak Bay and Discovery Island, but strong currents, frequent winds, rip tides, rocks, reefs, and exposed approaches make timing and skill important.
The park's history includes donation of land by Captain E.G. Beaumont, park designation in 1972, and the Sea Bird Point lighthouse, built in 1886 and automated in 1996.
Plan around kayaking or canoeing from Cattle Point, designated tent camping, shoreline hiking, lighthouse area walks, saltwater fishing under current closures, wildlife viewing, and low-impact coastal meadow observation.
Bring water, use a stove because campfires are not permitted, and secure all food and scented items. Domestic animals are not permitted, there is no safe anchorage or moorage, First Nations reserve lands are closed to the public, and nearby ecological reserve islands must not be entered.
