February 2, 2010 by Rae

Hot Springs Cove

Well, I just had a completely unexpected amazing day. The wonders of this life never cease.

This morning, I slept in until 9:30 and was enjoying a leisurely breakfast when the manager of the hostel came to me and said that a tour company was trying to put together a trip to Hot Springs Cove and needed one more person to go. Would I be interested for the special rate of $84, taxes included?

Research about this day trip put the cost at close to $150, way out of my price range for this weekend. But $84? When else would I get to stay in Tofino for $20 a night and get to go to the Hot Springs for $84? Never.

So, my plans for the day changed very quickly!!! I only had a half hour to make a lunch (thankfully I had bought supplies last night) and come up with suitable attire since I hadn’t brought a bathing suit (I settled on pyjama shorts and a camisole!). I only had flip flops, which I was warned weren’t going to work out there, so I decided to just go barefoot. The hostel offered to lend me a towel so I wouldn’t have to dirty mine.

The hot springs are located on Vancouver Island, but are only accessible by boat and float plane. Here’s a map:

We went around the other side of Florence island to get to the cove, but came back on the side where you can see the arrows. (Picture from http://www.risingsunkayaks.com/images/Clayoquot/mapclayoquot.jpg)

The boat ride is one to one and a half hours each way, then there is a two kilometre walk up and down a boardwalk to get to the spring. It’s therefore a full day excursion.

We were only four today and everything was in our favour. The smaller group and time of year meant a more leisurely pace, we had the springs to ourselves, and the weather cooperated.

While whales can often be seen on these trips, this was the wrong time of year for that. All we saw were groups of sea otters bobbing on their backs waving their paws at us. Too cute!

The walk through the springs is through the rainforest. We had fun looking at the planks underfoot since they all had the names of ships (why, I didn’t quite catch). At one point, I spotted a board for the Stornoway and dryly commented that it must be the official boat of the opposition. A beat passed and then peals of laughter could be heard ahead of me. I love it when I make a funny. 🙂

The hot springs are nothing like those at Liard, where the springs are highly accessible pools. Here at Hot Springs Cove the springs are completely natural. You have to clamber down rocks and stake a claim in a comfortable spot if you can find one. I hunkered down in one ‘deep’ spot where I could at least be covered to my shoulders while the other lady on the trip preferred to stand under the ‘shower’, while the men moved around.

One really neat thing about these extremely hot springs is that sea water comes up and floods them, so you get a mix of hot and cold water. High tide was coming as we were getting comfy and the waves of cold water coming at us grew larger and larger. At one point, a monster of a wave started to bear down on us. I had no where to go, so I just sucked in a huge breath, closed my eyes, and braced myself so I wouldn’t be slammed against the slimy rocks. A crushing wall of ice-cold water covered me and I just rode it out, figuring the water would subside. It didn’t, so I started to climb to the surface before I needed air. My group was concerned, but there was no reason for that, everything was under control. I am at my best in water, even in less than ideal circumstances.

We had about an hour in the water and twenty minutes or so to have a picnic lunch before we had to head back down to the boat.

Facilities at the Hot Springs include a toilet at both the dock and the springs, as well as large changing rooms. There was no place to store valuables, which was fine today but would have sucked on a day with tons of people there. I can’t even fathom that place overrun with people; it must be so dangerous! Good, waterproof footwear would make the experience more fun, but bare feet are fine if you’re careful and not in a rush.

The weather was so warm that coming out of the springs with bare wet shoulders was no hardship. We did the trip in a covered and heated boat, but the few times I stepped onto the deck for pictures, I was struck by how comfortable we were; I’ve been colder in the middle of San Francisco Bay in late June. We had rain coming into the cove, but nearly clear weather coming out.

that dark spot floating in the water is a sea otter paw!

looking down at the swimming area

you can really see the swimming area in this one; first stop is the ‘shower’ and then you can stake a claim a little lower

looking down towards the swimming area

flat calm between Vancouver Island and Florence Island

you can see the hostel, look for the green roof on the far right side

You can see the hostel quite well in this one.

February 1, 2010 by Rae

Hiking Near Tofino

Well, I can scratch “Hiking in Pacific Rim National Park” off my bucket list….

When I was studying natural resources in college, many of my teachers were from out west and they regaled us with their tales of life on the ‘wet coast.’ I heard so many stories about Pacific Rim National Park and it just sounded so exotic, with its redwood stands and and moss-draped trees. I couldn’t imagine a scenario that could take me here, other than my doing so after retirement. I made up this vague plan of maximizing my time out west by doing the West Coast Trail and then taking the Inside Passage up to Skagway to do the Chilkoot. How narrow my vision was back then!

While I’m still interested in doing the West Coast Trail, a grueling 75km trek over beaches and through rain forest, I’ve pretty much conceded that the Chilkoot will be the one and only major hike of my life. My knees haven’t recovered from those brutal 50km and have been worse than ever. Before the Chilkoot, I hadn’t had a blowout in exactly two years; I’ve had three since getting back. My current job, with its 33 hours a week of standing on a hard surface combined with a lot of crouching isn’t helping, nor is the damp weather that always seems to make the swelling worse. It’s only because I’m accustomed to this grating pain that I can do any hiking, walking, or running for pleasure. Soon as I get my Yukon healthcare squared away, I’ve conceded that I need to have a professional take a look and perhaps prescribe a brace or other supporting device.

All that to say that when I looked at the list of trail options for today, I focused on doing the ones that didn’t seem to have too much climbing or descending, but I did end up doing quite a bit of both.

I warmed up with the Bog Trail, an easy (and wheelchair accessible) loop on a boardwalk through a bog filled with stunted and twisted shorepine trees, some hundreds of years old. They looked like bonsai, making me feel very small. It was otherworldly and immensely enjoyable.

Next came the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail and its offshoot, the South Beach Trail. The Ncn is 2.5km one way; add about 400m to go to South Beach, too. There are interpretive signs which provide information about the local native culture. South Beach is an isolated, wind-swept cove with a pebble beach. I had intended to hike the Ncn both ways, but 99% of it is on boardwalks, which were impossibly slick. After a few near misses, I decided to just hike back via the road. By the time I got back to the car, I was soaked to the bone and very grateful there was some bread, cheese, peanuts, and a juicy apple waiting for me. 🙂

Next, I stopped at Long Beach, which is famous for being the longest stretch of surf swept sand on Vancouver Island’s west coast. Surfing here is quite dangerous because of rip currents.

My next stop wasn’t on my map, so I’m not sure what it’s all about other than it being called ‘Incinerator Rock.’ The view was spectacular!

Finally, I hiked the short, accessible, trail to the top of Radar Hill, which had been slated to be a radar installation during the Cold War. There is also a lovely tribute to those Canadians killed in the Korean War, erm ‘police action’ (*cough, cough*).

The Pacific Ocean looks nothing like the Atlantic. The water is more blue than grey, the sand more white than cream. I stood in the surf of several beaches today and was convinced that I could tell just by the sound of the surf which coast I was on.

The following picture gallery has more information on the trails I hiked today:

Notice the recent date; I was on my guard.

entering the Bog Trail

this tree on the Bog Trail had an interesting, twisted, bark pattern.

close up of the bark pattern

I’ve never been to a place where tsunamis could happen! 🙂

war memorial at the South Beach trailhead

access to beach blocked by logs

access to

Wickaninnish Beach

Wickaninnish beach

Wickaninnish Beach

Wickannish Trail

Wickaninnish Beach

totem pole at the begininning of the Nuu-chah-nulth trail

Wickaninnish beach

close up of the details on the totem pole

Nuu-chah-nulth trail

boardwalk on the Nuu-chah-nulth trail

blue water

Wickaninnish Beach

Wickannish Beach

boardwalk on the Nuu-chah-nulth trail

foggy conditions

steps down to South Beach

caution sign at South Beach

South Beach

boots on the beach

South Beach

boots in the surf

South Beach

stairs back up from South Beach

along the Nuu-chah-nulth trail

Nuu-chah-nulth trail

old corduroy road

I was a bit surprised by how deep this boggy section was. 🙂

slightly muddy boot

put down some branches and this would make a nice little cave 🙂

mighty redwood

Nuu-chah-nulth trail

Florencia Bay

I like this log that had a whole world sprouting out of its top.

I looked like that stick figure quite a few times today 🙂

wreck of the ‘Florencia’

Florencia Bay (end of the Nuu-cha-nulth Trail)

Long Beach

Island off of Long Beach

logs on Long Beach

island off of Long Beach

Long Beach

island off of Long Beac

danger warning at Long Beach

ooh, another tsunami sign

Incinerator Rock

I couldn’t get enough of the Tsunami signs 🙂

striking redwood stand at the Schooner trailhead (apparently ‘very steep’)

Korean War monument

view from the top of Radar Hill

view from the top of Radar Hill, with the Korean monument in sight

I found it amusing that there are stairs leading to the top of the boulder where the foundation is, instead of having people clamber up it.

radar installation foundation

view from the top of Radar Hill

steps up the granite slab to the foundation of the proposed radar installation.

summit of Radar Hill

January 9, 2010 by Rae

Campbell River to Nanaimo

There are two ways to get from Campbell River to Nanaimo. The first is the way I came after the ferry, highway 19, a new thoroughfare deemed the ‘inland highway.’ It is a speedway, pure and simple, with the highest speed limit I’ve ever seen in Canada (110kph) and nothing to see except a blur of trees. The second option is the older ‘ocean route’, highway 19A, which meanders its way quietly through sleepy hamlets. This is the route I picked to go to Nanaimo today.

It rained all day and most businesses were shut tight, so there wasn’t really much exploring to do. I simply savoured the coastal drive, occasionally stopping for photographs or to stretch my legs.

My longest stop before Nanaimo was in Qualicum Beach, a picturesque retirement community with the oldest average population in Canada. ‘Qualicum’ is from the Pentlach language and means ‘chum salmon.’ I took a small detour into downtown so I could see some of the murals. The town has a museum, but it is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the winter.

I’ve known about Nanaimo since I was a girl because my childhood best friend moved there when were were about ten. I looked him up before coming to the Island, but have thus far been unable to find him and imagine that he’s probably no longer in town. Nanaimo is also famous because of the delicious dessert named after it, the Nanaimo Bar, a decadent confection featuring chocolate, custard, and coconut.

The weather made wandering around the pedestrian-friendly downtown unappealing, so I decided to visit the Nanaimo Museum and take a quick glimpse at the harbour, then call it a day.

Coming into downtown Nanaimo was frustrating. There were two signs for the city and then signs for Victoria, more than a hundred kilometres away. I assumed that I missed downtown and got off the highway, then spent some time trying to find the museum before my GPS was able to help me. As it turns out, Nanaimo is a long, narrow city, and there were more than ten kilometres left to drive before hitting the downtown exit. Nanaimo definitely needs a ‘exit at *** for downtown’ sign at the city limits. Once downtown the museum is easy to find, just follow the big blue M signs. I was happy to find free parking at the corner of Museum Way and Terminal Avenue, literally in front of the museum entrance.

The Nanaimo Museum is brand new. The $2 entrance fee was easily explained by the museum’s size; tiny. This is a fine museum that makes full use of its small footprint. Within a few minutes of arrival I knew what Nanaimo was all about, from its coal mining origins to its bathtub races and Native heritage. It was one of the best museums I have ever visited.

During the summer, the museum also operates the Nanaimo Bastion, a fort built by the Hudson’s Bay Company between 1853 and 1855 to defend its coal mining operations. I had a chance to view the exterior of the Bastion after taking a quick tour of the harbour, which was cut short by the start of a downpour that did not let up until I got home. The harbour was just a couple of blocks from the museum and my raincoat was soaked through by the time I made it back to the car!

Nanaimo has a reputation for being a working, charmless, city, but I found downtown to be quite beautiful and I would very much like to spend more time exploring it on a slightly drier day. Being just 150km from Campbell River, it is the perfect destination for a day trip; far enough away to shake off cabin fever, but still near enough to be easily doable as a round trip.

the first rest area outside of Campbell River

Oyster Bay Rest Area

next rest area

Baynes Sound Rest Area

Oysters underfoot at Baynes Sound Rest Area

Baynes Sound Rest Area

trawlers off of Baynes Sound Rest Area

Baynes Sound Rest Area

farm across from Baynes Sound Rest Area

Qualicum Beach

mural in downtown Qualicum Beach

details about the mural

mural in downtown Qualicum Beach

downtown Qualicum Beach

bathtub racing, what an idea!

Nanaimo bars

the first black teacher in BC

Nanaimo’s mines are notorious for their death and injury rates, hence the ironic messages.

Native dress

this trunk belonged to Joseph McKay, founder of Nanaimo

model of Nanaimo’s Bastion

world famous singer Diana Krall is from Nanaimo

arrowheads

these beautiful combs caught my eye

drum

Victrola

book of Victrola records

Victrola

historic building

close-up

downtown Nanaimo

🙂

Nanaimo Harbour

what a great staircase!

Nanaimo Harbour

I don’t know if I will ever be able to see a palm tree in the wild and not feel a tingle.

the Bastion

January 2, 2010 by Rae

Canyon View Trail, Campbell River

When I asked my Christmas dinner hosts for ideas on day excursions from Campbell River, the first thing they mentioned was the Canyon View Trail, just outside of Campbell River. Today I awoke to a day off and good hiking conditions (overcast with sunny patches and plus four) so I decided I would go check out this trail.

The Canyon View Trail is very easy to access. Follow highway 28 towards Gold River for about ten minutes (a mere 3km from downtown) to the John Hart power plant. That’s the official trailhead, but I saw two other places to park and access the trail before that. The power plant is on BC Hydro property, but much of the trail is actually in Elk Falls Provincial Park.

One of the things that appealed to me about this trail is that it is a loop. It is about six kilometres long and relatively easy; most of the hike is along established pathways. There is one sudden elevation change that I will discuss below, but, otherwise, it’s a very easy walk.

From the power plant and facing the river, you can either go left or right. I went right and feel that this is the way to best experience the Canyon View Trail as the trail starts off in a rather boring fashion and then, just near the end of the loop, suddenly climbs high above a canyon for stunning views. What a great reward for all those kilometres already hiked!

One thing spoiled the mood in the woods today; an atrocious stench along some stretches of the trail. The riverbank was littered with the rotting carcasses of hundreds of huge salmon. There has been a lot of flooding in that area, so I am assuming the fish all died of natural causes from being caught on dry land after the water receded. I’ve included a picture of dead fish, the least icky one I took, in the following picture gallery; viewer discretion is advised.

From the trailhead, if you go right the trail will pretty much follow the highway and you will need to walk on asphalt for a bit to get to a bridge to cross the river. The trail is definitely a lot more woodsy on the other side and you will have the chance to walk by some old growth Douglas firs. You will circle a BC Hydro installation and continue until you see the power plant ahead of you, on the other side of the river. Shortly thereafter, the trail will climb dramatically until it takes you to a narrow steel walkway spanning an impressive canyon. The walkway covers a natural gas pipeline.

I was surprised by how well I did on that bridge as it was surprisingly bouncy. I did keep an elbow on the railing most of the time, but I wasn’t clinging to anything and I took the time for plenty of shots. Might our intrepid author have actually conquered her height phobia?

After the bridge you will head down towards the power plant and will actually have to cross it to get back to the parking lot. The noise coming from it was deafening and two hours later my ears are still ringing! I’d suggest moving along rather than stopping to take photographs.

My only complaint about the trail is that it isn’t very well marked. I recommend stopping at the parking lot at the entrance to Elk Falls, which you will pass if you starting hiking from the power plant. There is a map there of the extensive trail network in the area which will help guide you along the correct route. Had I not done this, I would have had no idea where to go from this parking lot. As it turns out, it’s where you need to leave the woods for the short walk along the highway. The intuitive thing to do is to keep following the woodsy trail, which ends in a very sudden drop.

I very much enjoyed the Canyon View Trail and look forward to exploring other trails in the vicinity of Campbell River.

Look out for this sign on the right side of the highway if you want to park at the power plant. It’s easy to spot if you’re driving at the speed limit.

This is pretty much what I imagined ‘wild’ Vancouver Island would look like.

fly fisherman

There were all kind of things marked in this sandy cove.

a retaining wall

close up of the a shallow, clear-as-a-mirror river just before a small fall

The flat calm made it hard to believe this is a river.

Mushrooms

map of the trail network

Fishermen

Fighting the current

Campbell River takes fishing seriously; this is a wheelchair accessible fishing platform. Impressive!

this was a shrine to a young boy

bamboo

the not-so-nice part of the trail

this gull fought the current for a bit…

then decided to just go with the flow until he finally flew off

lovely beach

the least gruesome dead fish picture

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…”

Dead bamboo that I mistook for a nanosecond for tarantula legs. *shudders*

some cool fungus

close-up of the jewel-like fungus

all the yummy varieties of salmon found in the campbell river

what a lovely place for a picnic, right next to a noisy power installation

having grown up near a hydro-electric dam I know that this sort of flat calm right next to active water spells danger

ducks not caring about the warning signs

one of the very rare trail markers

Douglas fir

the passage of eons, immortalized in layers of stone

part of the way up the canyon…

with this ahead of you

keep your eye out for this brief flash of blue hidden within the emerald foliage

one heck of a drop….

worth the climb and, especially, the whole stopping over thin air on a flimsy bridge thing

this sign amused me

cute little staircase

this part of the trail reminded me of wandering around Alcatraz Island!

December 13, 2009 by Rae

Seawalk-ing, Redux

The popular Campbell River tourist attraction that will the subject of my next post is about three kilometres from home, of which about two follow the Seawalk. While it was a bit nippy out, hovering between 0 and +1 with the odd flurry, there was no threat of rain, so I decided this was the perfect afternoon for a six kilometre stroll that would allow me to photograph some of the things that I’ve only glanced at while zipping by in a car.

Daybreak Park

this is the stuff I met on my last sea walk that I thought looked like Devil’s Snare from Harry Potter!

it says HELLO on that brightly painted rock

Doesn’t he seem to belong there? It is almost as though a man stood in that spot, battered by the ocean wind, until he was rooted there and turned to wood.

that’s a heron out on the rock

that light…

Campbell River lies on the 50th parallel

I just liked this roof 🙂

First time I see a sign with Segway regulations

This is the most bizarre tree I have ever seen. It looks like a parrot.

leaves from the parrot tree

a seaside cottage

a torii (traditional Japanese gate)

tribute to Nova Scotian miners

This wonderful sculpture is across the highway from the gas station and I had never seen it!

Close up of the details

It even has whiskers!

this magnificent totem pole stands next to the torii

Post edited to add onto Donna’s comment about the parrot tree. It is an arbutus tree (Arbutus menziesii), Canada’s only broad-leaf evergreen. It is also known as the ‘strawberry tree’ and ‘Pacific Madrone.’ Thanks for the heads up, Donna!

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A Life By Design

"Sometimes in life, we reach to a right place by departing from a wrong port with a wrong ship!" ~ Mehmet Murat Ildan

Beaches

Hot Springs Cove

Hiking Near Tofino

Campbell River to Nanaimo

Canyon View Trail, Campbell River

Seawalk-ing, Redux