Vancouver Island Vacation

Our vacation to Vancouver Island, Canada was filled with beautiful sights, lots of adventure, and great times for romance and sleeping in. We began by taking the ferry from Port Angeles, Washington to Victoria, Canada where we spent three days. Then we went five hours northwest on the island to Tofino, a town of 1,000 people just outside the Pacific Rim National Forest. It was a great getaway.

In Victoria we visited Butchart Gardens, the Craigdarroch Castle, and the British Columbia Museum. We also had the opportunity to walk along the waterfront each day as our Bed and Breakfast lodging was only five blocks from the waterfront pathway.

In Tofino we stayed at Middle Beach Lodge, which is on the tip of the penninsula overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We took advantage of hiking in the rainforest and kayaking among the inner islands. One adventurous trip was a boat and hike to Hot Springs Cove on a different island. Here the water comes out of the waterfall at 107 F and cascades to four progressively cooler pools until it meets the sea. The final pool gets cooled as the tide comes in and waves break over it, giving you immediate cooling then a slow warming as the springs meander back down to the final pool. We also did some whale watching aboard a ship and actually saw a grey whale. Our trip ended with the most amazing sunset either of us have ever seen in our lives.

Click on the thumbnail to see a larger photo.

 

Secret Garden below the main garden. An old rock quarry was converted for this garden.
1-butchart1.jpg		 Tulips were in bloom everywhere. This was a peaceful setting with a weeping willow and large pond in the background.
2-butchart2.jpg		 Looking over the flowers to a large pond with a fountain.
3-butchart3.jpg		 Part of the Japanese garden section of Butchart. Tea house in background.
4-butchart4.jpg		 On the higher end of Butchart you have views to the sea beyond the garden.
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Craigdarroch Castle from 1890s
6-mansion.jpg		 Craigdarroch Castle amazing woodwork
7-mansion1.jpg		 Four stories talll, this organ was in an alcove so everyone throughout the house might here it when played.
8-mansion2.jpg		 Every room had a magnificent fireplace with a similar stained glass window where the center oval was clear and overlooked the gardens.
9-mansion3.jpg		 Many opulent rooms. This was part of the parlor. Every room had at least one stained glass window.
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We went to visit the museum on Victoria Day and happened on the end of the parade.
91-victoria-day.jpg		 Our primary choice of dinner places were pubs. Swan's was a favorite because they had live music every night.
912-swan-pub.jpg		 There is a magnificent waterfront walkway that was within blocks of our B & B. This is a Madrone against a cloudless blue sky.
913-madrone.jpg		 The victoria waterfront view from the ferry.
914-victoria.jpg		 Returning from Spinnakers in the evening along the waterfront. A cruise ship had come in and you can see it in the background.
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We left Victoria for Tofino and a true get away. Note our lodge was on the point here. Population of Tofino is a little over 1,000 people.
916-middlebeach_aerial.jpg		 This was the main room of the lodge used for dining, visiting, sharing the sunset.
917-middlebeach-lodge1.jpg		 One day we visited Hotsprings Cove. Only accessible by boat, this cove has water coming out of the springs at 107 degrees farenheit at the waterfall.
918-hotsprings.jpg		 The springs filters into five pools, each progressively cooler and opens to the ocean. When the tide comes in it cools the lower pools quickly at 60 degrees, but the hot springs heats them quickly as well.
919-hotsprings1.jpg		 We spent a morning whale watching and we were fortunate to actually see a whale.
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Grey whale tale.
921-whales2.jpg		 Grey whale tale and partial body
922-whales3.jpg		 One afternoon we went kayaking in the protected waters of inner islands. It was pretty cool, so we were wearing several layers as well as life jackets.
923-kayak1.jpg		 Hiking in the Pacific Rim National Park is a rainforest climate, similar to western Oregon. It's always best to have a picture taken near a very large tree. It makes me feel slender.
924-rainforest1.jpg		 On our final day we saw the most beautiful sunset we've ever experienced in our marriage.
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Notice how the sky, sea, and river have all taken on that orange red hue.
926-sunset2.jpg		 What an amazing and blessed end to a great vacation.
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