Sewell’s Marina
A Legacy on the Waters of Horseshoe Bay
Sewell’s Marina began when Dan Sewell Sr. discovered the beauty of Horseshoe Bay (Ch’ax’ay) in the 1920s. Drawn by the area’s incredible ocean salmon fishing, he and his family set down roots in what was then a quiet summer retreat — a place few chose to call home year-round.
In those early days, the Sewells learned to build boats and log floats, supporting the growing marine industry of Howe Sound. Always innovators, they placed the first Briggs & Stratton engine in a boat, advanced from handlines to rods and reels, and helped pioneer the move from live bait to cut-plug fishing.
Howe Sound
They were true entrepreneurs and problem-solvers, guided by a simple family motto:
“There are no problems, only solutions.”
From Log Floats to a
Thriving Marina
What began as a few log floats and a handful of rowboats for rent steadily grew into a thriving marina. Over the decades, breakwaters were installed, facilities expanded, and the marina evolved to meet the changing needs of local and visiting boaters alike.
Four Generations on the
water
Now, four generations and 95 years later, Sewell’s Marina proudly serves the boating community of Howe Sound with approximately 400 slips — the majority annual, with a portion available seasonally. Many of today’s moorage customers are multigenerational families themselves, carrying forward a shared connection to these waters.
That same community spirit remains alive on the docks today. Just as it was in the beginning, boaters look out for one another, and the Sewell family continues to live by their founding belief:
“There are no problems, only solutions.”
