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Kitty Coleman Park
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Bamfield Boardwalk
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Bamfield Marine Science Centre
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Welcome to Bamfield
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Pachena Bay
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Bamfield Music Festival
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Brady's Beach
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Sooke River
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Waterwheel Park, Chemanius
Story & photos by Barb Rees
Taking the ferry from Powell River to Vancouver Island we found our way to Kitty Coleman Provincial Park. This campsite along the shores of the Salish Sea is a 10-hectare Class “C” park. It includes 65 dry campsites, large boat launch, and a 500-year-old Douglas Fir. Across from our site was the fire pit with an ocean view and music by nature.
Pearl #1: Cathedral Grove. Taking Hwy #4 to Port Alberni will take you through MacMillan Provincial Park, which includes Cathedral Grove. In 1944, H.R. MacMillan donated 136 hectares to the people. Within Cathedral Grove is an 800-year-old 75 m (250 ft) tree.
Pearl #2: Port Alberni, “The gateway to the West Coast of Vancouver Island.” The Alberni Valley Tourism office is big and informative, but the parking lot not convenient for rigs. From there you either continue on pavement to Long Beach or 5 km outside town take a 75 km gravel-logging road to Bamfield. Preparations: Pack cupboards snuggly. Bungee cord cupboard doors if they aren’t tight. Close windows and vents. Fill the gas tank, dump tanks and fill water. Drive with caution as this is an active logging area without cell phone service but there’s a jewel waiting at the end.
Pearl #3: After bumping along and eating dust for two hours we stopped at Poett Nook Marina and Campground. www.poettnook.com The camp is mostly seasonals who fish from here. Orst, owner of Alberni Charters invited us to his 37 ft charter boat, “Oracle” for stories and delicious Margarita oysters. At the end of a spectacular day, the sun set purple and green over a serene bay.
Pearl #4: Coastal fog hung grey and cold as we tackled the last 30 minutes of bone jarring road into Bamfield “Heart of the Pacific Rim”. Pavement starts at the Pacific Rim National Park boundary. The Bamfield Chamber of Commerce is in a quaint building filled with historical artefacts. The only campground in town is across the street and the sites are un-serviced. The guide recommended the Marine Science Centre’s free tour that happens three times a week. Originally a cable station in 1902, it was reconstructed as the Marine centre in conjunction with five universities in 1972. An exquisite clam shaped building hosts Music by the Sea in the summer.
Paradise Taxi, a yellow checkered water taxi run by Mark and his dog Bif, cost $5 each and took us to Bamfield West on a peninsula. Thirty minutes of walking later we came out on Brady’s Beach. The waves crashed into a long sandy beach guarded by tree topped stone pillars.
On returning we walked the boardwalk built from lumber the government mistakenly sent. When the government wanted it back the people said it was their road. Thus the Canadian government maintains the boardwalk as a road.
Pearl #5: The West Coast Trail in the Pacific Rim National Park starts at Pachena Bay Campground and stretches 77 km along the west coast to Port Renfrew. The trail is open May 1st to September 30th and hikers must register with the park, it costs $168 for a permit and includes two ferries. www.pc.gc.ca/pacificrim
Pearl #6: Pachena Bay Campground is a bit of paradise snuggled up to the bay where rollers sweep the sandy beach. There are 80 sites, some with water and power for $42. There’s a sani-dump onsite and a fuel station on the reserve. The fog relinquished it’s hold that morning to the heat of the day. The park allows dogs on the beach and our little dog Pali raced across the sand.
The next stretch of gravel road leads to Port Renfrew. If you take it, get a good map, directions, and find out if there is active logging. We don’t recommend it for RVs. In spite of our preparations we got lost. Three hours later when we saw the sign for Port Renfrew junction we mistakenly took it, only to eventually flag down a local who had us follow him back into Honeymoon Bay. We covered 100 km of horrible, teeth chattering gravel road. Fortunately, the 53 km road to Port Renfrew is paved.
Pearl #7: Port Renfrew with Pacheedaht First Nations Campground and dry camping along the shores of San Juan Beach for $10-20 a night. Being lulled to sleep by the music of the waves is the perfect way to end the day. You can find fuel at the marina four km away but be forewarned, they only take cash. Travelling east of Port Renfrew the Juan De Fuca Marine Trail is a 47 km trail from Botanical Beach to…
Pearl #8: China Beach our next stop. The wide path is a gentle downward slope ending 20 minutes later on a fantastic sandy beach. Farther on is a campsite.
Pearl #9: Sooke, “Where the rainforest meets the sea”. We love camping at Sooke River Campground, which is nestled along the Sooke River. Full hook ups and a view of kayakers and swans on the river make for a relaxing, peaceful evening.
Pearl #10: Victoria, the capital of BC and “Home of Canada’s Pacific Fleet” was our only taste of city busyness. This grand old city offers myriads of indoor and outdoor venues, festivals and entertainment.
Pearl #11: Chemainus “World Famous Murals” is a town that rebuilt itself on art. The downtown revitalization program opened April 23, 1982 and today has 10 sculptures and 44 murals. They are also famous for the Chemainus Theatre Festival held in a building as posh as any big city venue. I was ecstatic to find Twisted Sisters Tea Room at 9885 Maple St., with over 300 types of tea in a 1921 building. What a fascinating town. After 12 days, we clasped this circle of pearls at Kitty Coleman Park for one last night of serene camping by the sea.
Barb Rees, Métis writer, is the author of five RV Canada books. From their home in Powell River, BC with husband Dave, they have travelled Canada from coast to coast on working holidays since 2003. For more information about them and their books visit www.write2dream.com