10-13 July - Canada or BUST

Well to make a long story short, the plan to spend a week or more on Vancouver and then take the inland passage ferry up to Prince Rupert was a complete failure.  The timing was off such that we would spend the weekend in Tofino.  However, it seems that everyone else on the island and probably the city of Vancouver as well had already booked every accommodation north of Victoria.

Stuck without a place to lay our heads, (or wheels as it may be), we decided to head straight or the north end of the island and catch the next ferry to Prince Rupert only to find out that the next available space on ferry to Prince Rupert was 3 weeks away.  So we decided to bail out and head back stateside.

That said, we did get a look at the southwestern coast and some of the inland area, (as well as Butchart Gardens).



The first stop was Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew were lucky enough to hit it at low tide.








Then a nice drive back east from Port Renfrew to Lake Cowichan and spend the day hiking on the Trans Canada Trail.  (Oh and we saw our first, last and only bear crossing the road a few hundred yards ahead of us.

The most tenacious tree in Canada

Then after the drive back to Victoria, an afternoon walk around the downtown area before catching the evening ferry back to Port Angeles.







An amusing side story... As we and and a hundred or so other cars are watching the offload while waiting our turn to board, a car alarm sounsd from inside the ferry.  The 7:15 boarding seems delayed...then 7:30...  Then several people walk off the boat and feverously start dumpster diving near the end of the pier.

Another 20 minutes, and you guessed it, the folks who had lost there car keys come sheepishly driving off the boat.  I told Val I wanted to start a "horn salute" but she said that would be cruel.  Woulda' been sorta like the walk of shame on Game of Thrones.

Didn't hit the stateside dock until a little before 10 pm with no campsite.

The finally did find one.  It wasn't crowded, had clean restrooms, lots of nearby provisions, and a pretty view of the Olympic Mountains in the morning.

WELCOME WALMART CAMPERS!
Today's special is......

Goodnight from ???????

Brad and Val