Powell River - a beach, a doggy friend, some bluffs and two snakes

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A leisurely morning was spent before heading south for 10kms to Palm Beach Regional Park. It is a small park set around a stoney bay. We wandered along the beach at low tide and onto low granite rocks. On the way back we encountered a very small and very friendly little black terrier. She loved attention and was happy to wriggle, smooch and lick. Only problem was she wanted to follow us. A man came along with his two dogs and said she owns the beach and is local the ranger - checks everyone out, even bears. She soon tired of us and found some others to play with. Cute animal.

We went back to the house for lunch then headed south again a bit further this time to the Stillwater Bluffs which Mary and David had recommended. The first part of the trail was through forest until we encountered the headland made up of smoothed over granite rocks with gentle waves washing up the edges. We wandered and clambered over solid rock, (not rocks), and admired the beauty of the vista out to bays and headlands and across to islands. We somehow couldn't find the around the headland track and backtracked to where we'd come from on the headland and started again. Here we met our first snake which was a small brown one. Soon we were back on track on the other side of the headland and still not overly sure about the track back until we asked some people picnicking. The tracks are not marked and should be as there are a number to follow especially for strangers like us. Just a little paint dot here and there would help. We encountered another snake which I think was a garter snake - brown with yellow stripes along it. Eventually we arrived back but not where we started. We were now on the end of another road so had to walk along the road back to the car at the Old School on Old School Road, of course! This is a great walk to do.

For the remainder of the afternoon we drove to the end of the road to Saltery where one of the ferries leaves from towards Vancouver. We expected a small town and got just a ferry terminal. Apart from camping grounds, picnic area and the odd resident there isn't a lot at the end of the road going south. The Sunshine Coast Trail leaves or finishes from here and it 175km long.

Back at the house it was wine, blue cheese bikkies, Andre Boccelli and a good book for me lying outside on the deck lounger in the sun. Nice. Linds got his turn for a lounger, beer, bikkies and Eric Clapton. Another interesting day and hopefully some Skype phone calls home.

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Photos

Me and my pint sized friend
This little mutt thought she owned the whole beach