The 24th September, and after planning and saving and more planning the time for our road trip to Canada had arrived. We will try and give you a taste of our adventures and a full gallery of images will be available soon.
View from our hotel in Vancouver.
We arrived in Vancouver late afternoon after a nine hour flight from London, and picked up our hire car, which was upgraded to a new Kia. It was only a few months old and had plenty of room for all our stuff, result! Weaving our way through the rush hour traffic we found our hotel and after a bit of a walk around the area to see whats what we collapsed into the extremely comfortable beds, pinching ourselves that we had finally arrived.
Next morning was an early start to catch the ferry to Vancouver Island and our next stop in Victoria. We were welcomed at the hotel by a Polar Bear in a Kilt !!!! Apart from the hotel being called the Royal Scot, we could not make the connection. Anyway, it was a great hotel.
We were woken up one night with a strange sensation of the room shuddering, it was a bit disorientating. We found out in the morning that the area had experienced an earthquake.
A bit of a fun fact - Vancouver Island. is closer to America than to Canada. Who knew . . . ?
Victoria, like all cities was busy however, it is a pretty city and not that big as cities go. Lots of greenery, gardens and hanging baskets, and a climate very similar to England. We also had our cups of tea in bone china tea pots and cups. Very English . . . !
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If you dont want to walk there are lots of differnt options to see Victoria. Water Taxi…………..
Pedalcab………….
Horse and carriage………….
Or by air in a sea plane.
Floating houses and restuarants can be found in the Fishermans Wharf area . . .We had some great Fish and Chips from Barb’s Fish and Chip Shop located in Fishermans Wharf.
Our Whale watching trip on board the Orca Spirit Adventures started from Victoria inner harbour. This was a fabulous trip.
At first it looked as if we would not find any Whales today but Gulls feeding on a massive bait ball of possibly Herring gave hope that they would soon appear.
Humpbacks soon appeared around the boat, but they were only going to show us their tails today. But who cares, they were there and we saw them.
A lone Orca, a young male, possibly on his way to find a new pod to join.
So, whats happening here then? The experts on board explained that Orcas like to swim around and rub themselves in the kelp. for the massage like benefits. Barnacles and lice attach themselves to whales and irritate their skin. Kelp is quite a tough marine plant and its rough surface can be used to brush off the annoying creatures. The seaweed also has antibacterial properties, so it helps reduce bacterial growth on the surface of the whale's skin.
This is the sight you do not want to see if you are a seal. The upright dorsal fin of a Killer Whale heading directly towards you.
Bachelor Steller Sea Lions sharing an island not far from the Orca.
Beautiful Sandhill Cranes on their migration down to the Gulf Coast, flying over the boat. The sight of these caused a bit of excitement, not just with us, but with the naturalists on board, apparently this is quite a rare sight.
There were also hundreds of Turkey Vultures gathering high overhead, also getting ready to migrate to warmer climates.
A little way down the coast we found a quiet beach, French’s Beach. Here we spotted Horned Grebes and a long way out was a little Sea Otter. Local dog walkers told us he was always there after being rescued and then released in the summer after climbing on the board of a windsurfer.
An early morning start for a full day with Campbell River Whale Watching and Adventure Tours out along the Bute Inlet to Orford Bay to find Grizzley Bears. Orford Bay is the land of the Homalco,and they know and respect the bears. A full two hour boat trip, and what scenery. Another fabulous trip.
"The XWE’MALHKWU, or Homalco, First Nation are known as the people of the fast running waters ... Like other Coastal First Nation peoples, the Homalco thrived on the bounty of the ocean, lived well in the village sites, and had all other necessities for everyday living. Travelling with the seasons for gathering, hunting and fishing, the Homalco people shared in the resources throughout the territory, and above all were taught to respect the ever-so-sacred cedar tree."
-- quoted from the Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours website
From one of their information boards.
Distant, but our first siting of Bald Eagles at Orford Bay
First Grizzly spotted was Mum and a Cub, who walked past us and then crossed the river and walked back. Our guides said this was unusual as they knew this pair and where they frequented. It all became clear as a large male bear appeared and it was obvious she had spotted him and was leading her cub away from danger.
Pictures following are of some of the grizzlies seen on our trip. Eight all together plus three cubs.
Note; These were wild Bears and they were BIG. We had to stay in our group with the guides at the front and back of the group carrying bear spray and radios.
On the way back we saw a Humpback Whale with a calf leisurely gliding along and when the boat engine was turned off the only thing that could heard was the sound of the whales blowing. It was a magical sound and just gave you goosebumps.
It was getting late, our guides said that we had stayed out later than they had intended, but we weren’t finished yet. A small pod of Orcas,(Killer Whales) were swimming fast and with purpose. The boat, at a respectful distance, was flat out to keep up with them. They were heading to a reef where some sea lions reside. It was not safe for the boat to follow. Not pleasant, but what a sight that would have been.
We found out that a Black Bear was sometimes seen on Elk River near the hatchery. On arrival the fishermen said the bear had passed by heading up river and that he would probably make his way back soon. We followed the path and found him, and also a couple of professional wildlife photographers who had been tracking him up the river. So we tagged along with them because, as far as Bears were cocerned, they knew the behaviour and the best place to be to stay safe and not upset him.
This meeting will go down in our memory as the most exhilarting , if not a little scary, wildlife encounter of our lives. He knew we were watching him, but he needed to catch as much salmon as he could eat so that he could hibernate through the winter.
Nothing in nature is wasted. The salmon were spawning and about to die, the Bears only eat the the roe and brains of the fish,the rest is eaten by gulls or other predators, and what is left goes back into the land.
The fishermen and the Bear were both after the coho salmon. When the bear was near, the fishermen climbed the bank out of the river and just let the bear pass, which he did without a second glance, although we suspect he was watching them out of the corner of his eye. Once he had ambled passed, fishing as he went, the anglers returned to their spots in the river. Thats respect!
With the images of the encounter with the enormous Black Bear still in our minds we headed off to the Elk Falls trail.
We viewed, but did not cross, the suspension bridge at Elk Falls, before making our way back to Nanaimo and an overnight stay ready for another early start back to the mainland in the morning. The restaraunt at this hotel made the best burgers we have ever tasted, or maybe it was because we were just hungry.
Vancouver Island was amazing, what next . . . ?