An adventure on the Island
It had been a while since the last time I took more than a day or two off of work, and I was feeling like I needed a bit of a break, something more than just a long weekend. So, I tapped a week of my unlimited vacation and started looking at maps of Vancouver Island. I don’t typically spend a lot of time planning my road trips, rather, I just form an idea of the route I’m going to follow, then take things as they come.
Day 1
Not having any desire to deal with the weekend traffic, I waited until Monday to make my getaway. And not feeling particularly motivated on that Monday, it wasn't until just after noon when I finally urged myself out the door. I would be departing from the ferry terminal at Tsawwassen, landing in Victoria roughly two hours later.
I had been to the ferry terminal before, but never for myself. So for the very first time, I pulled up to the ticket booth, declared my intentions to sail the sea, secured space on the 3pm sailing, and was gently guided toward row 28. After myself and some hundreds of new friends were aboard, and having said a prayer for the as-of-yet unblemished door panels on my car, I hiked up the stairs and started to explore above deck.
The ferry is large. There are several car decks, and a couple of passenger decks, complete with a cantina, several cafes, some sort of gift shop, and what looked like a paid-entry (and very empty) lounge. I made my way out for some fresh air, and to check out the exterior accommodations.
Satisfied that I had seen it all, and having consumed some caffeine thinking it might come in handy later, it was soon time to return to our vehicles and prepare to disembark.
That night in Victoria wasn't much to speak of. It was after 5pm by the time I got in to the city proper, and because Canada, Autumn, and daylight savings, it was pretty much dark already. I had hoped to find a campground, but settled for a quiet street next to a nice park, and engaged stealth mode.
Day 2
After waking to a lovely sunrise, and having brewed up some coffee on the backpacking stove, I spent a couple of hours exploring the shoreline I found myself next to, wandering from Holland Point Park to The Breakwater, and back again. For what is a relatively short walk, I was treated to quite a selection of local wildlife, including a playful family of river otters, a harbour seal feasting on a shoal of fish, and several birds which call the shoreline home.
It wasn't long before I decided to hit the road again, heading west through Sooke on highway 14, which becomes the West Coast Road. While I was definitely winging it, the rough idea was to follow the Pacific Marine Circle Route, and to see some beaches along the south coast of the island. Not far from Sooke, I spotted a turnoff leading to the Sheringham Point Lighthouse, which I remembered reading about, so I headed down the road to check it out.
Having verified and documented the existence of the lighthouse, and learned a bit about the history of the area, which is known in some circles as the Graveyard of the Pacific, I hopped back in the car and continued for a short time down the highway, reaching French Beach Provincial Park. Finding a nice campground and a quiet beach, I figured this would be a great place to spend the night. There were still a couple hours of daylight, though, so I took the opportunity to explore the beach, and of course, snapped some photos.
Back in camp, I built a small fire, and relaxed in the otherwise pitch black night, soothed by the calm sound of gentle waves on the nearby shore. Then, sleep. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the next day would see my adventure reach full swing.
Day 3
In what would become a bit of a theme for the next few days, I awoke to the sound of a barking sea lion, broke camp, wandered down for a last look at the beach, then hit the road once more.
Back on the West Coast Road, I headed toward Port Renfrew, anticipating a few stops along the way. First up, I arrived at the eastern trailhead of the Juan de Fuca Trail, a shorter and more accessible partner to the popular West Coast Trail. The trailhead offers access to both China Beach, which I explored briefly, as well as Mystic Beach. The hike down to Mystic Beach is a couple of kilometers through typical West Coast rainforest, which means roots, streams, and mud. Not overly challenging but care must still be taken as it can be easy to slip or trip.
Upon reaching the beach, its standout feature immediately appears to the left—a waterfall dropping off the sandstone cliff in to the ocean below. There are also a few caverns and sea caves that have been carved out over the millennia, which can be explored depending on the tide. As with many other places in Canada, hikers love to build small cairns (we tend to refer to them as inuksuk) all over everything, and Mystic Beach is no exception. One of the caverns toward the north west part of the beach in particular had dozens of inuksuk stacked on logs of driftwood, which had been deposited by tides and storms. I also encountered some very curious Steller's Jays.
Rain had been forecast, and it was starting to feel close. Not wanting to get caught on the already slick trail in the wet, I quickly hiked back up to the car, and continued along the highway. One more brief stop at Sombrio Beach, without much exploring due to the changing weather, then it was on to Port Renfrew.
As there were a few things in the area that I wanted to see, I had planned to spend the night somewhere nearby, and since it was now raining, with darkness only a couple of hours away, I turned my attention to finding a suitable spot to camp. This proved difficult, however, as time and time again, I arrived to a campground or recreational area only to find it closed and gated. It is November, after all, but this still surprised me. Port Renfrew "ain't much of a town", so finding an inexpensive motel nearby wasn't an option either. I thought about spending the night in a pull-off along one of the logging roads off the highway, but something pushed me onward. So it was that, after a demanding drive through rain and darkness, I arrived in Cowichan Bay and checked in to the Wessex Inn Motel.
Day 4
Having once again been awakened by the barking of a sea lion, I quickly made ready to carry on. The goal for the day was to get to Parksville, a relatively short drive through Nanaimo, up the east coast of the Island. Parksville is of particular interest to me because, in my exploration of smaller and more affordable places to live (compared to Vancouver, this could be literally anywhere), this is one I thought might suit me. Upon reaching Parksville, I was immediately distracted by and drawn to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. The park features a forest with old-growth Douglas firs, over two kilometers of sandy beach, and a beautiful campground which I would take advantage of later.
After a couple hours of wandering the beach, making photos and enjoying the great light, I headed in to town for a look around. I have lived everywhere from rural municipalities to cities of millions of people, and probably still haven't figured out what I prefer. Parksville is a small city with most of what anyone would need, and is a short drive to Nanaimo for more of an urban experience. I considered this more of a fact-finding mission than a part of my adventure, so really wasn't documenting anything photographically; I checked out the externals around an apartment I had seen listed online, chatted with some locals, grabbed a few groceries, and returned to the aforementioned campground to settle in for the evening.
Day 5
Rising the next morning with the sun, I hurried to the beach (not two minutes walk from my campsite), and failing to find any spectacular composition in the minutes I had, grabbed a snapshot of the color in the sky. I wandered around for another half hour or so, and spotted a couple of eagles in the trees.
It was time to get back on the road, heading west once more. My destination today was Canada's surfer paradise, with a couple of breaks along the way.
First up, a quick stop at Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park. I love a nice, easily accessible waterfall as much as anyone, so it was a no brainer to hop out and have a look around. Near to the ample parking lot is a short loop trail which follows the Little Qualicum River through a beautiful forest, past a couple of waterfalls. I ended up spending a couple of hours here, but eventually decided to move on, so it was back in the car and on my way.
I hadn't traveled far when I reached my next stop, Cathedral Grove. Part of MacMillan Provincial Park, this grove is famous for its stand of ancient Douglas firs, many of which are over 300 years old, with some even exceeding 800 years! Cathedral Grove is actually split by the highway with parking on either side, and is an incredibly accessible way to experience an old-growth forest. Whether strolling along the boardwalk on the north side, or the trails on the south, it was an inspiring experience to walk amongst these ancient giants.
Moving along, through Port Alberni, and on to the Pacific Rim Highway, I continued my journey westward, passing Sproat Lake, navigating the twisty road first along Taylor River, then Kennedy River, and finally past the massive Kennedy Lake. Turning right at The Junction, I was on the homestretch to Tofino. After a very brief stop at Long Beach, I made it in to town, and as the rain began to fall, checked in to the Tofino Motel—quite nice by my standards. Further treating myself, and at the suggestion of the front desk, I wandered down the road to a restaurant called Shelter for some dinner, then returned to my room to call it a night.
Day 6
The rain had continued through the night, and greeted me in the morning as I packed my clothes and camera gear back in to the car. I wanted a coffee, and to see at least a bit of the town, so eventually found myself at the Harbourview Coffeehouse, staring through the steam rising from my mug, and out over the water. Today I hoped to experience some of the coastline that Tofino is famous for, so planned to head to the beach. If you're in Tofino and want to hit the beach, you've got options. I decided on Chesterman Beach, for no particular reason, and made my way there.
The rain had intensified and the wind had picked up, which is exactly what I wanted, however this did make it difficult to capture many photos, and impossible to stay dry. I wandered the length of the beach, watching huge waves crash on the rocks, people walk, run, and bike along the hard-packed sand, and plenty of surfers not really surfing. I think they were mostly beginners, and to be fair, if they have even five minutes of experience, that's five minutes more than me.
I could easily have stayed here all day, however not only were my pants becoming soaked, my boots were as well, at which point I had to admit defeat and give in to the weather. There was so much more I wanted to see, mostly other beaches and other areas of the coastline, but the unyielding rain had convinced me it was time to start heading home.
The return trip was pleasant, if uneventful. I had fully entered 'get there' mode, and wasn't interested in further breaks. I rolled in to Nanaimo late in the afternoon, and by early evening was on a ferry heading back to the mainland. After arriving in Horseshoe Bay, and an hour's drive through Vancouver, I was home.
All said, I had an amazing trip, and would be very excited to return to Vancouver Island many times. Or, as mentioned earlier, maybe even relocate, but that whole thing is completely up in the air. Either way, I'm glad and grateful for the experience, and appreciate the opportunity to share it!