OOO: Postcards from the Coast
textures, hikes,
I am checking off items from a detailed excel spreadsheet, the fridge is emptied out, plants draining water in the bathtub. One last big soak before they are abandoned for a while. But the fern, oh, she gets to go to a friend’s house for a little extra care. I bought that fern and hung it near our bed as a reminder of what I loved about the coast. Lush, green, humid air, and big trees.
Which is why we are packing up the car and taking a road trip back to the island. We both miss it.
We are about to hike the West Coast Trail, a bucket list adventure for us both. Built originally as a rescue route for sailors shipwrecked along what they called the Graveyard of the Pacific, it’s not exactly a gentle walk. But that’s rather the point.
I am preparing to carry a week’s worth of food, camp on the beach, slog through mud, climb endless ladders, get dirty, and rinse off in freezing water. Our beach getaway is not going to include mai tais, but it will be memorable and stunning. Mud and all.
So for this week I am keeping things short, and instead sharing one of my favourite spots on Vancouver Island. San Josef Bay.
When we first moved to the island I had never heard of it, but as we kept adventuring around in our big blue van, we got tipped off to the not-so-hidden, but just far enough that a lot of people don’t go, spot. A four hour drive from where we lived, and a short hike in, brought us to the western edge of Vancouver Island.
Camping on the beach, I eagerly rose with the sun so I could look out into the distance. Camera in hand, I had the broad expanse to myself.
The West Coast Trail is further south, but will have many of the same features I fell in love with.
Hey, you made it to the end. I have a little secret for you.
While getting to San Josef Bay, Corey brought his fishing kayak. On the return, he enjoyed a lazy paddle while Indy and I walked back the way we came. We were doing great, right up until we weren’t.
My skinny little whippet went rigid on the leash and alerted me to something I had completely missed: a bear, directly above us on the path. I looked up. The bear looked down. Mushroom in mouth, drool dripping. Neither of us had planned this.
Now, people in BC love to say “oh, it’s just a black bear!” And sure, technically. But I pulled Indy close, reached for the bear spray, and decided that a healthy respect for large wild animals is a personality trait I’m happy to keep. Corey, meanwhile, was somewhere out on the water having a perfectly peaceful afternoon.
Lovely shots! All the best for a grand adventure.