Day 4 and 5:
Forrest and I woke up early and drove an hour North to the Skookumchuck Narrows. It is also, like the boating trip the day earlier, near Egmont. We hiked to the narrows for about an hour through a nicely kept trail. Forrest had done his research to find out when the "rapids" were at their most impressive. We got there before any big crowds. While we were there a whitewater kayaker had taken up on the rapids through the narrows and was showing off. And by that I mean I was jealous of his spectacular skills. You could tell he had been at it for a while.
The area of the narrows is the only way into the inlet. The waters converge and form several areas of "rapids" where the water is rushing at a tremendous rate. Forget current it is an impressive site and is best described as a rapid. A site seeing boat came buy and took up position in the rapids, turned around and demonstrated how moving completely counter to the water flow one wouldn't get very far. The engine was at max and the boat stood still. It was pretty impressive. I never really understood the force of flood water until I saw how the water moved, rushed, poured like it did there. It is humbling and no amount of description here or the pics that I took would illustrate what is best viewed in person. I took video but have been having difficulty uploading the footage.
After about an hour we headed out of the park and drove back to the hotel. We had scheduled a couple of spa treatments each. They were, needless to say, a great way to end the trip. After the treatments we got back to the treehouse and made dinner in the fully equipped kitchen.
The next day on our way home while riding on the ferry between Landon and Horseshoe Bay we were sad to have to leave such a beautiful and hospitable place. We will most certainly return.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Day 3 part one Princess Louisa Inlet
Day 3:
On day 3 we got up early and headed out to Egmont for our day trip out to Princess Louisa Inlet through Sunshine Coast Tours. Our guide and captain was Bryce. We boarded a flat bottom boat with three other couples and embarked on our adventure North through what was truly spectacular scenery. The mountains sheered off into the water and the clouds literally rolled over the peaks into the valleys, sounds and inlets like mist waterfalls. Everything was on a scale so much larger and out in the open. Not much was missed from any casual observer. Nature is literally at the doorsteps of those who live in the Sunshine Coast.
It takes two hours to get to Princess Louisa Inlet, another half hour to get to the falls. Once there you get an hour and a half to explore. They suggested packing a lunch and we are glad we did as there wasn't much to explore once you got to the falls but sitting next to the fresh water pools that stair-stepped down to the seawater below was so serene. We had a lovely picnic in the sun listening to the cascading water and looking out at massive and pristine mountain slopes.
Most of the valleys and inlets had been carved out by massive glaciers at the end of the last ice age. The result was dramatic as mountains and slopes seem to emerge from the water lacking any gradual incline from water to beach to plain to hill to foothill to peaks.
The park at the foot of the falls was not crowded. There were just three more boats and most of the inhabitants were happy enough on their boats leaving us to area. The only resident is the local park ranger.
After our picnic and little bit of exploration we took off back to Egmont. The ride back was bumpier than our easy ride in but there was new scenery to be in awe of all the way home. We went back the same way but this time we could see great systems flow up and over the peaks spilling into the inlet and valleys connected to it. One pass seemed to be puffing out huge logs of cloud as it made its way through the mountain pass and along the mountain range edge and out over the water.
We were tired once finished but we had good day in one of the more beautiful areas of the world.
Next: We head to our next residence at the Tuwanek Hotel where we stay in the "Tree House" for two nights, rest and do our next adventure the next day at the Skookumchuck Narrows (The Rapids).
On day 3 we got up early and headed out to Egmont for our day trip out to Princess Louisa Inlet through Sunshine Coast Tours. Our guide and captain was Bryce. We boarded a flat bottom boat with three other couples and embarked on our adventure North through what was truly spectacular scenery. The mountains sheered off into the water and the clouds literally rolled over the peaks into the valleys, sounds and inlets like mist waterfalls. Everything was on a scale so much larger and out in the open. Not much was missed from any casual observer. Nature is literally at the doorsteps of those who live in the Sunshine Coast.
It takes two hours to get to Princess Louisa Inlet, another half hour to get to the falls. Once there you get an hour and a half to explore. They suggested packing a lunch and we are glad we did as there wasn't much to explore once you got to the falls but sitting next to the fresh water pools that stair-stepped down to the seawater below was so serene. We had a lovely picnic in the sun listening to the cascading water and looking out at massive and pristine mountain slopes.
Most of the valleys and inlets had been carved out by massive glaciers at the end of the last ice age. The result was dramatic as mountains and slopes seem to emerge from the water lacking any gradual incline from water to beach to plain to hill to foothill to peaks.
The park at the foot of the falls was not crowded. There were just three more boats and most of the inhabitants were happy enough on their boats leaving us to area. The only resident is the local park ranger.
After our picnic and little bit of exploration we took off back to Egmont. The ride back was bumpier than our easy ride in but there was new scenery to be in awe of all the way home. We went back the same way but this time we could see great systems flow up and over the peaks spilling into the inlet and valleys connected to it. One pass seemed to be puffing out huge logs of cloud as it made its way through the mountain pass and along the mountain range edge and out over the water.
We were tired once finished but we had good day in one of the more beautiful areas of the world.
Next: We head to our next residence at the Tuwanek Hotel where we stay in the "Tree House" for two nights, rest and do our next adventure the next day at the Skookumchuck Narrows (The Rapids).
Friday, September 21, 2012
A blog revived and the Sunshine Coast (day 1 and 2)
It's been a while I will admit but I finally realized that just because we aren't on our big world adventure anymore doesn't mean we can't utilize this blog to write about our vacations. So although we have missed a few small trips since our big world adventure, no matter, we start again with this latest trip.
The Sunshine Coast of British Columbia has been somewhere Forrest and I had plans to visit during our year off. We never made it then, but we finally took the time to check it out this weekend. Our trip was from Wednesday, September 19 to Sunday, September 23, 2012.
Day 1: Getting to the Sunshine Coast
Forrest met me after work at his Grandma's house. I had just finished my final day of orientation for Bastyr University. We were on the road North by 4 pm. I goal was to make it to Courtenay, BC on Vancouver Island by midnight. We were through the border by 6 pm and at the ferry terminal in Tsawwassen by 6:45. We were aiming to hit the 8:30 ferry and we did it with time to spare. The trip across to Nanaimo takes two hours and from there another hour to Courtenay. If you have ever been on a BC ferry you know how nice they are. The trip between Tsaw. and Nanaimo is beautiful during the day but of course at night we didn't see much. The boat was barely 1/4 full so we had most of the facilities to ourselves.
There are two general routes to get to the Sunshine Coast. One route via Vancouver Island traveling North on the island and then taking a ferry across to the coast and driving South. The second route is to drive North to Vancouver cross the bridge over to West Vancouver and then up to Horseshoe Bay to take the ferry across to the South end of the Sunshine Coast. As you can guess we did the first trip.
We stayed in Courtenay at a Best Western in town. The hotel was clean and the staff very friendly. The lobby and rooms were updated and nice but the outside visage and inner hallways could do with an updating. But we found it very acceptable, especially after a long evening of travel and as we arrived the hotel staff on duty were very friendly and helpful. The hotel comes with a complimentary breakfast which includes both hot options (egg, sausage, etc) and an extensive continental selection.
Day 2: The Sunshine Coast
The next day we woke up, walked around the town center (little shops) and had a tapas lunch at one of the many restaurants. We stopped to get some supplies as it is the last big town before the Sunshine Coast going this end. We drove to the ferry and caught our first in the afternoon.
The first ferry goes form Courtenay (ferry at Comox) to Powell River and takes 1hr and 20 mins. From there it is a 40 minute drive, along some beautiful coastline, to Saltery Bay then an hour trip across to Earl's Cove. Once there we drove for an hour to get to Madeira to stay Stonewater Motel. Small attached apartment houses that were private. Each room is a suite with a kitchen. They were clean and modern and fully furnished with all the amenities afforded a travel hotel. We had picked up some groceries back in Courtenay so we cooked dinner and relaxed preparing for our big day the next day.
Thoughts:
Though mostly travel days the ferrys went through some beautiful waters. The coast is dramatic with towering mountains with mixed mature to old growth forests, lush valleys and quaint coves and bays. There is wildlife everywhere and everyone we have met has been friendly and welcoming. The Sunshine Coast gets half the rainfall of Vancouver, BC and more sunshine. The temperature of the water tends to be warmer than the average for the sound.
I think one of the most interesting things we noticed is that the Canadians seemed to have made a balance between harvesting the vast resources of the region and preserving its beauty. There is logging and strip mining evident as well as oyster and salmon farms BUT they are sporadic and well managed, with what seems to be real thought and planning behind all the industries. The natural areas dwarf these economic endeavors and everyone with economic stake also take care to preserve the aesthetics and ecology. It seems to be a balance that works and the money that is generated is invested in the infrastructure of the province. Perhaps this is why BC has the best ferry system in the hemisphere and if you have travelled BC roads you know how well kept, clean and well lit they are even in some pretty remote areas.
The beauty and sheer scale of everything that we witnessed the second day will be outdone on Friday, the third day with our boat trip to Princess Louisa Inlet. But more to come on that with our next travel blog addition...
The Sunshine Coast of British Columbia has been somewhere Forrest and I had plans to visit during our year off. We never made it then, but we finally took the time to check it out this weekend. Our trip was from Wednesday, September 19 to Sunday, September 23, 2012.
Day 1: Getting to the Sunshine Coast
Forrest met me after work at his Grandma's house. I had just finished my final day of orientation for Bastyr University. We were on the road North by 4 pm. I goal was to make it to Courtenay, BC on Vancouver Island by midnight. We were through the border by 6 pm and at the ferry terminal in Tsawwassen by 6:45. We were aiming to hit the 8:30 ferry and we did it with time to spare. The trip across to Nanaimo takes two hours and from there another hour to Courtenay. If you have ever been on a BC ferry you know how nice they are. The trip between Tsaw. and Nanaimo is beautiful during the day but of course at night we didn't see much. The boat was barely 1/4 full so we had most of the facilities to ourselves.
There are two general routes to get to the Sunshine Coast. One route via Vancouver Island traveling North on the island and then taking a ferry across to the coast and driving South. The second route is to drive North to Vancouver cross the bridge over to West Vancouver and then up to Horseshoe Bay to take the ferry across to the South end of the Sunshine Coast. As you can guess we did the first trip.
We stayed in Courtenay at a Best Western in town. The hotel was clean and the staff very friendly. The lobby and rooms were updated and nice but the outside visage and inner hallways could do with an updating. But we found it very acceptable, especially after a long evening of travel and as we arrived the hotel staff on duty were very friendly and helpful. The hotel comes with a complimentary breakfast which includes both hot options (egg, sausage, etc) and an extensive continental selection.
Day 2: The Sunshine Coast
The next day we woke up, walked around the town center (little shops) and had a tapas lunch at one of the many restaurants. We stopped to get some supplies as it is the last big town before the Sunshine Coast going this end. We drove to the ferry and caught our first in the afternoon.
The first ferry goes form Courtenay (ferry at Comox) to Powell River and takes 1hr and 20 mins. From there it is a 40 minute drive, along some beautiful coastline, to Saltery Bay then an hour trip across to Earl's Cove. Once there we drove for an hour to get to Madeira to stay Stonewater Motel. Small attached apartment houses that were private. Each room is a suite with a kitchen. They were clean and modern and fully furnished with all the amenities afforded a travel hotel. We had picked up some groceries back in Courtenay so we cooked dinner and relaxed preparing for our big day the next day.
Thoughts:
Though mostly travel days the ferrys went through some beautiful waters. The coast is dramatic with towering mountains with mixed mature to old growth forests, lush valleys and quaint coves and bays. There is wildlife everywhere and everyone we have met has been friendly and welcoming. The Sunshine Coast gets half the rainfall of Vancouver, BC and more sunshine. The temperature of the water tends to be warmer than the average for the sound.
I think one of the most interesting things we noticed is that the Canadians seemed to have made a balance between harvesting the vast resources of the region and preserving its beauty. There is logging and strip mining evident as well as oyster and salmon farms BUT they are sporadic and well managed, with what seems to be real thought and planning behind all the industries. The natural areas dwarf these economic endeavors and everyone with economic stake also take care to preserve the aesthetics and ecology. It seems to be a balance that works and the money that is generated is invested in the infrastructure of the province. Perhaps this is why BC has the best ferry system in the hemisphere and if you have travelled BC roads you know how well kept, clean and well lit they are even in some pretty remote areas.
The beauty and sheer scale of everything that we witnessed the second day will be outdone on Friday, the third day with our boat trip to Princess Louisa Inlet. But more to come on that with our next travel blog addition...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)