Exploring Nanaimo – boats, planes, beaches, and a foster pup
Days 32 and 33, May 27th and 28th, were Cathy’s final days travelling with us. She had to fly back to Whitehorse to get back to her job, so we planned a couple of low-key days of wandering around Nanaimo. Also, though, I had finally made arrangements to visit...
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Ripple Rock RV Park, and hiking the Ripple Rock Trail
Having quickly settled in at Ripple Rock RV Park the previous afternoon, Day 29 of the trip (May 24th), was Cathy’s day to just enjoy the sun and the boats going by in Seymour Narrows. I did a lot of that as well, but also spent a few hours...
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A visit to Alert Bay and the U’mista Cultural Centre
We had almost given up on seeing Alert Bay, but decided to try again on Day 28 of the trip, May 23rd, before heading south. The ferry Bowen Queen approaching Port McNeill dock at 08:20. Normally the smaller Quadra Queen II is on this run, but she’s out of...
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Furthest-North Vancouver Island – San Josef Bay
Visiting Ronning’s Garden was wonderful, but the primary destination for the day was San Josef Bay, a hike of about 5 km round trip from the end of the road leading from Port Hardy. The last few miles to Cape Scott Provincial Park were on the smallest road yet....
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Vancouver Island’s northern-most show garden, Ronning’s Garden
Our longest excursion of the trip was the plan for Day 27, May 22nd. Cape Scott is the furthest northwest point on Vancouver Island, and while we wouldn’t get that far, we’d get close. And on the way, we’d visit Ronning’s Garden, a unique historical attraction. I’m breaking the...
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Hiking to the crash site of RAF “Dakota 576” near Port Hardy, BC
We had planned to take a ferry to Alert Bay, but fog changed our plans. The site of a 1944 plane crash, of a DC-3 known as “Dakota 576”, became our morning destination. When we woke up on Day 26, May 21st, dense fog enveloped our camp site at...
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Exploring the historic Suquash Coal Mine near Port Hardy
After a fabulous morning on the water at Port McNeill on Day 23, May 18th, we still had plenty of exploring time, so hiked in to the historic Suquash Coal Mine near Port Hardy. Bobbie started this tour by showing us the “World’s Largest Burl” – that is actually...
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A morning of fishing and bald eagles at Port McNeill
In the early afternoon of Day 23, May 18th, we made the 28-km drive from Telegraph Cove to the Cedar Park Resort at Port McNeill. We had reserved a 5-night stay months ago, as my niece Bobbie lives in Port McNeill and had a list of amazing places that...
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Exploring Telegraph Cove and Beaver Cove, BC
We only had 21 hours at Telegraph Cove but absolutely loved it, as the 44 photos in this post will probably show. This is one place that we definitely will return to for a few days. The next time, it will be in September, while the orca are still...
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Driving from Campbell River to Telegraph Cove
After finishing our too-short look around Campbell River on the morning of Day 22 (May 17), we drove north on the Island Highway (BC Highway 19), with no overnight destination in mind. Late in the day, we decide that Telegraph Cove would be perfect – and it was. The...
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