Ferries to the locals, Cruise Ships to us

Sailed across from Horseshoe Bay to the Port of Langdale. Ferries are part of everyday life for
many "Vancouverites" but we treat them as mini cruises! The ferries are huge and can accommodate
over 75 cars, and 10-15 large vehicles like trucks, trailers and RVs. Our ferry routine is to grab a coffee,
bundle up for the cold and head up to the top deck to enjoy the view. Drove further up the coast to wait
for the Earl's Cove ferry to Saltery Bay. Settled in at the Saltery Bay Provincial Campground. We were
in a rain forest site with trees that could be hugged by 4 people all round and the largest ferns we'd seen, over 6 feet tall! Dixie had her own personal stream behind CC to drink from and paddle about in.
Google the Arbutus tree to appreciate the unusual, non-coniferous tree with it's flesh coloured, peeling bark, twisting branches and gorgeous shiny, leathery leaves! Saw a few of these beauties growing along the shoreline between smooth, rocks.

Happy 25th Birthday to Sam!

Saltry Bay celebrates excellent scuba diving including a shipwreck that once contained an ancient bronze mermaid statue. At this time of year however, we had the park to ourselves but unfortunately with a rain
forest comes rain. Coastal rock and mermaid trail were beautiful to hike, even in the rain and fog.
We ventured up to Powell River, a town boasting the largest pulp & paper mill in the world. It was
Thanksgiving day and we hoped to snag a bowl of homemade soup and a slice of pumpkin pie. The town was sealed up tight for the holiday so we retreated to camp where I made a hearty soup and apple crisp
for us to make our thanks over!  We are thankful for all our family and friends, for our health and for this opportunity to travel.

Woke to see a few sunbeams piercing through the mighty pines above CC, a good omen for our day's
adventure. Headed up to Powell River where we caught the SS Chilliwack to Comox,Vancouver Island.
Nice chop on the Strait of Georgia as we crossed out of grey clouds and towards gorgeous back-lit clouds and mountains on the Island shores.

Happy Birthday to Mark!

Set up camp at Bates Beach with our windshield facing the strait. Chris has already made an entry about this amazing site. The stony beaches are loaded with various seaweed, some black with tread-marks like car tires, pink ruffled varieties, some branching types in white or deep eggplant colours, a shiny brown, flat fingered species, flat green-brown large leaves with curled edges and other long tubes twirled around each other like giant skeins of wool, looking a lot like tails of African lions! The air is filled with "parfum de sea".
There are sounds and sights of a variety of seabirds, flying, floating, fighting. We also spot various sized seals....small "melon-heads" bobbing or large brown fellas (sea-lions) coasting and curving across the surface. Each day is so different, we are finding it difficult to leave. Tomorrow we will venture south for a couple of days, then head to the crashing waves of Vancouver Island's West Coast.

Stay tuned!

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