August 22, 2023
We were treated to wonderful hospitality by geocaching friends we met in Newfoundland back in 2015 while in Vernon, BC for three days. We spent a pleasant morning at a local park for a geocaching event and were remembered by one or two folks from another gathering in Medicine Hat, Alberta a few years ago.
with Donna and Jerry (AKA mrspumpkin and earthnut) in Polson Park
We shared geocaching stories and received recommendations for places
to visit on Vancouver Island.
After leaving Vernon, we routed ourselves back through Kamloops, then down through Merritt and Hope.
We were dismayed to hear that a few days after we left, the city of Kelowna (south of Vernon) experienced a terrible wildfire. All of BC is tinder-dry and it was warm (90s) in the Okanogan area of the province. We spent one night at Sasquatch Provincial Park and found "Harry" in the nearby community of Harrison Hot Springs.
Poor Harry is missing a thumb
Trail to Bridal Falls
We tried to get on this trail the day before, but couldn't even get a parking spot at the trailhead.
So much quieter early on a Monday morning!
Bridal Falls near Abbotsford, BC
We spent two nights at Brae Island Regional Park campground near Fort Langley. A nice hiking trail on the west side of the island along the Fraser River took us to Tavistock Point - a nice view, but it was a bit smoky (that is the reality of wildfire-prone western Canada and US right now).
The hint for a geocache at a historical marker was "through the
rainbow gate" - love it!
Just a few miles from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal is a place on our bucket list - Point Roberts, Washington. It is below the 49th parallel on a peninsula so requires a border crossing into Washington state. We had several hours before our ferry passage to Vancouver Island so it was a perfect opportunity to make a visit.
The first road in Point Roberts runs right along the border, just across the
ditch are backyards in Canada. Love the flags displayed!
border monument
view from the border monument of the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal looking toward Vancouver Island
The main attraction for us in Point Roberts was the SunSweep Sculpture. It is the western segment of a three-part sculpture that requires travel from one country to the other to reach. We came across the eastern segment on Campobello Island (New Brunswick) in 2015. There is one more segment in Northwest Angle, Minnesota (a peninsula jutting out into Lake of the Woods - 20 miles of unpaved road through part of Manitoba). We hope to make a return trip to that unique location someday to complete the visit to "Sunsweep".
looking west from Point Roberts toward Vancouver Island
Low tide on Point Roberts
Our ferry crossing over to Vancouver Island was delayed about an hour so we arrived at our campground near Nanaimo just before the office closed. I hate arriving at a campsite after dark, but it happens. We were famished so settled for quick sandwiches, then crawled into our sleeping bags. The next day found us traveling along the eastern side of Vancouver Island as far as the town of Courtenay. Gorgeous views of the Strait of Georgia along the way.
We drove into the capital city of British Columbia, Victoria, on a Saturday thinking it would be easier to get around than on a weekday. Wrong ... big bike rally going on and some of the streets were closed. We joined the throngs of tourists and managed to see quite a bit of the city.
Victoria's Chinatown
Fan Tan Alley
Parliament Building
with Queen Victoria statue
sequoia in front of Parliament building
Beacon Hill Park ...
giant watering can with a variety of spray/sprinkle patterns
world's tallest totem pole
formal garden at Government House
We haven't been able to visit many Parks Canada sites so this was our first
photo op of this trip with Parka, the national parks mascot. This is at Fort
Rodd Hill National Historic Site.
Fisgard Lighthouse (Brian is touching it so his friend Mindy will consider
it an official visit)
view of the lighthouse from Fort Rodd Hill ramparts
We found a cool series of driftwood art sculptures at Esquimalt Lagoon Migratory Bird Sanctuary near Victoria. We went out late in the afternoon to find it crowded, so we returned early the next morning when very few people were out there and we could see all of the creations easily.
Note the baby raccoons in the hole of the post
Canada goose with gosling
Back to Victoria to enjoy the quiet part of the day at Beacon Hill Park.
sequoia tree in the park
"Moss Lady"
Mile 0 of the Trans Canada Highway
We have now been at both ends and have traveled most of the miles on the TCH in between the termini.
This is where Terry Fox would have ended his cross-country journey.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Fox
We continued on around the south end of Vancouver Island to Sooke for a few days. We made stops at Sandcut Beach and Sheringham Point Lighthouse.
whimsical tree stump on the trail down to Sandcut Beach with new trees sprouting
from the stump
Now that is some big piece of driftwood!
kelp on the beach
not much water coming over the ledge this late in the summer
a stop to remember Shirley Kissell
Sooke River
Not too smoky from Malahat Overlook on this day
Return ferry trip to the mainland, the van fit with the height of a Gatorade bottle to spare!
Almost to the border crossing and back into the lower 48 states.
