Pacific Coastal Cruise Travelogue #4

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Travelogue - Day 4
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

Hello everyone! - This is being sent to you on Tuesday morning as we had no cell phone coverage in Nanaimo.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Last night around 5:00 p.m. we sailed out of Vancouver and headed up the coast for awhile after passing under the Lions Gate Bridge going through the narrows alongside Stanley Park in Vancouver. There was a huge sail away party; the majority of people were up on the Lido deck along with the band playing the Macarena and YMCA and them all dancing and having a grand time. Many more of us were alongside both sides of the railings as we passed through the narrows and out along Bowen Island.

Because Nanaimo is only about 40 miles from Vancouver, we barely moved through the calm waters north of Vancouver. We all stayed out on deck and took in the beauty of the jagged cliffs up towards what we think was Whistler. Only one mountain top had a bit of snow on it. We passed by majestic estates along the waterfront all of the way up to where we eventually crossed over to Nanaimo and to Horseshoe Bay where we set anchor at 11:00 Sunday night!

We awoke once again to gorgeous crisp, clear skies in Nanaimo. We were up early because we had to take the first tender in to town for our Wildlife and Waterfalls tour. We had breakfast up in the buffet and then we were off for our adventure. And, an adventure it certainly was! We boarded a motorcoach with about 50 other people and we were off the see the waterfalls at the Qualicom River. The waterfalls and the scenery around them were stunning with thick, plush undergrowth due to the abundance of rain they have on Vancouver Island (about 24 inches a year). We took off on our “hike” winding down a nicely troddened dirt path down and down and down to the river. It was beautiful with the clear waters rushing over the rocks. It looked so clear that you thought you could reach out and touch the boulders in the clear waters of the river, but we thought best of that and did not try that! The water turned green and turquoise as they rushing over the massive boulders and then settled in the ponds below. The Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the moss growing on the ground along with the huge ferns everywhere underneath the canopy of pine and cedar trees made a very dramatic picture.

Because we had to go “down and down and down” to reach the river, we then had to go “up and up and up” to reach the top. There was an elderly couple that was hanging back at the end of the group and it appeared that he really was having problems negotiating up the hill. (Personally, we all felt he should have never been allowed to take the hike down to the bottom in the first place - but the tour guide allowed him to do so). There were a total of 6 of us who stayed with the couple. One oriental gentleman, Mike took Jerry’s right arm and Jim and Rob took turns as the path and conditions allowed to help Jerry on his left side lifting and guiding. The rest of the group was already at the bus when the tour guide finally came back down to find out where we were and told us we were only half way back to the bus. I asked if she had any water, and she did not; but she ran back to the bus and got some for them. Then she told us to take another path that would take us more quickly back to the road where they sent the bus to pick us all up.

Though Jerry and Jenny said they did “okay”, when it came to the next waterfall and hike at Englishman River, he stayed behind. The scenery was much more of the same and you could not help but just stop along the way and take it all in - even the fresh outdoor smell. We hiked and hiked again. Honestly, I didn’t think “I” was going to make it - but I was the little caboose that could and I trudged along. My lungs and throat are quite dry and I sound like a rough frog this morning. Although every bone in my body hurt last night, I am not hurting this morning and am ready to take out on our next adventure.

The Golden Princess stayed at anchor in Horseshoe Bay until 11:00 p.m. last night even though they brought the last tender in at 6:30 p.m. While the ship’s stores were open, the casino remained closed - so we probably saved a lot of money!

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