This blog post will explore the “Wonders of the World” from the Parksville Sand Sculpture/Beach Festival held during the summer of 2023. (A World of Wonder was the winner of the People’s Choice doubles award).
The artistic creations truly took our breath away. I always found building sand castles using buckets, sand, seaweed, shells and various seashore items, enjoyable as a child until sections collapsed or the waves quickly eroded my ‘fortress’. Therefore, I am totally in awe of these artistic creations which manage to withstand weeks of display in varying weather conditions throughout the summer.
Vancouver Island hosts a wide variety of summer festivals and outdoor experiences. A popular event for families or individuals (which runs for over a month starting in mid July) is the Parksville Sand Sculpture competition and Beach Festival.
If you have arrived from the B.C. mainland via B.C. Ferry and are based in Nanaimo, the community of Parksville is a mere 35 minutes drive on Highway 19 North–only 40 km away.
The beaches are mostly sandy and during low tide, offer a wonderful area to explore. Locals and visitors enjoy playing in the sand or swimming in the Pacific ocean. Famous Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park has campsites, forests and sandy beaches. If you hope to camp during the summer months, book early!
Parksville beaches have public access and a lovely easy boardwalk adjacent to the sandy beach.
These photos depict the Parksville beaches beside the boardwalk during an August low tide. There are multiple websites available to assist your planning when coming to explore our central Vancouver Island paradise. Here is a link to more information and photos promoting Parksville/Qualicum beaches, lodgings, and upcoming activities.
The photos in this blog post were taken during a visit to Parksville in mid August 2023. The location of the sand competition is adjacent to the Parksville beach/boardwalk/park area. The creation of the sculptures occurred from July 13th-16th when artists had 30 hours to create their elaborate sand interpretations. There are two main categories artists may select–solo or doubles.
This year’s theme was “Wonders of the World“. Karen Jean Fralich was the winner of the solo category with her “Great Barrier Reef” sculpture. Fred Dobbs and Ted Siebert won the doubles award for “Wonderland“. (Shown below).
Thomas Koet won the solo competitor’s choice award for “Two Wonders of the World“. Edith van de Wetering & Wilfred Stijger won the competitor’s choice for doubles with “Dreams“. People’s choice awards went to Peter Vogelaar in the solo category for “Age of Wonder” and Doubles went to David Ducharme & Susanne Ruseler for “A World of Wonder“.
The consistency of the sand is crucial to the success of the sand creations. I learned that the sand is actually transported to the competition site from a quarry in nearby Coombs. The sand requires fluvial deposits (river sand) a mixture of silt and clay. The competitors often commence using wooden forms; a strong ratio of sand to buckets of water is used (8:1 ratio was quoted by one of the volunteers); and when the sculpture creation is completed, a spray containing a type of glue is applied to harden the sand.
After the conclusion of the annual competition, the sand is returned to the quarry where the winter rains successfully break down the hardener enabling the sand to be re-used/re-cycled the following year. What an impressive concept! Here are a few of the amazing sand sculptures this year.
If you are interested in further information about the 2023 Sand Sculpture competitors or plan to attend this Vancouver Island festival next year, the Parksville Beach Festival website is a great source of information. Click the “homepage” link .
There were so many imaginative sculptures expressing visual messages. I have only provided a sample of some that intrigued me for varying reasons. This sculpture won my token for the People’s choice award. This is a personal experience…I look forward to next year’s theme and the powerful messages and beauty created in sand and shared by these talented artists.
In addition to the famous sand sculptures, Beachfest included summer concerts and activities for all ages. Thank you to all the volunteers who help to make the Parksville summer Beachfest such a positive, friendly, relaxing and fun experience. Well done Parksville!
This series of photos were taken mid July 2023 at Port Hardy near Fort Rupert (Kwakwaka’wakw Territory). The top 2 photos are of Storey’s Beach area. It’s a beautiful area to kayak, paddle or explore and we often encounter Pacific white-sided dolphins, Dall’s porpoise, and sometimes the odd whale. The bottom photo is an art display depicting First People’s art and culture which is located at the Port Hardy Airport.
Port Hardy is located on the northern end of Vancouver Island, B.C. With a population of under 5,000 people, it is the largest community on the north island. It is also the southern BC. Ferry terminus for the the inside passage voyage north to Bella Bella, Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii, or Alaska. Port Hardy and the surrounding small communities are known as the “Gateway to Adventure”. Near the town of Port Hardy, you will notice the motto on the welcome signs “Live the Adventure” illustrating a black bear and salmon. The pristine outdoor options are a nature lover’s delight. There is also a small airport offering flights down island or to Vancouver and small planes also connect to fishing resorts and smaller coastal villages.
This blog post describes a special annual summer event that occurs during mid July in Port Hardy. FiLoMi Days weekend is a definite highlight for locals and tourists who are lucky enough to locate accommodation during this summer festivity. There are campgrounds, cabins, motels, and B&B but they fill quickly–especially during ferry nights or special celebrations. Here are a couple of the options…
The FiLoMi acronym symbolizes the 3 major industries of the town (Fishing, Logging, and Mining) although ecotourism is quickly becoming a 4th major industry here. Each year the FiLoMi days theme represents one of the 3 industries and in 2023 the theme was Fishing. This is a huge event for this town and visitors will discover a friendly, busy weekend with many former citizens venturing “home” to reunite with friends and community members.
Early on Saturday morning, you will see floats and vehicles being decorated around town prior to the parade marshalling. Ribbons are allocated in a multitude of classes based on the creative interpretation of the theme–2023 was Fishing! Later on Saturday morning the locals and visitors are generally either in the parade, or sitting watching it, as it meanders from the local Thunderbird Mall to the Tourist Information Center and main Carrot Park area.
FiLoMi Days parade 2023. The Port Hardy Seniors were one of the many groups in fine form. There was an enthusiastic audience gathered to view and support the event. Here is a short video sharing a few highlights from the parade and other events, such as, the Taiko Drummers, Boat Building competition, Beach Volleyball tournament, Music, Beer Garden, Buck a Shuck Oysters, Children’s Play area, Float Plane fly pass, Free Seniors Bingo, and Food and Crafts Booths. The Free Movie in the Park, Rubber Duck Races, and Fireworks also were crowd favourites; in addition to the “Sold Out” FiLoMi adult dance.
As a former teacher in Port Hardy area for over 35 years, one of my favourite aspects of FiLoMi Days weekend is when former students come up and reconnect sharing their life stories, new partners, children, successes, or challenges. It warms my heart and is so gratifying and uplifting. 🙂 I won’t list names, but here are a few of these special individuals from FiLoMi Days 2023.
The Boat Building competition is another crowd favourite. The boats are usually designed prior to the event then each team has 3 hours to build their creation then launch it and try to steer the boat around a buoy and back to shore first without sinking! Each year we wonder what materials and designs will be effective (or not) and how many “boats” will successfully complete the voyage around the buoy. This year was particularly special as two of the competitors from the winning boat team were former students of mine. Congratulations Buddy and Adam!
Here are a few more random photos taken during FiLoMi Days in Port Hardy. It was a family friendly event and the weather was great! Although heads up…the ocean water is pretty chilly!
I hope you enjoyed this taste of FiLoMi Days weekend in beautiful Port Hardy, Vancouver Island. Thanks so much to the dedicated organizers of the event. I look forward to FiLoMi Days 2024! Cheers Sandy
July 1st is Canada Day in our beautiful North American country. Citizens and tourists donned their red and white clothing, flags and decorations and headed to Maffeo Sutton park in Nanaimo to celebrate!
To encourage involvement of citizens in our small city of 106,631 (2023), the Nanaimo B.C. Transit bus system offered FREE shuttle service all day long from 2 local locations–our main shopping mall at Woodgrove located at the north side of the city, and our University of Vancouver Island campus. It was a fun option to ride the clean, efficient buses and not have to worry about locating parking space. There was also a FREE bike valet service provided at the city park location if you chose to ride down town.
When we arrived at Maffeo Sutton park there were people learning to kayak in the lagoon area while others walked along the seawall or sat and admired the beauty of our oceans and nearby islands–Protection Island & Newcastle (Saysutshun) island.
It was beautiful to observe the diversity of culture, age, religion, and unique identities all sharing a peaceful, reflective, fun experience together.
Prior to the official opening ceremonies at the Nanaimo pavilion, there was a flag bearer walk along the trail by the lagoon to the pavilion. A dance troupe sharing Chinese culture performed various times during the day.
Canada Day Flag bearer parade during opening ceremonies at Nanaimo
Following the Flag ceremony we gathered at the Maffeo Sutton Pavilion augmented by grassy open spaces, tents, healthy varieties of shade trees, and a glorious view of the Pacific ocean as we bonded together singing our national anthem… Oh Canada!
It felt so emotionally powerful to be singing our national anthem together on Canada Day — Oh Canada! Following our anthem, a few dignitaries welcomed all Canadians and tourists to the Canada Day celebration. Speeches were given by our current mayor of Nanaimo Leonard Krog; our two government elected officials–Lisa Marie Barron & Sheila Malcolmson; and also a touching reflection from a very grateful new Canadian citizen.
After the Opening Ceremonies concluded….it was time to explore all the entertainment, booths, and activities available around this beautiful Nanaimo park.
At Maffeo Sutton park you will discover a substantial children’s play area and even a summer time zipline experience available crossing over the lagoon. Can you spot the boy on the zipline approaching the landing spot?
This is the musical section of the children’s play area. The drum kit seemed to be the favourite mode of creating music during our walk past the area.
There were many people entertaining around the park area including guys on stilts and this talented magician. In addition to random entertainers, there was also a diverse list of different cultural groups performing from Flamenco and Chinese dancers to Square dancing!
These photos show demonstrations by a martial arts troupe and square dance performers.
If you felt hungry….There were free Canada Day cupcakes! Or you could peruse the Food Truck/Cultural food area. These are only 2 of the food options available.
Or…If you prefer to enjoy the beautiful Pacific ocean surroundings, there are regular small ferries available over to nearby Protection or Saysutshun Islands. You could walk along the seawalk path, explore the wharf side markets, or just chill on a blanket on the grass.
This photo depicts the seawall path by the float planes and close to the marina area. There are several ice-cream/gelato shops along here. One shop produces homemade ice-cream including the famous Nanaimo bar flavour!
Canada Day in Nanaimo, B.C. was a ton of fun! It sure feels great to be free of the Covid masks too!
We are looking forward to next year’s events and all the upcoming Vancouver Island summer festivals!
Cheers from Vancouver Island. Have fun exploring. S
“I’m dreaming of a White Christmas“…The lyrics incite such a romantic vision of a Winter Wonderland. It truly is magical when snow arrives for Christmas…
Winter Wonderland in our backyard…Merry Christmas 2021 from Vancouver Island, Canada.
After shoveling snow several times a day for over a week straight (Thanks hon!); and being basically snowed in during the entire time my 88 year old mother and son, Alexander, were visiting over Christmas; I must confess visions of sun and warm beaches have been slipping into my thoughts lately!
Shoveling snow every day since snow arrived! Dec 2021
However, it is with gratitude, I embrace the beautiful snowy scenes and Winter Wonderland our family experienced during 2021 Christmas.
In preparation of the Festive Season, we attended a George Canyon Christmas concert, set out the nutcracker collection, decorated the tree, and Sophia our cat set out to explore after the first snowfall.
Getting into the Holiday Mood–George Canyon, Nutcrackers, Tree, Sophia and Snow!
Gifts were created and shared. From Santa on a motorcycle playing “Born to be Wild” to homemade pumpkin pies for each of our neighbors. I even managed to get my hair cut and styled!
Getting ready for Christmas Festivities…
My husband and I headed up for a day of downhill skiing at Mount Washington prior to the influx of participation when school breaks for the Holidays.
Downhill Skiing at Mt Washington, Dec. 2021 (weekday).
By December 22nd my 88 year old mom and son, Alexander, arrived at our home on Vancouver Island. Alexander had spent the previous week in Toronto working at the StarFish Medical office in Toronto. Luckily his Covid test was negative after returning back to our province, so he was able to join us at Christmas. Sadly, his long time girlfriend, Benz, remains in Thailand due to Covid global restrictions. We all really miss her optimistic ways and quick smiles! Sophia, our rescue cat was thrilled to have Alexander home!
Beautiful Benz in Thailand and Sophia loving Alexander’s gentle touch.
When Alexander arrived my modest, reserved son quietly informed us that he had just received an award at his work place. We were all so proud when we learned that Alexander had been selected to receive the StarFish Medical “Reach For the Stars” award.
My son, Alexander, was selected to receive the StarFish Medical “Reach for the Stars” 2021 award with Scott Phillips (Founder and C.E.O. of StarFish Medical.)
His grandad (Alex) would have certainly been beaming with pride! Alexander is the 3rd generation of exceptional Engineers. My dad whom Alexander is named after, was a Marine and Machine Engineer. His Uncle Mark was an Electrical Engineer. Alexander is a Design and Manufacturing Engineer. All three generations are incredible divergent thinkers, innovative problem solvers, and hard working leaders in their fields. Alexander is very humble, but he is allowing his proud mom to share this recent recognition. I am so proud of you hon!
So how do you entertain when snow is steadily increasing outside day by day?
Daily measurement of snow on the back deck table….The last photo reached 48 cm or 19 1/2 inches!!!
Well….The 4 of us (mainly Alexander) worked together to complete a 1,000 piece puzzle entitled “Wish you were here” sent by a lovely friend in Burns Lake. Thanks Wendy! Our one outing in the snow was Alexander’s gift to his nana. Mom selected a movie she would like to see and we all attended “West Side Story” together! It was mom’s first time attending a movie theatre in years and she was thrilled watching from recliner chairs!
Christmas activities–puzzles and movies!
Eating….Meal planning was done ahead of time. Here are a few of the meals we shared together.
Sharing meals together….Enjoying extra treats over the Holidays.
Christmas is not quite the same without small children present and our day was pretty quiet with only 4 family members present together. Covid times have changed our celebrations, but we embraced our time and had fun together!
Highlights from Christmas 2021
The Fifth member of our home is our rescue cat, Sophia. Although she loves to spend time outdoors….We discovered that Sophia is not fond of deep snow and temperatures below 0! She is curious and likes to check in with us (especially me), but during a Winter Wonderland experience she is happy to hang indoors!
Sophia our Turquoise shell cat prefers indoors….but likes to follow me when the snow is under 30 cm.
It is a lot of hard physical work keeping snow under control–including keeping the vehicles accessible and driveways/paths cleared. But sometimes…..you just need to have a bit of fun and make snow angels!
Mark and Alexander demonstrate how to create Snow Angels! Dec 2021
Sophia demonstrated how to create paths in the snow and play with the snow. She was not successful creating snowballs….but she tried hard!
Sophia (rescue cat) tries to make snowballs….
We definitely had a “White Christmas” this year and as we approach the New Year of 2022, I can say honestly that we will have a “White New Year” too!
Yes. We had a “White Christmas” 2021
The snow seems to be very content resting here and weather forecasts do not indicate that it will be disappearing in the near future. So….Here are some highlights showing the beauty of a Winter Wonderland in our city.
Scenes around our cul de sac during our December 2021 Winter Wonderland.
Alexander assists nana through the path in the snow to my husband’s truck. Mark drove her up the cul de sac hill to get into the vehicle which would be taking her back home up island.
Alexander assists his nana through the snow. Mark checks out an icicle!
Christmas is over for 2021….The Winter Wonderland remains in our city on Vancouver Island.
Happy New Year 2022!!!! From our home to yours!
2020 and 2021 have had their challenges with Covid global pandemic lockdowns. A new year is inspiring and offers new opportunities and hope. Happy New Year 2022! From Canada to your home!
Introducing Harewood Colliery Dam Park–officially recognized as one of Canada’s Historic Places. This blog post is dedicated to explaining some of Harewood Colliery Dam’shistorical significance while illustrating the beauty and features related to my theme of Hiking trails around Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.
Colliery Dam Park during Autumn (October).
The Colliery Dam Park, at 635 Wakesiah Avenue, is a popular destination in Nanaimo for a multitude of reasons. Parking is available in several locations around the park. There is wheelchair access to the first lake which is a popular picnic spot during summer. Fresh water swimming (no lifeguards) and fishing is permitted in the lakes. Although dogs must be on leash on the majority of the trails, there is an off leash area with lake access on the upper dam. The trails offer a variety of fitness options from easy to fairly steep climbs.
Colliery Park trails—May
In addition, Colliery Dam has historical significance to the Nanaimo area. The Dams were built in 1910-11 by the Western Fuel Company. Originally the water was necessary in coal mining to wash coal, and be utilized by miners, mules and horses. Many of the homes in the historic area of South Harewood eventually gained access to, and benefitted from, this fresh water supply.
The photos I am sharing of Colliery Dam Park were taken on several walks and hikes in the park during mid May, September, and October. We avoided the summer months, as this popular park gets too busy for our Covid safety comfort level.
Autumn—some of the wooden bridges and stairs sections along the trails.
The following photos were taken during autumn (September and October) on some more challenging trails around the park and surrounding areas.
Autumn. Colliery Dam Park.
The deciduous trees are dropping their leaves — particularly the giant Maples. It’s a harvest feast of colour and lush undergrowth. Note the cedar stripped off the trunk of the cedar tree. Aboriginal People traditionally used cedar to create art, baskets, regale, and hats. Cedar bark is stripped in a lengthy narrow section, then the chosen tree will be left to heal and continue growing.
Autumn hiking group soaking up the lush rainforest.
Feeling the richness of the woods around us…
Autumn—Colliery Dam
Time for our photo shoot beside Granny Falls (also known as Chase River Falls).
2 photos of Granny Falls —Autumn
Compare Granny Falls a month later…
Granny Falls (Chase River Falls) Colliery Dam
Another interesting site to explore is the tunnel of graffiti! It’s a fun art experience for all.
The tunnel of graffiti!
Since Covid 19 surfaced, a covid face mask mysteriously appeared inside the tunnel protecting Marilyn Monroe’s stunning face.
Bridges and trails around Colliery Dam—October
There are many trails to explore around the Colliery Dam Park. I will return again soon! In the meantime, there are other hiking locations to explore and Sophia’s (our cat) antics to share.
Vancouver Island is a nature lovers’ paradise. If you love to be outdoors and explore nature, there are endless possibilities around our beautiful Canadian island. This blog post discusses day hiking options around NanooseBay, British Columbia.
Colorful autumn hikes around Nanoose, BC.
If you commence your hiking trips from Nanaimo, NanooseBay is approximately 30 km or about 30 minutes drive northwest via the Island Highway 19 N (North).
Popular hiking trails at NanooseBay include: Enos Lake Trail, Notch HillPark, Notch Hill Loop Trail and Bonnell Creek Falls. It is easy to search for information about hiking trails in this area, but a source recommended by many local hikers is https://www.alltrails.com/canada/british-columbia/nanoose
Due to reaching herd immunity (over 85% of people over 12 are now fully vaccinated against Covid 19 in my Canadian province of British Columbia), hiking groups are now allowed to explore once again! We are all covid careful and everyone has to show their covid vaccine QRCode passport in order to join the group.
Covid style hiking groups
Let’s go hiking!!!!
This is Enos Lake hike in September. The weather was sunny and warm. The deciduous trees were only starting to change colours. This is a gorgeous lake hike with many trails to explore.
Enos Lake, Nanoose Bay
We stopped to have a break and eat a snack on a grassy spot up the hillside above the lake.
Hiking break at Enos Lake Park trail
A week later, our hiking group explored trails closer to the Lantzville side of NanooseBay. It was another sunny September day. We did not require jackets or toques yet.
Lantzville area hike in September
The trees along the trails were regal and the rainforest undergrowth was so thick in places that we had to create new paths!
Breaking paths on hike near Lantzville
As the weather started changing into normal Autumn patterns, the winds and rains increased causing more trail obstruction damage from tree windfalls and slippery trails. The water levels in the creeks and rivers also increased.
Bonnell Creek Falls, Nanoose Bay in October
Our hiking rain jackets and pants were getting used more regularly now as were 1 or both hiking poles during our adventures. This next hike occurred at Bonnell Creek Falls in mid October.
Creating new paths through underbrush at Bonnell Creek Falls area
Another great hike in the Nanoose Bay area is “Big Trees” trail. This hike occurred in late October.
Big Trees Trail
We discovered some enormous Arbutus and an enormous Evergreen.
“Big Arbutus Tree”. Our hiking leader posed to illustrate the size of this Arbutus tree.
There truly were “Big Trees” to discover!
Another “Big Coniferous Tree” we discovered.
The rains and winds had assisted in dislodging most of the Maple tree leaves around the trails. Although the deciduous trees looked rather bare, the colorful leaves and variety of fungi were enchanting.
COVID Careful Hiking. Break time at Big Trees trail.
A musical Canadian experience in Autumn, is the sound of leaves rustling around your feet as you walk or hike along through the abundant variety of nature trails.
Fascinating diversity of fungi in late October.
Last year on November 11th, our group explored around Enos lake and upward to the “Notch“.
November 11th 2020 hike around Enos Lake and upward to the Notch
At 11:00 a.m. we stopped in a quiet location in the forest beside a river. We all respected 2 minutes of silence to reflect on our freedom in Canada, our goal for peace, and our gratitude for those soldiers and personnel who fought to ensure our freedom. Following the silence, we had an opportunity to share a personal vignette of how Remembrance Day is significant to our families. It was an extremely powerful and sentimental experience.
Here is a video presentation of our November 11th (Remembrance Day) Hike at Enos Lake and up to the “Notch”.
Remembrance Day 2021 will soon be here. I will be wearing my poppy and reflecting with deepest gratitude on the past; embracing the freedom we have living in Canada; and hoping for global compassion and peace.
My next blog posts will be about more amazing hiking experiences on Vancouver Island and possibly an update on our Rescue Cat Sophia and our neighborhood deer families.
One of the many joys of living on Vancouver Island, B.C. is that nearly all communities are near, or adjacent to, the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Living in Nanaimo (population over 100,000), there are so many diverse ways to explore nature and the outdoors. This blog post focuses on one of the favorite kayaking areas to explore in Nanaimo. Newcastle Island, is also known as Saysutshun by the local Snuneymuxw people.
Let’s explore Newcastle Island!
The following excellent website thoroughly explores Newcastle Island (Saysutshun) from Ferry Schedules, to Camping, Moorage, Maps of Trails, and Explanation about the Culture and History of the Marine Provincial Park. http://newcastleisland.ca
Newcastle Island is less than a kilometer’s paddle across the water from several launching locations in Nanaimo. It is about 8.5 km to circumnavigate the island by water. These aerial views of Newcastle and Protection Island were taken from a float plane while flying in/out of the Nanaimo harbour.
Nanaimo harbour and nearby islands. Views from float plane.
Newcastle and Protection Islands are popular locations, so expect to see other kayaks, sailboats, pleasure craft, even B.C. Ferries sharing the water with you!
Sharing the water around Newcastle Island, Nanaimo.
There are several FREE locations available to launch your kayaks. The size of your kayaks and ease of parking influences your selection. Some locations have free parking. Other locations require pay parking. You can launch from the following locations: Nanaimo Harbour Marina (downtown);
Downtown harbour
Maffeo Sutton Park has access for smaller kayaks to launch;
Maffeo Sutton Seawalk
More launching sites include: Brechin boat ramp; Queen Elizabeth Promenade (near the Yacht Club); Departure Bay Beach; and Stephenson Point.
We own touring ocean kayaks which are longer than most day trip recreational kayaks.
Brechin Boat Ramp. Newcastle Island in the Background.
Our boats are very seaworthy, designed for multi day trips with 2 hatches, but are over 16 feet in length! Our usual launching location is Brechin Boat Ramp.
Let’s get kayaking! The following kayak adventure photos were taken during 3 different adventures while kayaking around Newcastle (Saysutshun) Island. One trip occurred during April (Spring), the other 2 trips occurred during August (summer).
April: Needing to take a break from Covid masks and restrictions? Kayaking on a sunny day in Spring is such a pleasant remedy to any feelings of confinement. We departed from Brechin boat ramp and headed along Newcastle, toward downtown Nanaimo, then continued across the water to Protection Island.
My husband and I paddled past a log sort boom and continued towards a beacon. From this location, there is a fabulous view of the cliffs on Gabriola Island.
Beacon. The cliffs of Gabriola Island in the background.
Dingy Dock floating pub was open with limited capacity due to Covid. A pleasure craft arrived before we could maneuver our kayaks to the back dock, so there was no space in the floating pub for us today!
Dingy Dock Pub on Protection Island.
Returning to Newcastle Island, we explored the spit area adjacent to the park picnic area.
Newcastle Island
As we continued to explore the craggy notches between the island and the water, we observed a few raccoons feasting on low tidal delicacies.
Can you locate the albino raccoon in each photo?
It is common to observe raccoons on Newcastle Island, but today we glimpsed a couple of the more rare, albino raccoons.
Albino raccoon scavenging along the tidal rocks at Newcastle.
Time to head back…
It was a beautiful day to explore!
Summer (August) kayak highlights from our paddle circumnavigatingNewcastle Island.
Circumnavigating Newcastle.
The 8.5 km trip around Saysutshun is lovely and there are many gorgeous hidden gems to discover. Expect a few larger waves when you round the corner and head towards the more open strait on the outside of the island.
Here is a video highlighting our kayak adventure around Newcastle island in mid August.
The sunny weather and beauty of this location drew us back for an additional kayak the very next day! This time we went out for an evening kayak and swim in the ocean at Newcastle.
Mark waves hi as he swims. Cozy spot to rest the kayaks.
August Kayak adventures and swimming at Newcastle…Part 2. The evening sunset glows were magical.
Evening kayak and relaxation around Newcastle. Such a gem!
No wonder Newcastle Island is such a popular kayaking destination in Nanaimo. Meanwhile…Switching sports, I have hikingadventures around Nanaimo to blog about next. Keep Safe and Keep Smiling! S
During the summer of 2021, British Columbia set temperature records in various geographical areas of our Canadian province. Heat waves caused drought conditions in some locations; melting mountain snowfall created flood conditions in other areas; and drought combined with lightning ignited raging wildfires.
Safety protocols and lock downs due to Covid, made this an especially challenging time to travel around our vast and majestic province. Due to a combination of these factors, we decided to make our trip back to Vancouver Island from Prince George as direct as possible!
Departing from Prince George, all highway routes southbound journeyed adjacent to one or several wildfire zones. Mom did not want to fly without our support, so “Goodbye Mr. P.G.” we commenced the southbound trip together.
South of Prince George. Nechako River. Lots of highway improvement stops.
The first stage of our trip was 335 km (about 4 hours) from Prince George to 94 Mile Motel south along Highway 97. We drove south past Quesnel, Australian, and McLeese Lake to Williams Lake. This route looks so totally different in summer than when it’s covered in snowmobile paths crisscrossing the deep snow banks during winter months. One summer we plan to stop, camp, and explore lovely McLeese lake.
As you approach Williams Lake, be prepared to observe an increase in loaded logging trucks on the surrounding highways. Representations of the importance of the Logging/Forestry resourceindustry is very evident here.
Williams Lake. Summer 2021
The lake area looked enticing, so we took a quick detour through this hub center of the Cariboo District. Williams Lake’s population is about 11,000 and it is the service center for surrounding communities.
Driving around Williams Lake
Continuing 15 km southeast along highway 97 we approached historic 150 Mile House. This tiny community was an important stop on the Cariboo Wagon Road during the Gold Rush. The name marks the distance from Lillooet via the Old Cariboo Road. There are lots of fascinating historical antiques and structural remnants to explore in this area. The rural landscape is pretty; displaying a diversity of small lakes, marshes, farms, ranches and tiny communities.
100 Mile House Area
Six miles south of 100 Mile House off highway 97, you will locate Mile 94 Motel.
Why would we stop overnight at tiny 94 Mile House you may wonder?
On previous trips to northern B.C. we discovered this delightful motel…updated modern rooms, meticulously clean, family run and very reasonably priced. There are kitchenettes in the rooms, but no food/pubs within walking distance. It is a lovely location to stop, sleep, then continue travelling the next day.
94 Mile Motel The only route open was highway 99
The proposed time to cover the 460ish km distance from 94 Mile to Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal in Vancouver was estimated at approximately 5 hours and 20 minutes (of uninterrupted driving)! Our trip was going to prove that time allotment was impossible today!
After a hearty breakfast in Clinton (while waiting for updates about highway closures), we headed south on Highway 97 to the Cache Creek junction exit.
Clinton and Cache Creek areas
Highway 99 was the only highway open to southbound travel on August 17th, 2021 due to wildfires and mud slides. We started the trip early in the morning hoping to avoid the anticipated bottleneck in traffic heading towards the only available route. It did not take long before traffic usage increased as people channeled onto this route.
We headed west driving past the evidence of mining rock erosion around Pavilion. My best educated guess after researching, is this was a limestone quarry mine. Pavilion, B.C. is a fascinating area to research. Sadly, there are few structural artifacts left around Pavilion establishing its previous historical settlement as a Cariboo Gold Rush boom town.
Currently ranches are the major focus of this area which is mostly the land of the Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nations reserve. Colorful, clear Pavilion Lake is a popular recreation site too with a fascinating secret to discover beneath its waters.
Pavilion… I had to include at least one photo illustrating a photo bomb road sign!
As we approached Lillooet the vegetation changed reflective of a hotter climate, rugged Coastal mountains, and proximity to the powerful Fraser river.
Approaching Lillooet. Mighty Fraser River!
These majestic geographical features became dominant travel companions throughout the next stage of our journey. The mighty Fraser River is the longest river in B.C. stretching 1,375 km.
Challenging Highway Improvements cutting through mountains adjacent to steep cliffs dropping to the Fraser River Valley.
The population of Lillooet is approximately 2,300 people. The major industries in Lillooet are: hydroelectricity, the railway, forestry, agriculture and tourism. The summer sun, irrigation from the nearby rivers, and fertile soil produce lush fruits, vegetables, and vineyards.
Views around Lillooet , B.C.
After a quick morning coffee break in Lillooet we continued southwest on highway 99 fully embracing the stunning scenery along this route.
Lillooet, B.C. August 2021
The Duffey Lake Road heading toward popular Duffey Lake Provincial Park truly is gorgeous.
Stunning Duffey Lake Area
It is no wonder lower mainland citizens escape to Duffey Lake in flocks! The parking lots were filled and people clad in various levels of hiking attire maneuvered around trailheads. Mom was very excited, and appreciative, by the beauty along the highway 99 route.
This short video shares some of the beautiful scenery we witnessed along Duffey Lake Road (Highway 99).
The morning was beautiful and we were so thankful we had selected to travel this route on Highway 99 away from the delays due to forest fires, and mud slides… when suddenly we encountered traffic stoppage along the highway at D’Arcy.
What had happened? Luckily our wait time was only 30 minutes. We had allowed extra time for travel when making our B.C. Ferry Reservation to Vancouver Island. You never know what lies ahead when you are travelling–especially during the busy summer months. As we slowly and carefully crept along, we discovered the cause of this highway closure.
Near D’Arcy. A truck with trailer in the ditch!
Our travel continued along Duffey Lake Road (Highway 99) through the Garibaldi Range. Mount Currie, known as Ts’zil in the St’at’imcets (Lillooet) language has an elevation of 2,591 m (8,501 feet).
Mount Currie near Pemberton
This enormous mountain soars above the village of Pemberton, B.C.
Rural beauty at Pemberton
Famous Whistler, B.C is only 33 km (about 30 minutes) drive from Pemberton along Highway 99S. This tourist destination is extremely popular year round for wilderness adventure sports.
During the summer you can participate in sports, such as: mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, and league sports. During the winter reserve early to participate in sports, such as: skiing, snowboarding, backcountry splitboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, bobsleigh, skeleton, ice-climbing, ice-fishing, and even dog sledding!
Driving past Whistler in summer
Whistler is a tourist haven and an extremely busy location to drive through when you are travelling. Today, was not a day to stop and explore.
Onward southward we drove along the busy Sea-to-Sky Highway B.C. 99S. The distance between Whistler and Squamish is 60 km and the travel time varies dependent on the speed of the traffic. Estimate about 50 minutes.
This is another hub for wilderness adventures and extreme sports. Watch for kitesurfing or windsurfing in Squamish Harbour and rock climbers ascending/descending the Chief Rock face.
Rock Climbing at Squamish
Just 12 km (about 15 minutes) southwest of Squamish along the Sea-to Sky highway 99S you will discover the aqua ocean at Darrell Bay and historical Britannia Beach, B.C. Mom was animated with excitement as she recalled the multiple times our family drove here from Vancouver in the early 1960‘s to picnic on the beach and tour the Britannia Mine. I was under 6 years old during this period and honestly can not remember the experiences; but it was heart warming to hear my 88 year old mom’s memories of these special family adventures.
Britannia Beach and Mine museum. Favorite family location in early 1960’s
We could smell the salty, clear Pacific Ocean air and the familiar scent of cedar and various other coastal evergreen trees. The final 33 km from Britannia Beach to Horseshoe Bay (B.C. Ferry Terminal) was home stretch for us!
The sun ricocheted off the water as we passed Lions Bay. We arrived at the B.C. Ferry terminal in West Vancouver several hours ahead of our reserved ferry.
Lions Bay & Line Ups at B.C. Ferries Horseshoe Bay Terminal
During the busy summer months lengthy ferry waits are common between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, so reservations for particular ferry sailings are recommended. However, we had selected to travel on a Tuesday (mid week) and due to the wildfire and mudslide closures on B.C. highways many people were missing their reserved sailings. As a result, luck was with us today and we managed to get aboard with only 1 sailing wait! Our reserved sailing was actually for much later in the evening!
Heading back home to Vancouver Island!
The 3 of us had journeyed around British Columbia for nearly 2 weeks and certainly appreciated the opening for travel after the lengthy Covid19 lockdown. We utilized our time to visit family and see fascinating new sites. But as Dorothy quoted in the Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home!”
Future blog posts will be exploring hiking trails and having adventures around our beautiful Vancouver Island. Keep Safe and Keep Smiling. S
Northern British Columbia is larger than California and extends from Haida Gwaii and Prince Rupert on the west coast east along highway16 through Stunning Smithers and Nechako Lakes District to Prince George. Northern B.C. area continues north defined by the B.C./Alberta provincial border extending up to the Yukon/Alaska border!
The dark green is massive Northern British Columbia, Canada
It truly is a massive area to explore. This blog post will focus on the towns of Smithers, east along highway 16 to Burns Lake in Nechako Lakes District, and ending in the city of Prince George.
This blog post will start at Smithers and end at Prince George, B.C.
Smithers is a cozy community which has maintained a steady population of around 5,500 people over the past decade. The town is located about one-half way between Prince Rupert and Prince George on Highway 16. The total estimated distance driving from Prince Rupert straight through to Prince George is about 8 hours (719 km) providing there are no stops for road work, moose, snow plow clearing, etc.
Smithers embraces parallels to the Swiss Alps from its much photographed Alphorn (also known as alpenhorn or alpine horn) to its Hudson Bay Mountain peak.
Smithers Alphorn in August and in March
The community prides itself on its “world class skiing and fishing” (particularly steelhead). We stayed at Smithers twice during the past few years. Once during March (before covid) and again in August 2021.
This video depicts our March 2019 (Spring skiing and Moose encountering) experience in Little Switzerland Smithers before Covid.
Stunning Smithers, skiing Hudson Bay Mountain, and “Oh! Hello?”
Despite its tiny population, Smithers has produced multiple NHL (National Hockey League) ice hockey players including: Joe and Jimmy Watson, Ron and Rob Flockhart, Alan Kerr, Dan Hamhuis and Michael Wall. Famous poets, musicians, authors, rowers, chefs, etc. also abound from this talented little town. For further information about Smithers, here is the local tourism link. http://tourismsmithers.com
Meanwhile…. Let’s check out some more Moose!!!!
Moose are generally pretty shy and not easy to locate… so we were incredibly grateful to experience these from a safe distance! The Moose mural was actually located at Prince Rupert.
This collage illustrates some of the beautiful wintery conditions around Smithers during our March visit. The center photo is the marsh area where my husband encountered a moose while out on an evening stroll.
Winter conditions around Smithers in early March.
There are many natural attractions to explore around Smithers; such as, Hudson Bay Mountain, Moricetown Canyon, or Twin Falls. In addition, you can view the museum, art gallery, or brewery; or participate in a multitude of extreme sports.
When a member of your travel group has mobility issues, sometimes a driving tour is the most effective option. We tried to explore the main street of Smithers using a wheelchair, but many stores had raised doorways which were very hard to maneuver using a wheelchair. Hopefully, the town will improve access for wheelchairs in the near future. There were several funky boutique shops that looked really interesting, but sadly they were non accessible to those individuals using a wheelchair.
The Stork Inn has a wheel chair room! Finally!!!
However, there was 1 motel in the town which had a limited mobility room with a walk in/wheelchair shower! The family run Stork Nest Inn offers a quiet location with full breakfast, wifi, and 1 room that is suitable for physical mobility. Warning: it is located at the end of a lengthy hallway!
There are many choices of eateries in Smithers. Several locals all recommended Telly’s Grill on 4th Ave. We were so glad we heeded their advice because the Greek/Mediterranean cuisine was superb! We enjoyed the menu so much we returned 2 nights in a row!
Delicious meals at Telly’s Grill. Make a reservation! This eatery is popular!
The Alpenhorn Bistro & Bar on Main St. has unique décor especially the antler chandelier and the snow shoes/archives on the walls. If you feel like a lighter, healthy lunch or smoothie Two Sisters Cafe on 4th Ave. is well worth investigating!
Two sisters Cafe
The one store that enticed mom to brave her cane and explore was Heartstrings Home Decor & Gifts! It truly is a diversified gem of amazing quality merchandise! No wonder nearly everyone we observed departed with teeming bags! It is easy to locate Heartstrings in Smithers. Just look for the Moose statue!
Heartstrings and the Smithers Moose statue!
Driving around Smithers on a beautiful sunny day in August was peaceful and tranquil. There are so many pastoral fields and beautiful river spots to explore and appreciate.
Scenic Smithers!
Prior to departing eastbound on Highway 16 here is a short video highlighting some of our August 2021 experience in Smithers, B.C.
64 km southeast from Smithers is Houston, B.C. (Not Texas!). No visit to Houston is complete without checking the incredible stylish, affordable inventory at Chia’s Dream Closet.
Chia’s Dream Closet in Houston, B.C.
As expected, both mom and I departed with lovely new additions to our wardrobes. Ironically while researching about Chia’s Dream Closet, (for this blog post), I discovered a google reference to a previous post I had written about a trip to Houston in 2019. If you would like more information about this area, you can check this previous blog post too.
Beautiful friends shopping at Chias in 2019 (prior to Covid).
Returning to highway 16, we drove another 71 km past quiet Topley to Decker Lake area where we stopped in to say hello to a dear friend. Thanks for the lovely lunch Wendy.
Lunch break … Beautiful friends
This is one of the two schools I taught at as Teacher-Librarian during the 2018-2019 school year. Ahhh memories at Decker Elementary School! I’m so, so grateful I retired before Covid 19 changed our world.
The students made the most incredible natural structures in the surrounding woods.
Ten minutes along hectic highway 16 and we entered the town of Burns Lake. When it’s -30 or colder in the winters and the snow and ice are piled over a metre high everywhere, this highway is brutal to drive!
The second school I taught at in Burns Lake was William Konkin Elementary. I lived in this home during the school year. (Photos taken in August!).
Beware of loaded logging trucks, huge semi trailers, massive oversized road and mine equipment, trucks, and a few cars on the road. Highway 16 is the major transportation linkconnecting the port of Prince Rupert (on the coast) to Prince George and Alberta. Did I mention the highway runs right through the downtown area?
Or… that the CN (Canadian National Railway) and VIA Rail train line also run parallel to the highway with phenomenally lengthy trailers multiple times a day? Train safety is taught at schools in this area as trains sometimes pass every hour! I contemplated taking a train trip from Burns Lake to Prince George during my year up north, but never was able to discover a depot location? Burns Lake is one hectic and very busy transportation junction!
Burns Lake. Pick up wonderful coffee and incredible European baking at the Old and Bold Espresso Bar.
As we were passing through Burns Lake en route to Prince George, we only had time for a quick tour of some of my favorite locations around this hub village of about 2,000 people. I have written multiple posts about this area during my year teaching up north. Please use the search feature in my blog to obtain extensive additional information and photos of the beautiful Burns Lake area.
One of my favorite locations directly off highway 16 in downtown Burns Lake is the Old and Bold Espresso Bar. Say hello to Mattias for me! He’s such a delightful man whose jubilance fills his Backerei with warmth and curiosity. Plus he bakes amazing European breads and desserts!
Mattias serving in his Old and Bold Espresso Bar (prior time covid)
The inside of Old and Bold Espresso Bar has been adjusted according to covid restrictions, but the lattes and baking remain incredible!
We drove down to the Lakeside Multiplex area and had a quick view of Burns Lake, the camping area, Spirit Park, skateboard park, tennis courts, and new water park.
Burns Lake from Spirit Park August 2021
Continuing along Highway 16E meandering around Nechako Lakes we drove the final 227 km to our destination of Prince George, British Columbia. This section took about 2 1/2 hours to drive passing by the communities of Fraser Lake and Fort Fraser.
Mouse mountain at Fraser Lake. The CN train park at Fort Fraser.
I always planned to hike tiny Mouse Mountain! Oh well… I guess I’ll need to add that to my list for our next trip up north!
Continuing east on highway 16, as we neared Vanderhoof evidence of wildfire smoke started to stain the skies.
Highway 16 from Vanderhoof to Prince George! Wildfire smoke!
We were all grateful to spot the Prince George iconic statue of Mr PG. Time to relax. It was a lengthy day of travel for mom!
Returning home would be an adventure due to highway closures (wildfires, mudslides). The next blog posts will highlight our return adventure through British Columbia from Prince George back to Vancouver Island.
2024 is a year of optimism and adventure! The years 2020, 2021, 2022, and part of 2023 were challenging and the covid-19 pandemic brought unprecedented global change. However, 2024 has arrived and the majority of people in Canada have removed their masks and I feel so grateful for our return to freedom and exploration.
Thank you Canada!
My blog is my chosen venue to share my story.
Background information is provided by clicking on the Menu (upper right). The Search feature assists quick location of previous blog posts including: Prior to Covid travel to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Mexico. Since Covid lockdowns, exploration has focused around beautiful Western Canada–particularly Vancouver Island. This year we are back exploring beyond Canada. You are welcome to join my journey.
