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Published: October 16th 2013
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October 13, 2013 – Elma, WA, USA to Victoria, BC, Canada
We set off with plenty of time to get to Port Angeles for our sailing on the Coho Ferry to Victoria. It’s a beautiful day driving mainly along the edge of the Hood Canal which runs down the east side of the Olympic Peninsular in Washington State. A mist hangs over the water, the sky is a clear blue and there’s a chill to the air that feels refreshing and autumnal. It’s possibly we’ve left the warmest weather of our trip behind us but there’s every sign we haven’t left the beautiful blue sky days behind. The forecast is looking good for the week ahead.
As a final treat as we leave the States we eat in a real all-American diner in Sequim where not only are the drinks unlimited but so are the fries. We fail to finish what we are given, let alone have room for more. I wonder how many people do?
Sequim itself is rather pleasant and the waterfront looks out across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Canada (although I think by the time you get down to the
Whale spotting from the Coho Ferry
Port Angeles, WA, USA to Victoria, BC, Canada water strictly speaking you’re no longer in Sequim). There’s an interesting area called the Dungeness Recreation Area and had we more time (or come when it was open!) a walk along the Spit to the Lighthouse and wildlife refuge would have been good. But we have a ferry to catch and thank goodness we’ve booked it because it’s busy.
We park up about 90 minutes before the 5.15pm sailing which means we get a handy car parking space to explore Port Angeles and, today, the Dungeness Crab Festival. Rather fitting considering the spot of crab fishing we did down in Oregon. We’re not sure what to expect from a Crab Festival but can only assume it involves eating crab. It turns out there are lots of craft stalls, some crab related, others not and we also find out one way of killing a crab as we watch a guy hold down a wriggling one and slice through its back with a huge knife. Even after ripping its shell off and washing it through with water its legs were still writhing about. So fresh a skilled vet could have revived it.
Back to the car and it turns out
Front of the house
You can see the view of the water through the front door! the Canadians deal with customs on arrival in Victoria rather than making you sit in your car for 90 minutes before departure, which is the US way of doing things (just to show you who’s boss of course). And Canadian customs is surprisingly quick once we disembark so why the US can’t do it that way I don’t know. I guess their way they get to refuse you entry before you even leave Canada whereas the Canadians may find it harder to refuse you if you’ve already arrived!
It’s a lovely crossing if not a busy one and, being such a glorious evening, we get to watch an amazing sunset. The boys are even luckier for they get to see what turns out to be a Minke Whale during the brief 5 minutes we’re not with them! I’m grateful for the guy that pointed out the type of whale otherwise they wouldn’t have known they’d seen a different type. Another one to add to the wildlife list.
That night we stay in Victoria’s Marriot Hotel on Humboldt Street. We’re unable to check in to our next VRBO home until tomorrow so we make the most of having another
night in one of our favourite cities. It’s also a really good hotel and I would highly recommend it. It’s very good value at $138 a night and we even have room for a very comfortable rollaway bed which means the boys’ don’t have to share a bed again!
The hotel doesn’t do an inclusive breakfast but it does have a great pool that the boys and I make the most of the next morning. It also has a check out time of 12 noon and we manage to get that extended by 30 minutes so have plenty of time to wander around Victoria again, ending up enjoying a coffee and snack in Starbucks within the great bookshop that is Chapters. (There’s no better place for a coffee shop than within a bookshop!).
On leaving Victoria we stop off at a mall close by that has a Michael’s craft shop (I’ve had some success knitting ruffle scarves since we’ve been away and want to pick up some more wool!). We eat in the food court in the mall (always a favourite with our family as we get to choose whatever type of food each of us feels like
Stepping down to our beach
Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island, BC at the time. Between us we have a combination of Japanese, Greek and Vietnamese food on our table!).
We stop once more to pick up food in Mill Bay and then we are able to check in to the most beautiful house we’ve rented since coming to the Pacific Northwest.
Kingscote Road – Cowichan Bay
We’ve stayed in some amazing places, largely thanks to the website VRBO.com but this one is certainly the most beautiful. As we walk through the door we are immediately introduced to another stunning view. It takes our breath away and it’s difficult to finish unpacking the car. Most of our stuff remains just inside the door as the priority becomes simply sitting on the deck with a cuppa as afternoon turns into evening. The island opposite us is Salt Spring and the water between us is as still as a millpond, except for the occasional seal that pops his head up (or as Sam finds out later we also have a couple of Stellar Sea lions in the area which explains the larger body and audible exhale of air as it comes up to the surface).
The
View from our house
Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island, BC house is set in delightful gardens on many levels with lots of nooks and crannies to lose oneself with a good book on a sunny day. A long winding set of wooden steps takes you down to a lovely little private pebbly beach. I badly want to live in this house!!
That evening, once the sun has gone down and the sky is filled with stars, we retire to the hot tub on the lower deck and star gaze as we sink into the hot bubbly water. It really doesn’t get any better than this.
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