Archive for the ‘BC’ Category

We are heading south!

Monday, July 22nd, 2019

It will be a slow journey, about 5 more weeks before we return home.  Today we made it to Comox, BC which is on the east coast just above Nanaimo where we will get onto a Ferry on Sunday and head to Vancouver.  We will relax here and enjoy some of the local things like, wine, beer, seafood, golf and festivals.’

We headed out today to see the sand sculpting in Parksville, about 40km south.  Traveling on the coast road we found a quaint little spot to have lunch, FishTales where you sat on the lawn at umbrella tables in the garden and enjoyed a traditional English fish n chips.  It was very good and what a fun stop.  You can’t find these spots on Yelp or the Interstate!

The Parksville Sand Sculpting was amazing and took place in this very nice park right on the beach.  There was lots going on and the sculptures were fantastic.

Sponsors sculpture, very cool

My favorite was the one that looked most sandcastle like.  The others followed the theme of this years event, Myths and Legends.  This is a qualifying event for the World Championships, whatever that is?

A mermaid and a castle, that is what I think of when I think sandcastles

PopCorn, Paul’s favorite

I didn’t get the reasoning behind this one but it was pretty cool and they had tiny figures on the ground that were pretty well done also.

And the others


The sculptures were very creative and the detail was so good, we would really have enjoyed watching the sculpturing but it was the week before. These will remain on display until the middle of August.  Not your made in the waves kind of sandcastles!

Goats on the Roof?

Sunday, July 21st, 2019

“Goats on the Roof” When you see this in the sites to see you have to go there!  It’s a little tourist trap and there were only 2 goats on the roof, one of which I could see but the market underneath was amazing!  It was a little bit Trader Joe’s, Cost Plus and toss in a bit of 7-11 with a little cafeteria on the side.  Some things were priced really cheap and very original.  You could go broke in here buying unique things.  The only thing I was disappointed in is they did not have a selection of Goat Cheeses.

Goat on the Roof!

Part of the complex had of course an Ice Cream shop with a really long line and a couple Hippie type stores and one Surfer Store.  It was an interesting spot; one I would put in the column, OK to miss!

Bucket List do over!

Saturday, July 20th, 2019

I had such a great time on Tuesday seeing the ocean life that I talked Paul into going on Friday!  We did a much larger boat out of Telegraph Cove, Prince of Whales Tours.   It was a nice trip but nothing like Tuesday’s spectacle!  I knew Tuesday was special but without a point of reference you just don’t know.  We had a nice trip, saw some Bald Eagles, Humpback Whales, Dolphins and a colony of Canadian Sea Lions which look just like San Francisco sea lions to me!

The trip was beautiful and the guides were informative but it was definitely a very different vibe than the show I saw on Tuesday.  The best part of the day was the dolphins really liked our wake and gave us a show when we were underway.

We did get to see a couple of Humpbacks fins which I didn’t see much of on Tuesday.

So it was a good tour and for most would have been memorable but it was definitely a let down after the first tour.  I guess once you get something spectacular you should just let it go.

 

From Port McNeill to Alert Bay to Port McNeill to Sointula to Port McNeill and back to Alder Bay RV Park

Thursday, July 18th, 2019

Wednesday was a lazy, wet day so we stayed inside mostly doing STUFF!  Not my favorite kind of day but the rain just would not stop long enough to do anything, Thursday was supposed to be better so we decided to ride the ferry to Alert Bay where there is a Reserve for First Nation peoples.  They have 1/2 the island and the other half is small vacation homes.  A very quiet island and the only way to get there is by boat.  We can see most of it from our campsite across the bay.

The harbor was small but I found these interesting

We enjoyed a coffee and caught the next ferry back to Port McNeill only to do a turn around and ride the same ferry out to Sointula and Malcolm Island which is a bigger island right next to Alert Bay.  A bigger Island with a lot more vacation homes and a couple campgrounds.

Going in Circles

 

This fun stuff was right on the beach where at times the whales come to scratch on the pebbles.  No whales today but there were a lot of campers here.  Now that is remote camping.  There isn’t much to do here other than fish, read and a little hiking.  We are not getting much hiking in as Duke is just not comfortable on the leash any more with his loss of sight.  He is still very happy and has energy just places he doesn’t know he doesn’t trust.  Walks very carefully so we are finding other things to do.  Besides today the sky opened up even more than yesterday and it just would not stop raining.

That is the welcoming sign at one of the homes in the area!  We did find some real wildlife, this little baby was so cute and mama was giving him some space. They didn’t run off too quickly so we enjoyed them for a few minutes.

Then the main event for me today was I spotted this eagle on a rock right on the beach.  I have seen many in the area but this one was just there and so was I.  I have never seen one so close nor had one take flight.

GOT IT!  Check that off my bucket list.

Speaking about bucket lists, I find that when I get a check it just doesn’t feel like enough.  I want more of what I just experienced.  Now that this bird flew I keep watching the others forever wishing them to go!!!

Alert Bay

Tuesday, July 16th, 2019

We came to Vancouver Island to get away and away we have gotten.  We traveled 300 miles on an island to the far north side where there isn’t much to do other than enjoy the quiet and oh yea, watch the wildlife!

There are lots of fishermen here and today is opening day of Salmon season.  I took a ride on a tour to view wildlife from Seasmoke Whale Watching Tours and we saw some of the most amazing creatures feeding in the wild.

Turkey Vultures finishing off a seal

Mama and a pup resting on a rock

Bald Eagle, he was waiting above for the Turkey Vultures to be gone! Or maybe arranging his takeover

Amazing views from my tour boat

A narrow opening between two islands

The main event was entering a large bay to see the dolphins feeding on a bait ball.  A Bait ball is a group of small schooling fish that dolphins, birds, sea otters and whales hunt for and when they find one the results are spectacular.  We sat in a small boat for almost 2 hours enjoying the best view to be had.  There were 2 Humpbacks among the hundreds of dolphins having a feast.  The Humpbacks were using a technique called trap feeding where they relax in the water, raise their open mouths and wave their fins capturing these little fishes until they are full!  (Humpbacks eat 1 ton of food per day!) There were several tour boats and fisherman all hanging out just watching.  The radio in our boat was going crazy!  The guides were all so excited as this in not a regular occurrence and we got such a treat.  At one point our guide was so distracted viewing, and photographing he never even noticed the humpback that was off the back of our boat!  When we finally shared with him it was so close we had to just sit there and watch.  We could have easily reached off the back of the boat and touched him if we weren’t so shocked.  My camera was put away by then because at some point you need to just sit back and enjoy nature!  One of my tour mates got some so maybe he will share them with me, but for now enjoy!

 

 

And if things couldn’t get more exciting we had a cruise ship come right through the middle of things and the dolphins put on a show

It was an amazing 4 hours and I can’t wait to go back out there!  The dolphins would have been a beautiful site, the Humpbacks were a bonus and to have one of them get so close to our boat will be a memory that won’t be forgotten anytime soon!

Fun Stuff from the far north of Vancouver Island

Monday, July 15th, 2019

We stopped to watch a lumber operations.  They were sorting and moving logs from multiple spots.  They even had two guys measuring the poles before they are sorted and strapped into bundles.

Sometimes I just like to play!  I enjoy the scenery so much that sometimes I just snap photos and then they stick with me.  It doesn’t cost anything and only takes a few minutes to post – enjoy them for what they are!  It makes me smile.

 

 

Alert Bay and Telegraph Cove

Monday, July 15th, 2019

This is a beautiful area and there isn’t much here.  We had some of the best fish n chips from a food truck in our campground, Alder Bay Resort  and so far we have taken a couple drives to see the surrounding area.  It is beautiful here and quite wild.

Telegraph Cove

A resort is about all that is here in Telegraph Cove but we managed to make it a day. We had to pay to park! That’s unusual.

While we were enjoying a cup of coffee on the deck the whale watching tour boat was passing by and following a couple of Orcas.  We could see them swimming but they were pretty far out so no photos!  Our first Whale sighting since being up here.

On our way back to camp Paul found a hidden gem!  Down a gravel road about 8 km was Hidden Cove Lodge were today there was no one here except another couple doing what we were, just stopping by.  A beautiful spot but there is not a thing to do here other than relax and unwind!  Better have your books uploaded before you come because there was no internet.  They are not on the grid at all, only Wind and Solar

There are several day excursions to be taken and today we took a drive to Port Alice known for the sea otter population. There isn’t much else here anymore as the pulp mill making cellulose is gone and owes the village a bunch of back taxes according to the worker in the visitor center.  There was not much here other than some beautiful scenery.  We didn’t see any otters only a puppy having a great time chasing nothing while it’s owners enjoyed the views.

Vancouver Island

Sunday, July 14th, 2019

The ferry crossing was uneventful until we went to exit.  The RV appeared to not be releasing the brake.  We are first in line and many travelers behind I’m sure thought we were brand new to RVing!  The Ferry personnel were sure of it!  Finally they got the others backed up and off and we got out and unhitched the car to see it that would help.  It did!  Now off to customs and we are in separate vehicles.  I got a really nice guy and he told me where I could wait for Paul who was in a much slower lane.  This time we had no issues and got off and drove to our destination for the night.

It turns out that the cars brake buddy (the thing we put in the car to brake in case we need it!) had shifted and was putting the brake on.  To Paul and I both it felt more like the RV wasn’t releasing the brake but it wasn’t because we have had no issues since.  And the dead car battery is fixed now too as we just had the wrong fuse in the car somewhere!  Maybe now we have everything worked out and we can sit back and enjoy our new RV.

Week of Sailing

Friday, August 12th, 2016
Bon Voyage!

                    Bon Voyage!

We had an amazing week with friends and family among 3000 other guests as we sailed into Alaska from Seattle.  Our group was 17 and we had family from New York, Colorado, San Jose as well as many friends from home.  It was definitely the way to celebrate my birthday.

The boat was lots of fun, with the expected entertainment, food choices, and amazing care in the cabin.  We were all grouped together so the halls were a bit noisy and the balconies were a place to visit your neighbor even if it was 6 am – there were whales!  and icebergs, and a few bald eagles.  We didn’t want anyone to miss the excitement (or was it we were awake so why shouldn’t our friends)!  One evening we had a pesky towel man that would not turn the TV off!

Next time I want the private room, please

Next time I want the private room, please

We ate too much, tried to exercise but the activities never end so it is really easy to say “run in circles on the track (1/9th of a mile long) or go play bingo!  We played lots of card games,  had a little survey test to get to know our friends better,  sang a little Karoke!  I found out Nick (son-in-law) can really ROCK it!  We saw the shows, drank a few drinks of the day, learned how to put an outfit together from others suitcases when someones suitcase didn’t make it until day 3 –  thats a long story!  We sat in the hot tub reminiscing, sun catching and of course a lot of sightseeing!  We saw whales off the boat; a porcupine, a couple of bears, salmon swimming upriver, and some bald eagles.

We took a tour of the Glacier and a waterfall; we rode the train that was the same route for the Gold Rush in Alaska; Ziplining in British Columbia; and a PediCab ride around Victoria.  The weather was pretty good, one rainy day in Skagway where we found you can still get condoms for $1!,  the beer is $8.  The seas were calm and no one got sick or lost, except for those 3 suitcases.

Formal, Captains night!  We actually got everyone in the photo!

Formal, Captains night! We actually got everyone in the photo!

Setting sail,  Stephanie, Amy, Judy, Arlene, Cindy, Nick Me, Paul

Setting sail, Stephanie, Amy, Judy, Arlene, Cindy, Nick Me, Paul

Mendenhall Glacier outside of Juneau

Mendenhall Glacier outside of Juneau

The trail to Mendenhall.  Why would you want to hike on the Bear Trail?

The trail to Mendenhall. Why would you want to hike on the Bear Trail?

Yep, it was a little chilly on the walk to the Glacier

Yep, it was a little chilly on the walk to the Glacier

Mendelhall Glacier

Mendelhall Glacier, and my girls!  

Swimming Salmon.  Near Mendelhall Glacier

Swimming Salmon. near Mendelhall Glacier

Dinner wit the whole gang, I think!

Dinner wit the whole gang, I think!

Whitehorse Train

Whitehorse Train

Looking to the harbor where our Ship was docked from our Train

Looking to the harbor where our Ship was docked from our Train

Warming up on deck after a day in Skagway

Warming up on deck after a day in Skagway

Glacier, we sailed right up to this one.  We were less than a 1/2 mile from it.  Saw a couple chunks break off.

Glacier, we sailed right up to this one. We were less than a 1/2 mile from it. Saw a couple chunks break off.

Victoria Harbor

Victoria Harbor

Monkey Tree,  It looked fake, almost like a tiny cell tower!  We saw several so I guess they were real

Monkey Tree, It looked fake, almost like a tiny cell tower! We saw several so I guess they were real

I think this guy has my donut!  It probably looks better on him after 6 days of overeating and never missing dessert!

I think this guy has my donut! It probably looks better on him after 6 days of overeating and never missing dessert!

Another wonderful memory.  Sharing it with my friends and family was the best part of the whole week (and a couple chocolate cakes with vanilla ice cream).  Can’t wait to get home and see everyone again.

Perfect area, lousy weather

Monday, September 30th, 2013

When you live in your RV and travel like we do you are bound to have one of those experiences where the area is prefect but the weather just isn’t cooperating.  We are in Kelowna, BC in a very cute little campground right on the banks of Lake Okanagan in the Okanagan Valley.  This area is beautiful and full of wineries.  They are growing bright purple grapes everywhere but it was just too wet to really get out and explore. Besides, the price of alcohol is prohibitive in Canada so why even taste!  We walked a little in downtown enjoying some of their public art and we found a Geocache – our first in Canada.

Brower Hatcher

Brower Hatcher

This was my favorite art piece.  Inside there are shapes that represent things in the lake; there are fish, lilly pads, and it lights up at night.  We found our geocache right near the bear.  We usually forget about this activity but we met a couple that were doing a community geocache and after talking with them for a bit then decided to find one here.

The weather is not only wet it is pretty cold and windy so we stayed in most of the weekend.  On Sunday we went to a movie.  This is our second movie in two weeks and that is a record for us.  Neither movie was really worthy of going to the theater but it was better than sitting home watching reruns!  Movies here just like everything else are a bit pricey.  $39.  for two tickets, a large popcorn and 1 soda!  We watched Meet the Millers on Sunday and while we laughed a lot this movie was a bit slow.  The other movie we watched last week was The Family – Paul’s choice.  It had lots of shooting and you were suppose to love the family but they were just too weird!  Both movies I think the story was there but I never fell in love with the characters.  Paul says Jennifer Aniston is pretty hot for 40!

We will be back in the states tonight and I am ready to get back to normal, whatever that is!!!