After a 10-day trip last month, I understand why Vancouver Island is one of the quintessential Northwest family camping trips. No matter how you like your outdoor adventure, from extreme to sublime, Vancouver Island has it.

Landing by ferry at Nanaimo, my wife, our two children and I last month explored the northern reaches of the island and the better known west coast. We did a lot in 10 days. And we’re already talking about a return trip to visit the places we missed.

SEALS, SEA STARS AND SUNSETS

Our first camp was at Bates Beach Resort, just north of Courtenay, on the island’s east coast. Our tent sat but 15 yards from the Strait of Georgia, under a pair of towering pine trees.

We spent one afternoon watching wildlife at Seal Bay Park, just a short walk from camp. We saw dozens of namesake seals sunning themselves on a rocky reef not far from shore, at least 13 great blue herons stalking the shallows for fish, numerous ochre sea stars clinging to rocks as well as crabs and sculpins.

The kids loved crawling on the large rocks that lined the shore, looking for sea creatures or just watching the waves stir the water.

That night, we saw a young buck deer, small antlers sprouting from its head, take a few wary steps into the campground. After a few more steps down the road, the deer quickly turned and disappeared into the dark forest.

Those wanting a more tropical beach experience need to visit Tribune Bay Provincial Park on Hornby Island. The soft sand and warm waters have earned it the nickname “Little Hawaii.”

One evening at the campground, I struck up a conversation with John McWha and his wife, Helene. He’s a native of Liverpool, England; she grew up in Vancouver, B.C. Together they have traveled the world. They have lived in Canada, England, France, Denmark and the United States, including Whidbey Island and Aberdeen.

After one winter in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the couple agreed they needed to return to the Northwest. They now live in White Rock, B.C.

“Vancouver Island is peaceful. You can breathe here. I like space, and you have it here,” said John McWha. “It’s the trees, the water and the mountains that draw me first.

“The best way I can describe Vancouver Island, it hasn’t been taken over. There’s a semblance of sanity to everyday living,” he added.

The couple agreed there are many similarities between northern Washington and Vancouver Island.

“You can have the same feeling in both places, it’s just the journey that’s different,” John McWha said.

That night we watched the sun set, casting rays of red and orange against the purple-tinged clouds. Some folks tried to do it justice with their digital cameras, while others watched it quietly, the silence broken only by the snap and pop of a campfire.

Long after sunset, the family and I watched a massive cruise ship slip through the strait. All lit up, the ship was brighter than the lights of the town of Powell River across the water.

Those of us still awake sat next to low campfires, wrapped in the embrace of a cool summer’s eve while those aboard danced, ate, partied or did whatever cruisers do. It was amazing to watch the behemoth sail past, but I wouldn’t have traded places with anyone on board.

NORTHERN ESCAPES

Our second camp had an equally great water view, only we were 150 miles up the coast. From our tent on Beaver Cove at Alder Bay Resort, we could look across to Alert Bay on Cormorant Island, we could see the three peaks of Mount Stephens and we could hear the roar of boat motors each morning as anglers headed out in search of salmon in Johnstone Strait.

Seattle residents Jim Hadlock and Sharon Brown slipped their kayaks into the fog-shrouded waters of Beaver Cove outside of Port McNeill. They also had paddled Kelsey Bay and were going to venture down the Nimpkish River and paddle in San Josef Bay.

“We also came for the eagles and the wildlife,” Hadlock said as a great blue heron squawked from a nearby tree.

The couple spent three days at Alert Bay, home of the Namgis First Nation. They visited the U’mista Cultural Center, watched T’sala Cultural Group dancers and listened to native stories. “That’s what it’s about for me,” Brown said.

Farther down the road, the kids, wife and I strolled through the unique community of Telegraph Cove. Once a small tiny sawmill and cannery town, visitors now can stay in some of the original homes built on pilings next on the harbor’s edge, take a whale watching trip or visit the Whale Interpretive Centre. While the center is not large, it kept the kids entertained and educated for more than an hour, learning about the marine life in the cove.

Another day we opted to escape the crowds by hiking into Cape Scott Provincial Park. The hike-in-only park clings to the bluffs, beaches and wave-tossed shore of the island’s northern tip. Here, bear bells and pepper spray are as necessary as tents and sleeping bags.

We chose the easier day trip to San Josef Bay. The hard-core hikers had already explored the beach by the time we arrived, ready to move on to a different part of the park. But with a 7-year-old and a 5-year-old, the hourlong hike was the perfect length. Once at the beach, they were free to explore tidepools and play in the sand. Down a ways from our beach picnic site, a lone tent sat beneath the pine trees behind the beach.

Here I felt a sense of isolation unmatched anywhere else on the island. We saw no more than 20 people, the kids scrambled about the small sea caves and we wandered through the sea stacks as if we would find a pirate’s treasure around the next bend.

But not all of Vancouver Island memories are the stuff of exploring or adventure. One evening, as the sun slipped behind Malcolm Island, I saw every shade of blue, as if I took each blue crayon out of a box of Crayola and held it to the sky.

WESTERN EXPOSURE

Escaping the crowds is harder to do in places like the Long Beach Unit of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the nearby towns of Tofino and Ucluelet. But the scenery more than makes up for it.

Dave Hurwitz once ran a fishing boat, but now serves as the curator for the tiny Ucluelet Aquarium. Smaller than many living rooms, it is packed with touch tanks and aquariums. It’s a great place to escape the rainy interruptions to one’s travels.

“When I moved to Tofino 20 years ago, my family thought I was nuts. But where else can you drive up to a huge, sandy beach,” he said. He was talking about the nearly 10 miles of beaches that line Wickaninnish Bay.

To me, that’s why Vancouver Island, about the size of Connecticut and Massachussetts combined, is such a popular destination. You can have as much adventure as you want, regardless the size of your wallet.

Just about anywhere on the island you can find a whale-watching tour. Some are aboard small, open boats, while others take passengers aboard sailboats or more powerful enclosed power boats. But the prices made such a trip too expensive for our family of four after paying for gas that equaled $5.30 a gallon.

Still, we came home with no shortage of summer vacation memories.

We saw sea stars, crabs, sea anemones and more on beaches, watched and listened as bald eagles winged overhead and sat in silent amazement – from inside our minivan – as a black bear sow led her two cubs across a creek.

We enjoyed the simple pleasures of pancakes cooked on the camp stove. A good fire lit the night and toasted marshmallows for s’mores.

“There’s plenty of reasons to come up here,” said Seattleite Sharon Brown.

“Everywhere you go, you’re surrounded by mountains,” said Helene McWha, the Vancouver native. “And it’s just so pristine here.”

Some Places to visit

SAN JOSEF BAY

Where: At the northern tip of the island, about 45 miles along logging roads from Port Hardy.

What: A remote beach at the south end of Cape Scott Provincial Park.

Things to do: Hike, camp, beachcomb, kayaking and explore sea caves, sea stacks and tide pools

On your own: For those looking to escape the crowds, this is a place for you. We spent more than six hours on the trail and beach and never saw more than 20 people. Only a few times were we close enough to exchange greetings with a handful of visitors.

The beach itself is a mix of wide expanses of soft sand backed by dense forest. Off to the right are a series of small sea stacks that look like a Japanese garden, each stack topped by a small pine tree. The headland between the two beaches is pocked by sea caves, including one that looks like the Hollywood set for a pirate movie.

Be sure to watch the tides. They come in quickly and cut off access between the bay’s first beach and second beach. We had to scamper around the headland after a quick look at the second beach because the waves were already lapping the base of the cliff. A pair of kayakers had to halt their trip to Sea Otter Cove because of the large waves caused by the incoming tide late in the afternoon.

Bear aware: All along the road leading to the park we saw bear scat. There also was scat at one point along the trail. Just be sure to make plenty of noise as you trek through the forest to the beach.

Nearby: Serious hikers trek north into the rugged wilderness park. Nels Bight, said to be the best beach in the park, is a six-hour trek one way. Another two hours will get you to the Cape Scott Lighthouse. You also can do the new 26-mile North Coast Trail, that runs east from the park.

Information: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks

TRIBUNE BAY PROVINCIAL PARK

Where: Hornby Island, south of Comox and Courtenay

What: The nearly 235-acre park is best known for its white sandy beach and warm water.

Things to do: Swimming, sunbathing, skimboarding, kayaking, boating

This is British Columbia? In all the travel brochures, Tribune Bay is nicknamed “Little Hawaii.” I can see why. The beach is more than half a mile of soft sand. People come here to play. There was a beach soccer game going on, several games of bocce ball and volleyball, people flying kites and building sand castles. Among the teens and twentysomethings, the beach was perfect for skimboarding. Out on the blue water of the bay sat a small flotilla of sail and power boats.

The waters of the bay are warmed by the southern exposure, making it one of British Columbia’s warmest salt water swimming areas.

Of note: You’ll need to take two ferries to get to the park. The first takes you to Denman Island and the second takes you to Hornby. Although they both are short trips, the price is steep – $82 for two adults, two children and a minivan. So plan to make a full day of your visit to get the most value for the ferry rides.

Nearby: A five-minute walk from the park takes a visitor to “downtown” Hornby Island, a mix of shops and services. The other way down the road is Helliwell Provincial Park. You can get great views walking along the bluffs at that park. On the west side of the island, near the ferry terminal is Mount Geoffrey Escarpment Provincial Park, with hiking and mountain biking trails.

Information: www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks

MOUNT WASHINGTON ALPINE RESORT

Where: About 30 minutes west of Courtenay

What: The island’s only full-service ski resort

Things to do: Hiking, mountain biking

What a view: Ride the Eagle Express chairlift to the top of 5,209-foot Mount Washington. The views stretch from the British Columbia mainland across the Georgia Strait and deep into massive Strathcona Provincial Park and the Elk River Mountains.

During our visit, clouds obscured the pointed top of The Golden Hinde. At 7,211 feet, it is the highest point on Vancouver Island. An employee at the top said on a clear day you can even see Mount Baker.

There are trails that wind through the alpine habitat. There are several viewpoints, which also make for good picnic spots. Just watch for the gray jays: The “camp robbers” are just as brazen as they are at Mount Rainier National Park.

For the mountain biking crowd, the resort has 18 trails for all skill levels covering more than 21 miles. The bike park includes a downhill race course, slopestyle course and skills centers.

One of the most enjoyable moments was riding the lift down, with the wind the only sound.

Cost: Day tickets are $15 for adults (ages 13-64), $10 for children ages 6-12, $12 for seniors 65 and older; $36 for a family of four, plus $6 for each additional child. You can ride all day if you want.

Other activities: Bungee trampoline, disc golf and mini golf

Nearby: Paradise Meadows is part of 607,402-acre Strathcona Provincial Park. This is one of the few alpine areas on the island accessible by car. There is a family-friendly, accessible trail with wildflowers galore.

Information: www.mountwashington.ca

PACIFIC RIM NATIONAL PARK RESERVE-LONG BEACH UNIT

Where: On the Long Beach Peninsula between Ucluelet and Tofino on the west coast of the island.

What: One of three units of the park that encompass 128,000 acres of land and ocean. The other units are the Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail.

Things to do: Hiking, camping, beachcombing, surfing, interpretive programs

Comments: The beach is the focal point of this part of the park. You should start your visit at the Wickaninnish Interpretive Center. A massive mural describes the marine life that lives in the Pacific Ocean just outside the center. Down the steps from the center are large rocks and tide pools worth exploring for sea anemones, barnacles and more.

Multiple trails and parking lots provide visitor access to the 10 miles of beach. You’ll see the neoprene-clad surfing crowd driving up and down the main park road looking for the best waves at places like Incinerator Rock.

Radar Hill – a former Cold War radar site – offers great views north to Tofino and west to the ocean.

Bears, cougars and wolves: Large carnivores are a part of life in the park. There are 70 to 80 black bears that live in the Long Beach unit. The park also has a growing population of cougars and wolves. Park officials constantly urged visitors to be aware and to properly store food.

Nearby: The towns of Ucluelet and Tofino offer restaurants and lodging, should you get tired of sleeping or cooking in the rain.

Exchange rate: The gift shop at the Wickaninnish center was one of the few places that would not take U.S. cash. The daily entry fee was $19.50 for a family of four.

Information: www.pc.gc.ca, 1-250-726-3500

Jeffrey P. Mayor, The News Tribune

Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About Our Ads | Advertising Partners | Contact Us | About Us | Site Map | Jobs | RSS
1950 South State Street, Tacoma, Washington 98405 253-597-8742
© Copyright 2009 Tacoma News, Inc. A subsidiary of The McClatchy Company