On to VanCouver Island

From Portland we headed north to British Columbia and our eventual destination on Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island is located in the southwestern corner of the province of British Columbia.

 From Tsawassen, just south of the city of Vancouver, we took a BC Ferry to Swartz Bay on the island. The trip takes about an hour and fifteen minutes.

 

 

 

We landed at Swartz Bay which provides access to BC's capitol of Victoria. This bustling city is, as they say, "more British than the British." From there we drove north to Campbell River about halfway up the island.

 

 Enroute we stopped at "Cathedral Grove." The island is noted for the giant trees connected to the "temperate rainforest" climate.

At Campbell River. we stayed at a very nice B&B overlooking the "inside passage." This is the route that the giant tour boats take to and fro from Alaska. One evening after dark on our deck patio we saw what looked like a giant ship with colored lights and flashing cameras coming down the inland passage towards us.  According to our B&B hostess it was the last cruise boat coming south for the season from Alaska. The shore of mainland BC seemed a short distance to the east. I wondered how deep the
channel was considering the huge size of the boat. “Five hundred feet deep” was the answer. Deep enough for sure….:)
Mrs. T looks out over the inland passage, from our patio deck, at the B&B.

The Inland Channel. Mainland BC in the not so far distance....

View from the patio deck – Since this was our third trip to the island we skipped some famous but touristy places such as Buchert gardens and upon the advice of our hostess did some island exploring  and beach combing.

 More on that next in: Exploring The Island