Summary

Mowgli Island represents a rare sale offering as one of British Columbia's very few private island gems. Located in the heart of the Southern Gulf Islands, Mowgli offers the ultimate in privacy, in one of the world's most breathtaking settings. The award winning residence along with its picturesque beaches, protected moorage, favourable topography and unparalleled location makes Mowgli the perfect private getaway.

Area Overview

The Gulf Islands are located in the Georgia Strait, dispersed between Vancouver Island’s east coast, and the west coast of British Columbia’s mainland. Comprised of over a dozen large islands and many smaller islands in various stages of development, the Gulf Islands are blessed with an abundance of sunshine and a diverse ecosystem. The area is in close proximity to Greater Vancouver and Vancouver Island and is accessible via ferry, private boat or floatplane. Regular ferry service is provided to the Gulf Islands from several terminals on Vancouver Island and from Tsawwassen near Vancouver on the Mainland. Access is also easy from the United States as the Southern Gulf Islands form an archipelago with the San Juan Islands and there is a convenient Customs Office at Bedwell Harbour on South Pender Island. The Southern Gulf Islands are made up of seven major islands that have ferry access, as well as numerous less populated islands. In all, The Gulf Islands are home to approximately 14,000 residents. The largest island community is Salt Spring Island with a population of approximately 9,600. This number increases dramatically in the summer, as vacationers retreat to benefit from the extensive annual sunshine that the area enjoys. In fact, the Gulf Islands boast being the mildest climate in Canada, with just 840 millimetres (33 inches) of rain annually and average temperatures of approximately 16 degrees Celsius (61° F). The rural nature and natural setting of the Gulf Islands provides for an abundance of recreational opportunities. The area features clean swimming beaches, picnic grounds, and tremendous opportunities for kayaking, hiking and salmon fishing. A number of spectacular and challenging golf courses are in the area including ones on Gabriola, Galiano, Pender and Salt Spring Islands. The Islands also provide excellent sailing as the seas rarely become too large and the next anchorage is always just around the corner. The economy of the Gulf Islands is service-oriented and is heavily reliant on the tourist industry. This includes a variety of rental properties that help accommodate the large influx of seasonal tourists. The area also has a long history and is well known for its agriculture. Most recently, several vineyards and estate wineries have been established to take advantage of the area’s Mediterranean climate. Small business is also a vital part of the local communities, with many artists living on the Islands, as well as various entrepreneurs and web-based businesses.

Lot Information

Mowgli Island is comprised of a single title of land and is relatively oval in shape. While a recent survey has not been conducted, BC Assessment notes the property at approximately 8.93 acres in size. We have utilized a Provincial mapping system to determine some dimensions and specifics of the property. This mapping data shows the property to have an approximate maximum width of 630 feet and a maximum approximate length of 1300 feet. The island has a gently sloping topography and is largely in its natural treed state, with only some clearing and landscaping immediately surrounding the house site. Unlike most of the private and more developed islands in this region, Mowgli Island appears to have been spared from systemic logging that took place elsewhere in the early to mid 20th century. Accordingly, Mowgli has a mature forest characterized by old growth Douglas Fir, Arbutus (Madrona) and Western Red Cedar. The irregular shape of the island features close to 3400 linear feet of waterfront and protected and low-bank sandy beaches. The gentle topography of the property allows for tremendous views throughout the island. Animal sightings on Mowgli Island are not uncommon, with otters, seals, bald eagles, and orca whales often passing by. Moorage is provided within a provincially granted water lease located on the protected west side of Mowgli Island. The water lease area encompasses an area of about 4350 square feet and has a dimension of about 172 x 25 feet.

Access

Direct access to the property can be made by private boat or floatplane. From Vancouver International Airport, it is only a 15-minute trip via floatplane, while the property is approximately a 1.25 to 1.5 -hour boat ride from Vancouver (depending on the speed of your boat). The dock is capable of mooring several small boats and accommodating floatplane access. Moorage is available on the west side of the island via the private dock. All of the Gulf Islands are accessible from Vancouver Island and/or the Lower Mainland via regularly scheduled ferries. Several of the Islands also have regularly scheduled floatplane service. Trips are made several times daily in and out of Telegraph Harbour on Thetis Island, which is a 15-minute boat ride from Mowgli. Access to Mowgli is generally via a private boat. Supplies, fuel and other provisions are most readily accessible on Thetis Island or at Chemainus on Vancouver Island. Chemainus is a 15-minute boat ride from Mowgli Island.

Improvements

Mowgli Island is improved with a two-storey, west-coast style residence, an older guest cottage, storage shed and a large dock. The main home is a custom built Osburn/Clarke designed residence that was constructed in 1992 by the Island’s current owner. Osburn/Clarke (www.osburnclarke.com) have completed over 100 custom homes, many of which are located in the Gulf Islands. They pride themselves on their ability to practice sensitive, site-specific architecture on sites that are often hostile to human settlement. They have won many awards for their design including the Canadian Wood Council Merit Award for this very home on Mowgli Island, and most recently the Western Living Magazine Residential Design Award in 2007. The main residence is strategically placed on the west side of the island, as to receive the afternoon sun. This side of the island also features the most ideal swimming locations, with easily accessible low bank waterfront. The home is approximately 2,000 square feet in size and features four bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The home has been lovingly maintained by its current owner and is in excellent condition. While the home is more than large enough for a large family and their guests, it features a modest location within the shelter of the trees. The siting of the home hides it beautifully from the water while still providing outstanding views from virtually every part of the house. The interior of the home has a spacious and open floor plan with high ceilings and skylights. Features of the home include log and timber frame construction, fir flooring, extensive use of log beams, a large wood-burning fireplace and a spiral staircase. A piece of artwork in its own right, the impressive spiral staircase is the focal point of the interior of the home and was hand crafted out of a single piece of yellow cedar that was found on the beach of a neighbouring island. The extensive use of wood throughout the home gives it a rustic cottage feel, while still providing for modern amenity, utility and incredible comfort. The home benefits from an abundance of natural light with extensive use of glass throughout. Wall to wall windows in the living and dining areas offer excellent ocean views. These amazing views are carried outside of the home, where approximately 1,000 square feet of decks (both covered and uncovered) surround the home. Interior living space continues to an attached studio space with a separate entrance. Sharing the roofline but otherwise detached from the main residence is a small 350 sqaure foot studio space. The studio contains a couple of bunk beds, small sitting area and a desk. This area is separately heated by a small, airtight wood stove. An older log cabin is situated to the north of the main residence. This was the original cottage on the island, built in the early 1970’s and is utilized today as a guest cabin. It does require some “TLC” in order to make it most comfortable, however the charm and character of the log cottage is evident. Other improvements on the island include a newer storage shed near the main residence and a large private dock, capable of mooring several boats or a floatplane. The newly constructed dock is slightly “L” shaped with rough dimensions of about 50’ x 12’ and a total area of approximately 695 square feet. The dock also features a counter-weighted ramp, which protects the dock and allows it to be free floating. There is approximately 5 feet of depth at the dock at low tide, always allowing for easy access to and from the island.

Services

Despite, the remote nature of Mowgli Island, all the necessary services are available. Power is provided through solar and wind power, as well as a generator/battery system. Features of this system include a 1200 Watt Magnum Energy Inverter, a 3000 Watt Honda Generator, a 680 Amp Hour Battery Storage Capacity, 4 Solar Panels and a Wind Generator. Propane is used for the refrigerator, the hot water tank, and for cooking, while ample heat is provided by way of an airtight wood stove and the impressive main fireplace. A second small airtight wood stove provides heat in the attached studio space. There is an established productive well that produces very good water. The main residence is connected to a septic system, while a secondary, fully approved septic system has been developed at the south end of the Island in anticipation of the construction of an accessory sleeping cabin.

Land Use

Mowgli Island is part of the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Area and falls under Bylaw 123. The lands are further governed by Local Services Act BC Regulation 274/69 which requires a 10 acre minimum parcel size for any lots created by subdivision, essentially prohibiting the subdivision of Mowgli Island. The property is zoned R – Rural. This zoning allows for a variety of uses including a single-family dwelling. This zoning would, however, allow for an additional sleeping cabin to be built, as the current guest cottage is considered a storage shed. The current owner had received conditional approval of an additional sleeping cabin nearer the south end of the island, and has already established and received approval of a septic system at this location.