Whistler Blackcomb

   Wow, we have had a lot of things on our list to see and do since we arrived on the island, but this was an unexpected treat. A friend of ours from Vancouver, asked us to come over for a visit. We decided to go over on the ferry as walk on passengers due to ferry costs. She asked us if we would be interested in going to "her" Whistler ski village. She has been going up for thirty years, since she moved out to BC from Ontario. Needless to say we were thrilled.
She met us at the ferry and off we went up the Sea to Sky highway for the 1 1/2 hour drive of spectacular scenery. My head was on a swivel! She took us all around Green lake for a feel for the area before we arrived at Whistler village. We strolled the village before having lunch, as we watched the skiers in all their gear walking to and from the slopes. As Whistler Blackcomb is a world leading ski destination, there are all levels of accommodations from large five star hotels to hostels. Needless to say there is also no shortage of places to eat and drink, many with outside dining. We have had so many wonderful days in the past 10 months it is not fair to say that one was the best, as they were all amazing, but this was certainly high on the list. The drive back down to Horseshoe Bay where we would board the return ferry, was equally beautiful seeing it all in a different direction. The last half hour before arriving at Horseshoe Bay the road clings to the cliff face giving an incredible view of the ocean. Luckily most of it is four lanes for an easy drive.

Our ferry arriving in Nanaimo to take us on the 1 1/2 hour sail to Vancouver.

  Leaving Nanaimo behind with the island mountains as a backdrop. The two islands in front create a perfectly protected harbour.

                                         Diana waiting for us in Vancouver.

                           Whistler ski runs above and below.

Whistler on the right and Blackcomb on the left. They were                             developed separately but now have merged into one.

    Bev and Diana at green Lake with Whistler in the background.

                                          Whistler village.

                               Lunch in the sun with a friend.

                                       The village scene.

Leaving Vancouver and her magnificent mountain scenery behind.

               Vancouver skyline with Stanley Park on the left.

  
A wonderful day with a good friend. We are so very lucky...............


   Just a few extra pictures of Whistler Village, I was a happening place, with live music.

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Salt Spring Island

 

 The main village on the island is Ganges. As you could well imagine there are numerous art studios and lovely restaurants Had a delicious lunch in a shore side cafe overlooking the marina and the ocean beyond. 

                             Quaint old stone church along the country road.

    This park is for tenters only, with most of the sites situated along the waters edge. There are 78 sites for walk-in camping and 8 where you can drive to your site. The park is over 1300 beautiful acres of rolling grassy meadows, woodlands and 7 km of amazingly beautiful shoreline. From the shore one can view the occasional passing Orca whale, seals, sea lions and numerous birds singing in the trees. 


   As you will read on the sign, (double click to enlarge), that the Ruckles came to Salt Spring Island in the early 1800s, slowly cleared the land and started their farm. A small section of the land is still farmed, but most was donated to create the Provincial Park.

       

                                  Beautiful scenic tent sites

                            Many miles of Tranquil shoreline


Our time is going by quickly now that we are approaching our departure date of April 29. We have seen so much of Vancouver Island, but there is more we want to see before we leave, it is all so beautiful. So todays trip, was with friends we have meet here in the park who are from St Thomas, about an hour from our Cambridge home. On a beautiful sunny morning they picked us up at our trailer and we enjoyed the drive south about an hour to Crofton where we caught the ferry to Salt Spring island. For years we have heard about this pretty island as a home for the Hippy generation in the sixties, as well as US draft dodgers during the Vietnam war. In fact, most of the arrivals to this tranquil island in the sixties were and still are today, artisans; paint, pottery, glass etc. There are dozens of art studios throughout the island as there were on Gabriola Island .


As far back as 5,000 years it was home to the industrious first Nations people, who lived all along the west coast of Canada. There are about 10,000 people living on the island today. 


It was a wonderful day trip and one more thing crossed off the bucket list. 

Easter weekend

Every weekend is busy here, but Easter weekend was verging on hectic. Good Friday we had two couples over for dinner and cards. The weather was warm enough to have happy hour outside, but a little cool to serve dinner. Our little trailer was converted to fit us all by adding three card table chairs and our short ironing board across the bench seats by the window. It was snug, but we managed to enjoy a delicious chicken pot pie followed by cherry and lemon pies and several hours of cards. Bev did notice however, that when she put the ironing board away it was cracked. Good thing our friend did not end up on the floor in the middle of dinner......oops. 
  Also on Friday about 140 weekend trailers rolled into the park like an invasion. We Snowbirds had enjoyed a very quiet winter and now the kids, bikes and dogs had arrived!!! Well we found it put some life in the park, it was like summer camping in Ontario, lots of activity. Dozens of kids on bikes, little children running and yes girls screaming, they had a ball. Fortunately though all was quiet by 10pm. throughout the park even with all the campfires they had and best of all they all went home on Monday.
    Saturday night we went to a Mormon church for an Easter concert. A friend of ours was in the choir and asked us to join them. The music was beautiful and it was similar to a concert at home with all the same songs.
   Sunday morning the park put on an Easter egg hunt for all those kids and their parents. They offered hot chocolate with whip cream and hot cider just below us at the cafe and then they hunted throughout the park for the chocolate eggs. Families converged on the cafe from every road and path until there was quite a large crowd gathering.
    We left at ten to go to "our" church. It was lively and there was a cross at the front of the sanctuary with wire mesh all over it. Everyone in the congregation paraded down the centre aisle with a daffodil and fitted it into the wire. With a full church for Easter it took four times of singing all four verses of Jesus Christ is Risen Today, to get everyone through.
  In the afternoon we went to Parksville and walked the boardwalk with Cassie and dozens of other dogs. Then we drove up to Coombs where the Goats on the Roof store is for some shopping, such a neat place.
   All in all it was a good weekend, but it wasn't over yet. More to come. On Monday the park owners once again treated us. One of the owners also owns a 70ft boat that years ago they took people up the coast to Haida Gwaii, formerly Queen Charlotte islands, on nature watching cruises. At noon on Monday about 20 of us Snowbirds along with several of the family boarded the Bastion City for a short cruise to Newcastle Island, which is a Provincial Park. To our surprise all manner of food was offered.
     Once docked, we made our way to shore. We went with another couple for the "round the island" hike, which is 8km. Some of the others took shorter trails and some opted to stay in a lovely grassy area near the dock and just enjoyed the quiet in the sun. I thought the trail followed the water, which would make for a fairly flat walk. Wrong again; the trail often detoured into the Island and we literally climbed many steep hills. It was a beautiful hike with many ocean vistas and we were back to the boat in about 2 1/2 hours. 
     We have been treated royally by the park owners all winter and it has been a wonderful place to spend our winter.
                                                                                                   Gathering for Easter egg hunt                                                     

 

St Andrews United Church. Nanaimo.

Easter Sunday service

    











Bastion City waiting at the dock

 On board


Lots of nice condos along the harbour.






                                                       Still having fun..........

                                                                           
                                              Welcome to beautiful Newcastle Island

 

Scenes from the island hike

Family members preparing the food on board. Scott, one of the owners in the main salon.