Vancouver Island Trip

Tofino

On the weekend after Labour Day, Estelle and I traveled to Tofino BC which was the first time I had been to Tofino in the 24 years having lived on Vancouver Island. We stayed at the Pacific Sands Resort although it was not the top of the line but the price was pretty good. I would recommend it to anyone.

On the first leg of the journey, Estelle did the driving as far as Port Alberni which is about half-way where we stopped for a cappuccino and a muffin. (That's Estelle’s favourite lunch when we are out.) On the way to Port Alberni, we didn't stop at Cathedral Groove by Cameron Lake as there was little in the way of parking; (that being near the weekend) but we did find parking on our return which was great. As one can see, the trees are pretty big.

I took over the driving from Port Alberni to Tofino and we both drove the same legs on our return journey, that is I drove from Tofino back to Alberni and Estelle drove from Port Alberni to home. Highway 4 was good except it was very narrow and windy traveling for about 10 kilometres around the steep cliffs next to Kennedy Lake. The Pacific Rim Highway adjacent to the Pacific Ocean was excellent.

We got a good deal at the Pacific Sands Resort, perhaps because we reserved our suite early and also it was reserved for after Labour Day. Even so there were lots of people around so we were not alone. I can't say enough about the sandy beach at the Pacific Sands Resort. It must have measured a good 500 feet or more at low tide and perhaps 300 feet at high tide. The waves (breakers) were very large and never stopped coming in; day and night. Is it any wonder that people come from all over to surf-board at this location? Authorities held the world championships at Long Beach (near by) a couple of years back and will be holding the women's surf-board championship this October.  

As for our suite at the Pacific Sands Resort, the unit was fully equipped with every thing one would need to prepare a meal. They even supplied yellow rain jackets and umbrellas which we did not need as we lucked in with the weather as we had sunny warm days  the whole weekend. The only thing lacking at Pacific Sands was a dinning room and a bar. They did have a small canteen where one could buy groceries (no spirits) and a fast food shop for hamburgers and fish and chips.

Tofino and nearby Ucluelet are both located on long narrow peninsulas. I liked Tofino better as it is flatter and has a very interesting town centre. Ucluelet is more industrial (fishing and fish processing and forestry and lumber milling) whereas Tofino is dedicated to tourists (art galleries, sight seeing like whale watching, bistros and dinning). Our time in the mornings was taken up walking along the beach and watching the surf-boarders. Oh it must be nice to be young! I would love to give surf-boarding a try. In the afternoons we would drive either into Tofino (eight kilometres from Pacific Sands) or to Ucluelet where ice-cream cones are 25% cheaper than those in Tofino.

Regarding places to dine, there are 22 registered in Tofino on the tourist map. We tried a couple of them, Shelter Restaurant which the largest in the Village of Tofino. It was more like a bistro with lots of noise as it was crowded. The food was good too! The best place in town for fine dinning was at the Wickaninnish Inn which is a five-star inn. When we made reservations to dine there, we were asked if it was an occasion. I piped up in jest and said it was a second honeymoon. I thought nothing of it until the next day when we showed up for dinner. We were escorted to a special quiet corner by the windows where we could look out to see the breakers coming onto the large rocks beside the inn. And when we were given our menus, we were  presented with a complimentary glass of champagne. At the end of the dinner, our waiter brought a chocolate arch about 4-inches wide and 12-inches long whereupon was written in white chocolate, "Happy Anniversary". (It sometimes pays to fib.)

On the way back home besides stopping at Cathedral Groove we stopped a Coombs as Estelle wanted buy some vegetables and fruit from the large farmer's market there. Combs is famous for the goats feeding on the grass growing on one of the house's roof. While she was doing her shopping, I went down to find where the goats were feeding. Sure enough they were there on the grassy roof as one can see in the photo. It had been 24-years since I had been to Coombs and to say the least, it has changed but not for the better. The place was once a quiet little village with only attraction being the goats but now it is very commercialized tourist trap with bistros, souvenir stores, etc.

We ended the weekend by driving to Chemainus and taking in the play "A Lovely Sunday" by Tennessee Williams at the Chemainus Theatre. There were only four in the cast and they were all women. The play was about a woman's hope in meeting a man and the treatment of one character by another and friendship between two other characters. It was all talk but nothing was resolved.

Prior to the play we indulged our selves at the theatre's beautiful dining room where they serve a lovely buffet. All this...a play and buffet for seventy dollars!                                                                        

It was a good trip, we can't wait until the next one, be it to the southern hemisphere or maybe the Baltic. Who knows?

Bye

September 30, 2016