Sailing Lessons and Sailing Adventures in Gulf Island National Park Reserve
From our home base at Canoe Cove Marina near Victoria, BC you can start your adventure.
Do you still dream about sailing off to find fun and adventure, but don’t know where to start?
Big Blue Sailing School is a Sidney based, Sail Canada (CYA) registered sailing school and Sailing Charter Company. Our dreams have captured us and we want to share that with you. Our sail school offers a safe learning environment that is both challenging and rewarding for anyone who wants to learn to sail.
We created the sailing school and sailing adventure holidays to share with people the joy of sailing. Even an afternoon in the harbour on a sailboat is a very rewarding experience. It’s hard to explain. Knocking about in boats is about as fun as it gets.
Whether you want to learn to sail, explore beautiful anchorages, enjoy nature trails, or learn how to be a liveaboard – we have a package that is just right for you.
Endless fun is part of all options.
Join us for a day, or take a cruise. We’ll have a good time and make new friends…
Cole Steinbrenner2024-02-22*UPDATE* Since first taking a course with Paul almost 2 years ago he has continued to play a pivotal role in my sailing journey. From continued sailing education to taking several, "I think this may be the one!" phone calls as I navigated the used boat market, Paul has continued to be a huge support. He is truly passionate about bringing the freedom of sailing and the joy's of playing in the wild to those who want a taste! *ORIGINAL REVIEW* Had an amazing experience learning sailing with Paul! Good balance of hands on and theoretical knowledge... great conversation as well which is a cherry on the cake when in close quarters. Would recommend for sailors of all levels wanting to gain more knowledge and experience. Walked away confident and aware of necessary areas of growth.
Jamie Hockin2023-09-19I did the 5 day live aboard. Excellent course. Paul is extremely knowledgeable. He made time for everyone and their skill levels. It was a very relaxed and flexible environment. Will be back for more courses. Thanks Paul!
Laurie McClelland2023-09-04My husband and I recently experienced a 4 day 3 night sailing excursion through the gulf islands with Paul. It was a lovely experience that gave us added experience with tides and currents that we have not so far had a chance to explore in our other sailing trips. Paul was an excellent guide to the complexities of navigating and anchoring in these new conditions and his teaching regarding tying to shore wrt to the tides was top notch. To add to our enjoyment of the excursion Paul is the consummate host and we enjoyed lively discussions on a variety of other subjects. Paul’s attention to meal preparation and provisioning had us feeling like we were on a high school trip being taken care of and allowing us to not have to worry about anything. As a general refresher Paul was a superb teacher and although we both have our intermediate sailing certificates we are sure that Paul would be a tremendous resource for anyone planning on obtaining their beginner or intermediate certification. Even if planning to sail for a sightseeing adventure we could not imagine a better choice than Big Blue sailing
Tim Bernard2023-08-02My wife and I embarked on a 4-day, 3-night sailing trip around the Gulf Islands, and it exceeded all our expectations. As our skipper and gracious host, Paul played a pivotal role in making this journey truly exceptional. From the moment we stepped onboard, Paul's warm and welcoming demeanor made us feel right at home on his boat. Over the days, he patiently and enthusiastically answered all our questions about sailing, his sailboat, and the fascinating area around the islands. Even though we weren't focused on learning to sail, Paul still shared some valuable insights and allowed us to spend some time at the helm, allowing us to appreciate the art of sailing a bit more. And when the wind was too calm to sail, we motored around the islands anyway. In the evenings we settled into a secluded bay, we enjoyed some wonderful meals and engaging conversations about sailing, life on a boat, and life on the coast. His passion for sailing and the sea was infectious, making every moment spent on the boat incredibly enjoyable. We were impressed by Paul's ability to tailor the trip to our interests. Despite us not having a specific plan in mind, he came up with an itinerary that suited our preferences perfectly. His knowledge of the area and attention to detail ensured that we visited some beautiful spots and had unforgettable experiences. Paul's amiable nature and friendly demeanor made us feel like old friends, and we truly appreciate the time we spent with him. We left the trip feeling immensely grateful and already dreaming of future adventures. We cannot recommend this experience enough and feel incredibly lucky to have discovered such a gem. Thank you, Paul, for an unforgettable adventure!
Patrick Liberte2023-07-24Paul is a very knowledgeable and patient instructor. The course is well thought out and the scenery is out of this world. We thoroughly enjoyed our 5 day Course.
Jessica Farrow2023-07-15We had the BEST time!!!!!! The weather was perfect, we had great wind and sun (though I did forget to put sunscreen on and my forehead and nose were not so happy after). Paul is great!!! Very personable and a wonderful teacher, very calm and explained things well. And the snacks he supplied were delicious! Can't recommend enough!!!
Travis McPhee2023-06-15Just completed the 5 day livaboard course. Came in knowing little to nothing, came out with a great grasp of sailing. The pace is comfortable but over 5 days many things are covered. Highly recommend. Paul is a great guy, he’ll answer your questions making sure you understand.
Tim Raines2023-06-11I did a 5 day sailing trip with Paul (and 2 other drew members) in June 2023 and I had a wonderful time. Paul's expereince, calm demanour and quiet teaching style made the sailing fun and the learning easy. The boat was excellent and the food terrific. All in all I highly recommend taking a course or just going for a cruise with Big Blue Sailing...you won't regret it!
andy weilenmann2023-05-23I very much enjoyed this 5 day 4 nights on the boat basic cruising skill course. It was everything I had hoped for and more. Paul is a great teacher, good cook and fun to be around. I can highly recommend Big Blue Sailing
Chris Cormier2023-05-09Recently did the 5 day cruise and learn. Paul is a great instructor, very patient and thorough. Food was exceptional the whole trip. It doesn’t get much better than cruising around the gulf islands with good people learning something new! I would recommend to anyone thinking about learning to sail, and hope to be back in the future for the intermediate course!
Only a few companies have full access to the park – Big Blue Sailing is one. Visit all the best hidden and unspoiled hidden gems in the Vancouver Island area.
You are in safe hands with Paul, our skipper. He is a Certified Sailing Instructor with Sail Canada, holds a Transport Canada 60-ton Limited Masters ticket, and is a member of Royal Canadian Marine and Search Rescue.
You don’t have to take our word for it, take our customers’.
No matter what your age, sailing offers unrivalled freedom and adventure. It is never too late! Rekindle youthful dreams, or simply indulge your desire for the great outdoors.
“We had a wonderful time with Big Blue Sailing School. Four of us sailed around beautiful Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island for 3 hours. Paul has a nice 36 foot boat and is very personable.” Mark F.
“A great course to learn to sail from an excellent teacher. Thanks Paul, for providing us with a great experience that will be a foundation for sailing in the future. Well worth the time as we learned a tremendous amount in a short period of time in a great learning environment.” Sid B.