Seal Bay Nature Park plus Comox

Seal Bay Nature Park is just down the road from where we are camping so we head there to check it out as it has been many, many years since we've been there.

The trail is super dense - Sheila is in this picture!

Lots of eagles looking for food and seals way out on the rocks exposed at low tide.

We find a swinging rope along the beach and we both give it a try.

Chris really gets the swing going. 

Next, we head into Comox to check out the town we considered moving to all those years ago when we returned from our 5-year sailing trip on Tioga. At that point the boys and us decided we had been gone from family for far too long and we returned to Alberta. 

We take a walk out on goose spit. 

Clouds rolling onto Goose Spit

We head to the main downtown marina and walk the docks as we always enjoy looking at boats. There is a Ukrainian cultural celebration called "Vyshyvanka" going on so we admire the beautiful costumes and watch the young girls dance in traditional fashion. Apparently much like the Metis culture, the Ukrainian dresses are embroidered in distinctive patterns unique to each specific region of the Ukraine. It's really quite beautiful. 

Ukrainian dancers 

Back to the trailer for a night of relaxing. 

Kitty Coleman Campground - Courtney/Comox area

We have a reservation at Miracle Beach Provincial Park up island between Courtney/Comox and Campbell River. When we get there our site couldn't be more depressing. It is so dark and isolated. We both look at each other and say no way are we spending 5 nights here. Don, from the other night had mentioned Kitty Coleman as a great place to camp. 20 minutes back south down the highway and we secure a nice spot right on the ocean :)  Only $20 a night!

By the time we wiggle our trailer into site #1, it is already after 6pm. Sheila makes a clam chowder soup from the fresh clams of yesterday and we settle in to watch the Oilers vs Las Vegas game 5 of the series.

Fresh Clam Chowder soup - so good

Oilers win 1-0 in Over Time. Skinner gets another shut out....great game. Oilers move on to the next round as this game eliminated Vegas. 

Clamming day plus a trip to Englishman River Falls

Last night in the pub watching the Oilers, we met a nice guy named Don who gave us clamming tips and where to go. He guarantees us they are safe to eat so we figure we will give it a try. We head to the Nanoose Bay Shell Fish Reserve and manage to safely get down the bank to the muddy beach. Don had suggested digging clams as close to the water as possible so nothing has been sitting out of the water very long. We first use a shovel and realize we are sadly mutilating the clams as the shovel crushes through them. We figure out the process...gently slide the shovel in to remove the top 3-4 inches of sand and then start to dig with your hands. This works well. Chris is the expert!

Huge Geoduck clams

We spend about 45 minutes and end up with about 30 clams, mainly Geoduck but some Butter clams. We rinse them in the salt water and then it's a bit of an effort to get the bin (forgot our bucket) with water and clams up to the truck. 

Clams for supper?

Next we check out a couple regional parks in the area. Moorecroft and Beachcomber. Both are gorgeous with walking paths and black rocks to clamber over. We even find some mussels growing at Beachcomber to add to our clams for supper.

Beach art

What a view from these houses

Late in the day we head to Englishman River Falls. WOW is how to sum them up. Clear water cascading over the huge rock that plummets a loooong way down. Best fall of the area :)

We do the 1.5 km walk around the falls. Very rugged and beautiful as always. 

Look way up!! 

We love this Inukshuk art

Our last stop of the day is a quick walk on the Parksville public beach. We really like this place and will consider coming back for a longer length of time one day :)

More rock art...lovely. 

Rathtrevor Beach - down day

We took a much needed day off and after work this morning, we make a tea and go sit on the beach and read. What a concept :)

Later, the Oilers are playing Las Vegas in game 5 of the series so we head to The Rod & Gun pub in Parksville. What a great night. We meet a very nice local guy, Don, and he tells us of lots of things to do in the area plus as we head north. 

Oilers win 3- 0 Absolutely dominated. Skinner gets a shut out.

Little Qualicum Falls and Cameron Lake kayaking

As we are leaving Rathtrevor for the day, we realize it is low tide and want to see how expansive the beach is at low tide. We are able to walk out at least a kilometer. Really quite amazing. 

Expansive beach at low tide 

Chris takes a photo from a sign post and we plan to return tonight at 8pm for high tide to see the difference. 

Low tide on Rathtrevor Beach

After the beach we head to Little Qualicum Falls and do the hour long walk around them. Pictures can't even begin to portray the beauty and the sound of the rushing water as it falls. Well worth the visit. Nice campground too for another time. 

After we head to Cameron Lake a bit further down highway #4. The area is so rugged and remote. It begins to rain a bit but we still unload the kayaks and head out.

Cameron Lake - very rugged

It begins to rain quite hard but we don't rush. The experience of kayaking through the rain with low cloud all around us is quite surreal. 

Pouring rain as we kayak back to the truck

We head back to the trailer via the town of Coombs and stumble on this Dutch Store. After poking about inside for a bit, Sheila buys some stroopwafel - a Dutch treat made of thin rounds of cake held together with syrup and caramel. Yum. 

Cute Dutch store

Back to the trailer to warm up as we are still chilled from the kayak in the rain. Later we hop on our bikes and head back to the same spot we took the low tide picture from this morning. It is shocking the difference. 

High tide about 8pm on Rathtrevor

Englishman River Regional Park and French Creek Marina and Pub

Chris finds a hike in the Englishman River Regional Park. It's about a 7km loop over a suspension bridge and along the Englishman River. 

Baby Maple Tree - Oh Canada!

Moss covered trees dappled in sunshine

Cool photo through the suspension bridge wire

Next we head to French Creek Marina. This is definitely a working marina with big old fishing boats loaded with seafood traps. 

Mt Arrowsmith behind the marina

Canadian Coast Guard vessel safely returning to their dock here. 

French Creek Pub for a pint and a game of crib

Back to our RV to watch the Oilers. Sadly we loose 5-4 with a freaky own goal scored by Draisaitl. Oilers are up 2 games to 1 now in the series. 

Parksville - Rathtrevor Provincial Beach Campground

Good-bye Keith and Wendy (and Athena the lovely dog). Your hospitality was so appreciated.

See you later - thanks for all.

We head north from Nanaimo to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park Campground just on the outskirts of Parksville. Our site, #19, has reasonable light and is a stones throw from the ocean.

Reasonable light considering the towering trees around us

The bikes get unloaded and we head for a quick ride to check out our surroundings. 

Flowers are everywhere - this one smells amazing!

Entrance to the Provincial Park

Rathtrevor is known for its shallow water when the tide is in and about a kilometer out of shoreline when the tide is out. It's just downright awesome being right by the ocean with the sounds and smells.

Someone's collection of beach art

Tide going out as the sunsets

Exploring Nanaimo with Keith and Wendy

Today is just an all around wonderful day of exploration and good times with old time friends. 

First we head to Piper's Lagoon and walk the perimeter hike. The tide is out so we can walk along the beach edge in places.

Shack Island - unsure who owns them? 

Driftwood blown ashore over many years of storms

Then we head to Sugar Loaf Mountain and head up top for the views. Stunning. 

Keith, Wendy, Sheila and Chris

Departure Bay Ferry Terminal on the right

Ferry making it's way out of the bay

We head down and walk the beach at Departure Bay before heading to Beach Estates Park. It's about a 2 km walk with a number of stairs and a meandering trail past a waterfall out to a point at the ferry terminal. 

Shimmering waterfall

Keith and Sheila 

Later we head back to Keith and Wendy's for a BBQ and hockey game in our trailer. Oilers are playing game 2 in Las Vegas. 

We all enjoy the hockey game in our trailer

Oilers win in OT 5-4....so exciting. We take both games in Las Vegas :)