June 17-24 2006: Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast

June 18: Rathtrevor to Hornby Island

Somehow I managed to get a cold! Late last night my throat started getting really sore, and I had a hard time sleeping because of it. It is strange how that happens sometimes, you take time off work and immediately get sick. 

Qualicum Beach

I was really tired today but didn't feel too bad once I got moving in the morning. My tiredness kind of helped set the pace today though – we took it really easy. We left the campground around 9, had breakfast in Parksville, and then slowly wound our way up the Old Island Highway to the ferry terminal for Denman and Hornby. 

The ferry to Hornby Island

Porthole

Through the porthole

Cheryl and the escarpment on Hornby Island

We pulled into a great campground here on Hornby (Bradsdadsland) around 1 or so and have not left! We have walked around on the beach and looked at the tidal pools, also spent a few hours resting and reading “upstairs” in the van.

Our campsite at Bradsdadsland on Hornby

This is one of the most beautiful campsites we have stayed in. It does not hurt that our site is right on a cliff that overlooks the channel. There are great views of the channel and the mountains of Vancouver island. The sites are very secluded plus there are not a ton of people here. Aside from provincial parks, which generally are much superior to private ones in terms of natural beauty and seclusion of sites, this place stacks up really well to all the places we stayed in last summer.

Me at the campsite

This campsite has the most rigorous recycling area I have ever seen. There are no less than 9 different categories to sort your recyclables into, plus trash. I have heard that Denman is very serious about recycling since they do not have a convenient place to wreck by dumping their waste like the rest of us.

Low tide view

Cheryl on the phone to her dad

Today was father's day and also my mom's birthday. I talked to both of them on the phone from Qualicum Beach, and Cheryl called her dad. I got a photo of her while she was on the phone to him!

A partial list of the wildlife we saw today: Seals, hummingbirds, oysters, crabs, clams, snails, a flock of 10 bald eagles. The flora is equally diverse and stunning. They really do a great job of gardening in this campground.

I have never been to this island and really am looking forward to exploring it! I hope I will feel a bit more energetic tomorrow, and hopefully I will be up for a bit of biking.

We saw a man flinging pancakes to seagulls today.