Cowichan Bay is a fishing village 10 km south of Duncan where the Cowichan River meets the sea. A row of wooden buildings on stilts extends over the water — boathouses, small restaurants, a maritime centre — giving the bay the unpretentious character of a working waterfront that happens to be very photogenic. It is also home to one of the oldest certified organic farms in British Columbia.
The Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre occupies the old community dock and celebrates the area's boatbuilding heritage. Small-boat sailors and sea kayakers put in here, and the estuary behind the village is excellent for birding — herons, eagles, and various ducks are regular sights. On a fine afternoon, the combination of the bay, the hills behind, and the sound of rigging on the masts makes Cowichan Bay one of the most pleasant stops on a Cowichan Valley driving circuit.