Our dear friends Martin and Michelle came to visit us in the fall of 2002. They drove all the way across Canada in their Xterra SUV that continuous broke down at the most inopportune moments during their big adventure out west. They finally made it to our suburb on the mountain and wanted to go whale watching! Something we had yet to do since we moved to the west coast.
We learned from going on a tour out east that when you go "whale watching" what you are really doing is paying for a day trip out on the water and if you are lucky, you get to see whales. On our first trip out west we saw lots of wildlife including this seagull and heron.
There were tons of seals sun bathing on the rocks.
And yes! We saw lots of dolphins, thank goodness. But no whales.
I love this photo. You can barely see the horizon and this sailboat is on such still wan water, like it is real and the environment it is on is a ghost.
We came back to the dock and I caught this photograph of a swan. It was one of my first favourite photographs with my digital camera. As much as I loved being on the mountain, it was so exciting to photograph a new place with new natural subjects.
Martin and Michelle really wanted to go to Tofino on Vancouver Island. They did not want to make plans ahead of time. They just wanted to go and see what happens.
I took this photo of a crow at Horseshoe Bay as we were waited for our ferry. I did insist that we check the schedule ahead of time after getting stuck waiting for a long time for one coming home from the Sunshine Coast.
I had been drawn to the island from the moment we moved to Vancouver but I had no idea just how beautiful it was going to be. That it would bewitch me.
Reg taking a moment to drink it all in as we started our drive across the island.
Then, we reached Cathedral Grove and I was a goner. Absolutely in love. Photos will never do this place justice. It is beyond beautiful, grand and gigantic.
This photo of Reg hugging this tree will give you some indications as to how immense this place is but seriously, you have to go there to believe it.
Dazed, we got back into the car and drove all the way to Long Beach. There was this weird golden light sparkling everywhere and there were people walking along the water and surfers riding the waves.
We continued up the road towards Tofino and stopped at Chesterman Beach as the sun was setting. Reg wanted to take this artsy photo of me, LOL.
Soon the bright orange light turned to a cool violet purple and everything was getting dark and stunning. We went into town for dinner at a restaurant that was made up of pieces from ship. The front door was a giant rudder. I wish I could remember the name of that place. It was a lovely meal and apparently the place was very haunted.
We showed up in Tofino with no place to sleep. We drove through the tiny town and Michelle called a number outside a house that rented rooms. Thankfully they had something available. We slept on bunk beds and shared the house with many other people. I really wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I am not good with strangers!
We managed to make it to the end of the Trans-Canada Highway on the west coast! Then we had breakfast and made out way back.
We of course had to stop by and see the surfers at Long Beach one more time. It was a stunning day.
I really did not want to go. It was the first time we could see open ocean on the west coast and I loved it. I just could not wait to get back to Vancouver Island.
I snuck this photo of Martin taking photographs on the ferry back home.
Michelle has always been in her element travelling from place to place. We had no idea at the time she would become a destinations wedding photographer but it would not surprised me had you told me this occupations was in her future.
An absolutely amazing adventure and my obsession with Vancouver Island was embedded in my soul. I just knew I had to live there one day.
3 comments:
I'm totally in awe with the size of that tree, it's like the island was inhabited by giants. All the photos are stunning as usual, what gorgeousness surrounding you on that visit.
I can't remember the name of the restaurant either... so sad. And I can't find it on google maps either. I swear I knew where it was but it either got torn down or received a face lift so it's unrecognizable!
And one correction, we didn't have an Aztec, it was an Xterra :)
It's so true Ava! Cathedral Grove is like hanging out with Ents. Thanks so much!
Michelle, so it's gone? And we can't remember the name. Oh that's sad. Thanks for trying and thank you also for the correction! I have updated the post. I appreciate that!
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