Travels with haRVy

We spent a full day cruising Barkley Sound, from Port Alberni, BC to Kildonan and Bamfield, aboard the packet freighter MV Frances Barkley. Port Alberni is located at the head of Vancouver Island’s longest deepwater ocean inlet in the south-central heart of Vancouver Island.

Down Barkley Sound we go.

Lots of logging activity in the area of Port Alberni

Big tug, tiny tug

The floating post office at Kildonan.

Receiving mail, freight (furniture in background), and fresh produce.

Taking new headboard home.

Back to work in the office… boat returns again in two days.

If the boat can’t get to the dock, just motor the dock to the boat.

A few of the float homes as we approach Bamfield.

It’s difficult to get rid of your old junk when you live in a remote location.

Fixer-upper anyone? Call Vicky!

Picturesque boardwalk connecting the waterfront homes and businesses.

Playhouse inside a large old tree stump.

Even the trash has to be shipped out.

Heading back up the sound at day’s end.

We headed west from Parksville on Route 4, one of only two paved roads that reach the West Coast of Vancouver Island. One of our stops along the way was a brief hike around Cathedral Grove, a rare and endangered remnant of an ancient Douglas Fir ecosystem. The biggest trees in the Grove are about 800 years old measuring up to 250 ft in height and 29 ft in circumference.

The three-hour drive west across Vancouver Island is quite spectacular. The road winds around lakes,  up and down mountains, between thick vast forests of huge trees, and along rivers. I was glad that Al was driving so I could take in the incredible scenery without distraction.

 Kennedy Lake

Gotta pay attention driving on this road.

Small picturesque lake along the road.

We arrived at Ucluelet, our destination at the end of the road, with just enough time to find a beautiful cliff-side boondocking spot overlooking a rocky inlet. Here’s our view. Not bad, eh? Parked next to an empty lot amid Million$+ homes.

We took a brief morning walk around the neighborhood after breakfast and then drove out a bit further to hike the spectacular Wild Pacific Trail around the point.

Who knows what this is all about? We’ve seen it in a few locations now.

A quick drive through the town and boat harbor of Ucluelet before heading to the other end of this road to visit the surfing mecca of Tofino.

We’ve never seen a stop sign on the water before. What if you’re in a sailboat?!? This one is at the harbor entrance.

This gem hasn’t seen the harbor for quite some time. It is now berthed on the main street through town.

Tofino has a discernibly different vibe than Ucluelet. Several nearby Pacific Ocean beaches provide the best surfing conditions in Canada, which brings a younger, more active crowd. Apparently it gets extremely crowded and occasionally rowdy during the summer months, so we are grateful to be here when it is quieter even though it is a bit cool and foggy.

World’s smallest visitor center?

Creative bridge building along trail to Tonquin Beach.

Love how the forests come right down to the sand here.

Long Beach – foggy but still beautiful with several surfers enjoying small, but perfectly formed waves. (Don’t look for them in this photo, they were too far out to include.)

We enjoyed our brief visit to Victoria and thank our hosts, Tom and Lorraine, for letting us camp out in their driveway. However, we are always happy to leave big cities behind in search of more natural attractions. We look forward to discovering what else Vancouver Island has to offer!

We began by heading up-island along the East Coast. That afternoon we stopped at Cowichan Bay, a quaint village that occupies half of one street right on the bay. We toured the waterfront including the Maritime Center on the historic pier.

Later we came upon a few of the Dragon Divas, a group of female cancer survivors who own and paddle a 22-person dragon boat for exercise, fun and fundraising events. Photo below is “borrowed” from their website a we did not get to see the crew in action.

After some lively conversation with the divas, they inquired as to where we were headed next. I replied by asking them for suggestions. Chemainus got the popular vote, so that’s what we put in the GPS for the next day.

 That evening we felt like we were camping in Jurassic Park at the Cowichan River Provincial Park. The trees are all covered with moss and the ground thick with ferns.

Remnants of someone’s dinner…

The world famous, outdoor art gallery in Chemainus features over 40 huge wall murals and 13 sculptures depicting the history of the town. In addition to enjoying the beautiful murals, and a delicious lunch at the Owl’s Nest Cafe, we visited a few local artists’ studios as we happened to be there for their first ever studio tour.

Aren’t they fabulous?

That evening we camped at Rathtrevor Beach in Parksville where the nearly 13-foot tidal change is apparent. The weather wasn’t suitable for spending much time on the beach, but we did enjoy the very nice (but not cheap!) campground and hot showers.