September 8-13
Day 87. Slow rolling through towns/cottages along the coast from Seal Bay Campground to Campbell River. Slow, but relaxing and we could see how people live around here. And then inland along Upper Campbell and Buttle Lakes to Strathcona Provincial Park. Two short hikes: Karst Creek and Wild Ginger Trails. We settled at Ralph River Campground with plenty of time for cooking, camp fire and meandering walk on Buttle Lake shore until sunset. All very quiet, not too many visitors.
Day 88. All day to explore Myra Creek area of Strathcona Provincial Park. We first drove to the end of Buttle Lake, crossed Thelwood Creek and visited (short trail) Lower Myra Falls: multiple small cascades over rock steps flowing down into the lake. We then continued to the end of public Western Mine Rd, parked there and hiked up to Upper Myra Falls on slightly longer trail. Cheered every big tree still standing along the way. On the way back, we stopped briefly at Lupin Falls and returned to Comox via faster Hwy 19. Piotr insisted we stayed in town near the repair shop rather than camping to deal with car repair as quickly in the morning as possible. Joanna found a nice, modern and well equipped apartment on Airbnb.
Day 89. Tuesday started with visit to car glass shop. All went smoothly. Still had better part of the day to visit Forbidden Plateau/Mt Washington part of Strathcona Provincial Park. Walked very nice 13 km “lake” loop from Paradise Meadows: Battleship, Lady, Croteau and Helen Mackenzie Lakes. Back for the night to our Comox Airbnb.
Day 90. We were heading west to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. We could not resist and stopped at Cathedral Grove (old growth stands of Douglas Fir and other trees) to walk through another wet, green and mossy temperate rainforest (MacMillan Provincial Park). We decided to stay at quality Surf Junction Campground’s more remote Sunny’s Loop (very popular National Park campground was full). Community Building where we cooked meals (it rained at times) and showers are located in the loop. We arrived early and had several spots to choose from. We spent the rest of the day in Ucluelet on Wild Pacific Trail and beaches (Terrace and Big).
Day 91. More rainforest in the morning (Trail B) and then ranger’s walk in beach tidal zone near Kwisitis Visitor Centre. Well spent hour. The rest of the day was for exploring various beaches: Long, Wickaninnish, Lismer, South, Florencia Bay. Returned to Surf Junction Campground.
We spent more time on the Island than we planned, but weather was good and we enjoyed change of scenery after spending time traveling across high mountains and glaciers, taiga and tundra. Now it was walking in temperate rain forests with old stands of Western Red Cedar and Douglas Fir many hundred years old, and visiting rocky shores and beaches on the Pacific coast. Ocean breeze, atmosphere changing quickly between sunny, cloudy, fogy and rainy (nothing extreme) – both ecosystems have mysterious, fairy tale look.
We spent good amount of time finding and photographing things on sand, rocks and in tidal pools. Piotr had nice conversation with another photographer doing the same.
Day 92. Last day in Canada and we definitely felt we were heading home now, almost 4000 km away. Pacific Rim, Alberini and Island Highways to Nanaimo with short stops at Kennedy Lake and Sproat Lake Petroglyphs, lunch at The Clam Bucket in Port Alberni (clam chowder and clams & mussels bucket with grilled baguettes – very good). Joanna tried to find whales from Nanaimo (Duke Point) to Vancouver (Tsawwassenn) Ferry, but weather turn rainy and visibility bad. When we arrived two hours later, it was already 8 pm – heavy rain and dark. Suddenly all drivers were in big hurry like there was a big city nearby. It took Piotr some patient and careful driving, and Joanna quick navigation decisions to get us to our Surrey Airbnb.
