Approaching Horseshoe Bay, where we catch the ferry to Naniamo, on the east coast of Vancouver Island.
Horseshoe Bay ended up having a lot more to offer than just ferry service. There were a few restaurants and little shops and a park right on the harbour (remember, we're in Canada). We dined on fish and chips in the park while we waited to board the ferry. Fish and chips are everywhere and they're good.
In the distance the ferry arrives from Nanaimo. Almost time to head back to the car and board.
The sun is just about down and we're beginning to realize that we'd spend the next week experiencing the chilliest July nights of our lives.
This cabin was the coolest. It had all the modern conveniences, but was nestled in the brush less than a mile from the Pacific. If we were so inclined, which we weren't, we could watch satellite television. We cooked in the fully stocked kitchen and relaxed in the hot tub out on the deck. Never really been hot tub people, but it's pretty cool to hang out in when the night air is crisp and chilly.
Dining at Blueberries, the best little bistro on the Island. This was in the town of Ucluelet. We had lunch and breakfast there. I think at this point Chris ordered a club sandwich with crab, smoked salmon and avocado. I just got fish and chips for the third consecutive time. I have always loved fish and chips, and in Canada they take it seriously. Crispy throughout and the fish is both fresh and local!
Chris wets his feet in the icy Pacific at Long Beach, Vancouver Island.
Chris dons the uber-warm coastal suit for the whaling excursion on the Pacific. This was the best part of our time on Ucluelet. We rode in a high-speed zodiac boat. Imagine a power boat with a huge innertube attached to the bottom. You skim the ocean's waves, sometimes flying up into the air and crashing back down with great force. Chris and I couldn't sit together during the trip which I didn't like, but he got to sit up front, which he really wanted to do. An Asian couple stole the two right-sided seats out of the three-person front row. The guy actually asked our tour guide if we get to touch the whales.
I would live in this thing every day if I could. It was so warm and cozy. I am the world's worst packer, so I was ill prepared for Vancouver's chillier temps. Although, keep in mind, I am always cold. In my office, I practically wear a parka during the summer because they run the air conditoning so freaking high. But alas, the suit was just for the whale watching trip...and I had to give it back.
Grey whale, center of photo.
That's a bald eagle's nest you're looking at up there. A juvenile, not an adult. Our tour guide said the nests can weigh up to 2000 pounds.
Sunbathing sea lions...
Notice the black bear, that small black blurb in the middle of the screen. He's scooping crabs from the ocean.
This trailhead is about a 1/4 km from the cabin and it leads straight to the Pacific.
We pass this tree as we make our way to the ocean and if we stopped to take a picture of every old gigantic tree, which Chris was originally doing, the hike would have taken all day.
A freshly French-manicured index finger points to what's cool about Canada-- they just warn you about the bears and cougars that inhabit the surrounding woods. They don't prohibit you from the area altogether. The sign conveys the country's concern for the wildlife and the fact that you are encroaching on their territory. It was a cool thing to read and ponder over, that we were amongst beautiful black bears and lithe cougars--but we were still thankful we never encountered either one. Footnote: while we were in town, a girl was attacked by a cougar while in a provincial park, and her mother saved her. So it does happen!
As we begin to reach the ocean, there was a fork in the trail. One trail takes you to Florencia Bay and the other to Half Moon Bay. The trail went from crushed stone to an elevated boardwalk path. Reminded me of the mountain bike trails North Vancouver is famous for. Only difference is the mountain bike trails are narrower and don't have a handrail.
Kelly pontificates where arc-shaped Half Moon Bay gets its name...
We made friends with beach dwellers at Half Moon Bay! They took us in and prepared hot cocoas and then took this photo of us! Or did Chris just discover the self-timer on our brand new camera, which we purchased in Vancouver after realizing we left our original camera in Washington. Classic.
A picture-perfect shot of Tofino, Vancouver Island. This fishing port town is just 20 miles or so from Ucluelet. We drove down one day, did some shopping and bought some fresh halibut filets from a local fish market. We cooked them up on the grill back at the cabin, along with some scallops and bacon and smoked salmon Chris grabbed. Chris isn't even the world's biggest smoked salmon connoisseur--my dad holds that title. But, we were both diggin' on this stuff. He still talks about it. Moist, flavorful, and the scallops and bacon were remarkable.
At SOBO in the Tofino Botanical Garden. (SOBO means "sophisticated bohemian," by the way) We discovered this place after heading out from the cabin in search of a place to eat. After cooking at home the night before, we realized the cabin lacks one essential utility--a dishwasher. And the cookware didn't have Teflon. Thus, the rest of our meals were out. A diary at the house detailed different restaurants in the area, and one guy recommended SOBO. It was a tapas place, and it was delish. Chris and I enjoyed great wine and beer (a syrah for me, and a local pale ale for Chris) and great tapas-- a fried shrimp/crab ball thingy sticks out in my mind, as well as a fish taco with mango salsa (for Chris--I wouldn't eat that if you paid me).
These trees are curved like this from years of wind and being in a perpetually windblown state.
Self-timer strikes an action shot.
Kel sleeps on the ferry from Departure Island, departing our beautiful cabin in Ucluelet and bound for the city of Vancouver.
We embark on the aptly named Grouse Grind... We are warned that the hike is extremely steep and difficult, take plenty of water and that every step is a step in elevation. Stupid Americans... we scoffed at such warnings and headed up with a 3/4-full big-size water bottle, as you can see above.
Imagine climbing stairs, straight up, vertically, skipping three steps at a time. I certainly didn't know what I was getting into, but I held my own for someone who's last physical accomplishment of any notable duration was tee-ball in the early 80s. And bear in mind Chris and I are rationing water. At one point, my legs literally felt like spaghetti, as if I could bearly hold myself up. By the time Chris took this picture, I had lost all composure. I was desperate to stay engergized and cool as my new Capilene shirt began to soak. But I kept going, oftentimes getting a burst of energy after stopping for a few minutes.
What kept me going, you ask? A couple things. There were some youngsters behind me talking about how their uncle had completed the hike nearly thirty times in his life, as they and their father sought to complete it for the first time. I wasn't about to bow out then. But the fact that kids were doing the hike too is more of a testament to the kids' outdoor prowess than the hike's degree of difficulty. These kids must be super-active, because even Chris--an avid cyclist--would agree that this hike was tough. I was also motivated by the promise of an "I Survived" t-shirt at the top of the mountain; the guilt from last night's gluttonous dinner; and the gondola ride back down. I have not been able to sport an "I Survived" t-shirt since my days on the Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens.
We actually came in under the maximum average time!
The gondola back down...
Many people don't realize it but lacrosse is actually Canada's official national sport.
Not sure why the artist would pick a goalie to represent hockey but it was still pretty cool. This fella was sportin' a Vancouver Canucks jersey.
When we head down on the gondola it really sinks in just how high and steep Grouse Mountain is. It seems that they reward the people who hike up the mountain because it costs only $5 to ride down but $30 round trip.
Kelly stands in front of funky houseboats down at Granville Island.The buildings in Vancouver are largely steel skeletons and glass windows.
