Vancouver Island with Fearghal

Fearghal decided to come over with us to Vancouver Island on the 11am ferry to Swartz Bay. We got a Pacificcoach bus from Vancouver bound for Victoria which left us off at a bus stop quite close to where we are living and we got a taxi from there. It all worked out fine.

In the afternoon we retraced some of our steps so as to show Fearghal the nice scenery so we did the marine coastal drive as far as Oak Bay where we introduced him to the very fat seals that we saw on our first trip there. Then we took a drive up to Beacon Park where we walked along the promenade beside the sea looking out to the Olympic Mountains in Washingto State.

As you can see, Fearghal is very happy to be here and enjoying the sunshine. And Fionnuala is very happy to be with her favourite nephew in all of Canada!

We continued our journey into Victoria where the city was packed because of some sailing race and some charity concert. The Mounties were there but were not mounted.

This particular Mounties took a shine to Jim. Or was it actually the other way round?

On Saturday we decided to do the Pacific Marine Circle Route which we had done in the rain at the beginning of our stay. This time we saw a lot more as it was a beautiful day but a lot of the sea views are obscured by huge trees. Around Jordan River there were lots of tsunami warnings which were in less dangerous places than when we went to Tofino

2 big waves!

We stopped off at China Beach (the last China Beach I was on was in Vietnam) where we had a long downhill walk in the forest to the beach. Fearghal saw a snake - it was only a little one - and became paranoid about where he was placing his feet. I thought Jim was going to have to carry him! The uphill return walk was quite strenuous but I got there!

China Beach

The view from the hotel at Port Renfrew where we had lunch.

We continued our journey inland and stopped off the see the giant spruce which we had not been able to see the last time because the ground was so mucky.

Some of the branches are so covered with moss that it looks like green fur.

It was impossible to get a picture that would show you the hugeness of the tree and I couldn't hug it because it is cordoned off against tree huggers!

Our next stop was at Cowichan Lake which we hadn't seen the last time.

Fearghal tried to skim some stones but I wasn't very impressed with his efforts. Of course he blamed the stones!

As Fearghal was going back on the ferry today at lunchtime we decided to spend a couple of hours in Sidney which is just 10 minutes from the ferry. I really liked Sidney the last time and Fearghal liked it too.

A man after his own heart!

A heron sitting on the edge of the water at Sidney.

We said goodbye to Fearghal at the ferry and now it's back to just the two of us - we actually feel quite lonely without him. It was the first time we have spent time with him alone since he was a child and fell out with me for giving him "hot saussies". He had no complaints about the food this time so I guess my cooking skills have improved!

Anyway, good luck Fearghal in your new job and have many happy days in Vancouver and British Columbia!