Vancouver Island
Eldonita: 18.08.2022
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08/10/2022
On the night from Wednesday to Thursday, we took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. The overnight journey was not our choice. We did not know that a ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island must be booked 3 months in advance. In our time window, this was the only available spot. All other days and times were fully booked. Unfortunately, this means that we will miss the beautiful passage through the fjord. We will also miss the chance to see orcas, which are the most common in the world.
08/11/2022 Thursday
We want to spend our first day on the island on the west side at Pacific Rim National Park. To get there, we have to cross the island. We are surprised to see that there is constant civilization here and accordingly heavy traffic on the roads. In Ucluelet, we hike along the Lighthouse Loop.
We are fascinated by the beauty of nature again. It is a bit colder here at the Pacific with a t-shirt than it was 2 hours ago inland.
08/12/2022 Friday
We continue towards Tofino before breakfast. Today, we want to walk in the rainforest and go swimming at the beach. The view from the window doesn't show much, dense fog hangs in the trees. We hope that the sun will show itself later today.
Our first adventure for today is the Rainforest Trail. It is a 2.4-kilometer plank walk through the rainforest. Before we start, we read the warning signs on how to behave in encounters with bears, wolves, or cougars. Half of all cougars in Canada live on the island. But no animal dares to come near us while we are talking and singing loudly. There are many informative signs during the hike about the development of the rainforest. For example, a fallen tree from 1986 is almost intact. This means that an 800-year-old tree will take more than 300 years to decompose.
After lunch and a nap, we embark on the second part of the day, to Long Beach. As the name suggests, it is a long and beautiful sandy beach. There are many surfers in wetsuits waiting for the perfect wave. But it is too cold for us to go into the water. The children are playing in the sand and we enjoy the view of the sea. We can even see the other side of the shore. It borders the USA, with the state of Washington. On the horizon, we can also see the high mountains of Olympic National Park. Some of them still have snow on their peaks.
Beautiful!
08/13/2022 Saturday
Today, we drive back to the east to explore the southern part of the island. On the way, we stop in Port Alberni and take a secluded hike to Maria Falls. It's an adventurous climb down a small cliff, with a rope as a descent and ascent aid. The little pond in front of the waterfall is clear and deep. Small black birds 🐦 hop up and down between the different layers of rocks.
We then continue upstream to the Hole in the Wall. Yes, indeed, a big hole in the stone wall. We suspect that there used to be a bridge over the water here, which caused the hole. It is very beautiful to see. Benedikt and I couldn't resist going in once. The water is not too cold, but the stones are a bit slippery. So we have to be careful not to end up in the water like some others.
After another hour of driving, we reach Nanaimo and walk through the Old Quarter City. Small colorful houses with shops and restaurants.
It's been a successful day.
08/14/2022 Sunday
Today, we drive through a wine-growing area. The sun is shining particularly beautifully, so we take a bathing break at Lake Cowichan. A small quiet sandy area invites the children to build sandcastles. Jens and I swim in the pleasantly cool lake.
We continue winding through the mountains until we reach Port Renfrew on the other side. We hike to Botanical Beach. Due to the shifting of the tectonic plates, stone slabs have been pushed onto this beach. Ideal for mussels, algae, and crabs to settle in the crevices.
08/15/2022 Monday
We spent the night in the forest at the Sombrio Beach parking lot. Now it's time to explore the beach and find a hidden waterfall. It involves crossing a narrow suspension bridge and then continuing up the mountain over roots.
Unfortunately, there is no description here, and suddenly we find ourselves in the tent camp. A nice woman was able to help us and tell us where the waterfall is. Of course, it is in the opposite direction. So we go back down the mountain, across the suspension bridge, and onto the second path.
A short time later, we are at the beach and marvel at the natural spectacle. The sun and fog constantly alternate. First, we can see far out into the sea, and then the forest on the shore disappears behind the fog.
The beach consists of sand, gravel, and large stones, which makes it a bit difficult for us to walk. At the end of the beach, a river flows into the sea. This is the sign for us to enter the forest. We find our way through the riverbed. It leads into a narrow canyon, and at the end, the water falls down like in a shower. The rock formation here is impressive.
We then return in sunshine. We even see three seals in the water eating and playing.
When we reach the beach, we are initially blinded by the sun reflecting on the water's surface. It is a small beach with a tent camp and cliffs. We are actually looking for a waterfall that falls directly into the sea, but there is not enough water for that.
08/16/2022 Tuesday
We spend our last day on the island going swimming. For that, we hike to the Sooke Potholes. These are naturally formed pools in the river. Beautiful and icy cold.
In the late afternoon, we drive to Victoria. Our ferry to Port Angeles in the USA will depart from here tomorrow. We stroll through the streets and find the city very beautiful. The waterfront has been completely renovated, and there are many cafes, restaurants, and bars. It's clean everywhere and beautifully landscaped.
We reflect on the many beautiful experiences of the past three months while enjoying pizza and ice cream.
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