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Published: August 15th 2010
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Tuesday: We were up early at 6:30 to be ready for the ferry ride to Nanimo, we drove from the house up Marine drive and then had to get on the highway and return to exit 4 to catch the ferry lineup, it all worked out and Jim was able to walk to the village to grab a coffee. The ferry boarded on time and we are off to Nanimo, looking forward to seeing what the island has to offer.
Left the ferry and headed through Nanimo heading to Parksville to look for my cousin Clifford. Stopped at Tim's for a cup of Tea and met a fellow who was able to give directions to the Timbersmith. Cliff was there working on a Timberframe structure and was glad to see us, we arranged to do some tourist things and then meet up later to go to the island and spend the evening with Cliff and Susie. Went up to Goats on the Roof - a real tourist sight - wondered around there for a bit and then headed off to Cathedral Grove and the old growth forest. The trees were phenomenal, standing majestically by the water and towering over everything. We
walked through the forest for about and hour just marvelling at the size and age of it all, it is very hard to describe the feelings as we wondered about.
We met Clifford back at his shop where he introduced us to Sam his youngest son, going from there to Parksville to pick up a few things and meet Ben another of his boys. We parked the bus at the dock alongside Clifford's car and went in his boat to the island. The island is a magical place totally it's own world, Clifford and Susie have worked hard to make it this way. Susie's family have had the island as a summer property for a long time, and now that she and Cliff own the island, she is determined that it will be a welcoming and comfortable place for family and friends. Clifford cooked salmon on a cedar plank over an open fire on the rocks in front of their cabin and Susie cooked rice to go along with it. There are eagles building a nest in a tree up behind the house and they were flying about as dinner was cooking. Just out from the rocks seals were poking
their heads up curiously to watch us as we swam in the ocean before eating. We ate the meal accompanied by a glass of wine while sitting on the rocks just marvelling at our surroundings. Clifford ran up to the house and came back with Marshmallows and we had smores for dessert as we lay back and watched the night sky and the shooting stars above us. With headlamps on we were shown to the cabin where we stayed the night, leaving the blinds up so that the morning sun would wake us. I woke at about 4:30 and was so excited that I could not get back to sleep. I walked down along on the island and watched the tide move out, again the seals were curious and watching me as I went along the rocky shoreline. Clifford made a great breakfast of oatmeal/red river cereal with raisins, walnuts, back bacon and maple syrup which had been cooked on the wood stove. Jim and I explored as Susie took Cliff with his bicycle to the main island to head to work, once she returned the three of us set out on a walk around the island. What an amazing
Jim and I
enjoying life place to live, they have their own water tower and the house is powered by solar and wind. There was once a power line from the main island but it was taken out about 15 years ago and Susie and Cliff have been self sufficient ever since. They have a wonderful vegetable garden and quite a number of fruit trees as well. We visited with the seals at the top of the island and watched a baby seal swim about in a small cove. The seals were as curious about us as we were about them, they would swim out into the water and then keep looking back to see what we were up to. Susie has many great memories from her childhood wrapped up in the island and works hard to keep the island true to those memories, and she welcomes friends and family to visit. Jim and I had a wonderful time there, it was like a place removed from the world. We were able to scrounge around on the shore of James bay where Susie uncovered many living treasures in the tide pools for us. We saw large numbers and varieties of star fish, crabs, sea cucumber
and sea urchins, it was all very magical. We left the island in the afternoon and headed off to Tofino. It was difficult to tear ourselves away from the island and the hospitality. After stopping at the shop and saying our good byes to Clifford, we headed down the highway across Vancouver island for the pacific coast.
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