More Vancouver Island–plans change

We actually ended up parked in a total of five different spots in this one coastal camping area!   While we didn’t actually spend the night at the first spot due to the ‘generator gang’ as discussed in the last post, we did spend at least one night in four of the others!

The first overnight spot was decently private, but not that flat, and didn’t have really good options for putting out the solar panels.  So, after some e-bike exploration we moved about a kilometer down the shore to a more secluded spot.  It was even steeper, but by using some blocks and driftwood the tilt was somewhat reduced.  Of course, that made the tailgate and camper door very high.  It was private, and my long cord to the solar panels let me put the panels on the beach, or up on the road, depending on the time of day.

After a few nights there, we packed up to head out, intending to explore more spots up the coast.  But alas, our very favourite spot at that campsite had become vacant, and we just couldn’t resist.  So after a day trip measured in hundreds of yards, we parked again, in a flat spot this time, great ocean views and even some sandy beach.

Many of the cruise ships go by at night, depriving the passengers of the great views along the way .  But I noticed that they do have to time their transit up the coast to coincide with the slack tide in Seymour Narrows, home of the famous Ripple Rock – that was exploded in 1958 to reduce the hazard.

So, that sometimes meant more than one cruise ship at a time, as well as the various tugs and barges that would have to transit during the same period.

Yes, that is the bow of that ship!

Resting up after another hard day on the beach!

Same boat (?), different direction a few days later.

We decided to leave again, and headed up the coast to check out Little Bear Bay, where we had camped before a couple of times.  But I guess those visits were in the off-season, as this time the place was packed wall to wall with campers, kids, dogs, boats, and trailers (and I’m sure more than a few generators). Reluctantly, we retraced our path over some heavily pot-holed forest road, and headed back for our previous location.  We were only gone a few hours, but a blocky European looking camper had moved into ‘our’ spot, so we were forced to pick our fifth and final location for this visit!

‘Coastal cougar’ on the prowl!

Reluctantly, we departed the coast, and went to check on a variety of camp spots we had enjoyed in March ‘20’ during our covid tour.  Most of the spots were on or near Campbell Lake, a few miles inland.  This time however, because of the season (?), places that had been deserted in March were pretty much packed full in August.  We drove around a lot of rough, dusty, potholed forest roads, only to be disappointed with the lack of appropriate camp spots.  There were a few available spots, but they were surrounded by the usual crowd of kids, dogs, atvs, and likely – generators.

So, after visiting friends for a few days at Qualicum Beach, we got back on the ferry and headed east again.  Weather reports predicted more hot weather, so it was back to Revelstoke Lake again for another week of off-grid camping.  There was a fire ban in effect, but surprisingly it was lifted on Friday of the long weekend!  Sounds like a political decision to me!

We enjoyed another week in the sun and water, biking, swimming, hiking, and paddling.

And catching the occasional vole.

Fall is in the air, and it may be only about 6 weeks and we can start heading south for the winter again.  Happy trails!