Friday, March 11, 2016
Thursday, July 2, 2015
No More Blog
I'm giving myself a break and giving up on blogging this trip. I don't have the luxury of spending my evenings comfortably recording the events of the day. We are having trouble keeping the electronics charged and then we often don't have wifi or cell coverage. My journal will be my only record this time.
Posted with BlogsyMonday, June 29, 2015
To Haida Gwaii
We go to sleep in the day light and wake up after dawn. It is reminiscent of our trip to the Yukon. Today we go to Haida Gwaii. We haven't been able to find a replacement coffee pot but a solution will be found sooner or later. The line up for the ferry is very different than the one in Port Hardy. These people are going to the "Islands", no Europeans on this sailing. They were all doing the circle route in rental vehicles. We had to drive on and then turn around on the ferry. When it became too full then vehicles had to back down the ramp.....trucks pulling boats and trailers...this ferry staff was doing everything to get as many people on as possible. An hour after our designated departure time we set sail with no one left on the dock.
We found some comfy seats and set up camp for the next 6/7 hours. When you know how long you are going to be on board you make your adjustments. As it turned out it was a sunny, calm crossing. I saw a woman nearby with some hand made fish. I was curious and asked her what she was making. She was born on Haida Gwaii but now lives in Terrace. Her and her daughter were going back to do a Celebration of Life for her parents who had lived on the islands. Her father had been a fisherman and she had made all these colorful fish to represent 'the catch of the day'. They were beautiful and I asked her if I could take a picture of them. She was thrilled that I appreciated her art. I will paint them and send her a copy by email.
My interpretation to come later.
We landed at Skidegate about 6:30 not knowing where we were going. Stopped at Queen Charlotte visitor information center. I bought the book "The Golden Spruce". And we headed to the Hayden Campground only to find it full. We ended up camped out front of the Village office....(aka City Hall) ....As we are awake early we figured we could be gone before Monday workers arrived. Nobody seemed to mind we were there and we had a good sleep.
Observations,
It takes me awhile to get my blogging mojo going. I find it difficult to make my thoughts and words come out in a fluent manner.
We have been on the road six days. A lot of travel, some stress, but today, our first full day on the islands I can feel the magic. We can feel the difference between the RV and the camper. It is more work for us but we will survive.
Things go wrong on Saturday
After such a wonderful day yesterday today wasn't so good. This morning we discovered our fridge wasn't working properly and all our freezer stuff was thawing. We called the only number we could find for RV repairs. No answer on Saturday. A few minutes later a fellow called asking if we had called:) he said he would come down in 10 minutes. He did but he couldn't figure out what the problem was. He didn't charge us anything and referred us to Coastal Propane for dry ice and maybe some help. We went to Moby Dicks for breakfast and then to Coastal Propane. The fellow was a gas fitter but not licenced for RVs. He cleaned all the parts and figured we should be OK. Again no charge. A bad news issue with a good news solution. Our plan had originally been to go for a drive along the highway towards Terrace so we headed out that way. We went into Port Edward and walked the docks watching the fishermen organize and pack their nets.
Drove out to see the old cannery. They wanted $15 to walk through the buildings. We took a few pictures so I can paint the some of the buildings and headed back. The road was like moguls on the mountain. It was paved but in the fractured sunlight it was hard to see the dips that were really close together. We hit some with a surprise and shifted the camper to the point that the back tie downs popped off and we heard them dragging behind us. It was too hot to deal with along the road so we headed back to our Walmart camp licking our wounds. Only inside disaster was the breaking of our glass coffe pot.
Tomorrow is another day and hopefully our fridge will be working as we make our way across to Haida Gwaii.
Grizzlies
After a short night we enjoyed our coffee and then headed into town to tourist info. While Bob was looking for information on Haida Gwaii I went into the Prince Rupert Adventure Tours in the Cow Bay area. I had listened to people on the ferry talking about doing the grizzly bear tour. There was one leaving in a couple of hours and it wasn't very full. Seven hours with lunch included for $240 a person. Pretty steep but we have decided that this is a bucket list trip and we need to do what ever we want.
The boat was only half full to its capacity so we had lots of room to view from all the various decks. It is a family business. Dad, the captain and son Trent, first mate and provider of information as we traveled. Two young native women were the only other staff on board. We spent two hours traveling out from Prince Rupert up Chatham Sound until we turned into Khutzeymateen Inlet. We saw Grizzlies, a wolf, orcas, sea lions and just before getting back to PR the crew fed the eagles off Metlakatla village.
It was a fantastic trip with wonderful staff. We were offloaded about 7:00 and we headed back to our camp spot overlooking the harbour in the Walmart parking lot.
It wasn't a planned excursion but it was well worth the money:).....just doing a few things before we hit the 'Islands'.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Sailing Day
We were awake at 3:00. Had our coffee and last minute organizing and then out to Bear Cove. We could see the lights of the ferry last night as it docked, waiting to leave again in the morning. There is all manner of vehicles from a 40' motor home, surfers, campers, kayakers and all the "rent a Wreck" vehicles. Most people seem to be doing the circle route back through Prince George or going on to Alaska. Haven't spoken to anyone yet that is going to Haida Gwaii.
Spent the first few hours having a buffet breakfast. Pretty basic fare for $20. But we are a captive audience. Not much to see as we cross Queen Charlotte Sound. Bob is having a nap and I sat and copied a painting on the wall. We are now coming to Calvert Island so the shore is closer. Still overcast but clouds are high enough to see land.
The miles pass as we slowly make our way north along familiar passages that we have traveled before, once on the Hawkeye and then on our cruise to Alaska. It's unfortunate in a way that the weather was not at its best but it is the west coast and the low clouds and mist are a part of the magic. The breaks in the clouds are that much more spectacular when they appear.
Buffet dinner was $28 and a pleasant surprise. Prime rib and Yorkshires, roast lamb, salmon and all the normal side dishes, salads and desserts. There are only so many times during the voyage that they unlock the doors to the car decks. At the 5:00 opening we went down and filled a flask with wine for after dinner. Back in our recliners in the Aurora lounge we relaxed knowing our arrival in Prince Rupert was getting closer.
At 11:30 it is still not quite dark. We are offloaded and set up in the Walmart Parking lot with about 1/2 dozen other RVs for what remains of the night. A very long 22 hour day.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
To Alder Bay
A beautiful sunny day to start our trip. We took our time packing the last few things and shutting down the house. We stopped in Campbell River for lunch ....Dicks fish and chips...they are the best. Filled up our water jugs at the mountain spring just before Roberts Lake.
We have decided to stay at Alder Bay for the night. It's been a few years since I have been up to this part of the island. Lots of memories from our boating, kayaking and camping trips of the last 20 years. We picked our spot, paid for it and then went to Telegraph Cove before dinner. I'm glad I have seen it when it was still a working community. It is so touristy now. A bit sad.
Back at camp we set up our chairs looking out across the water to Alert Bay. We thought we would try to stay up to see the sunset but the sun just never seemed to move down the sky quickly enough. I remember seeing the yellows and pinks through the window as my eyes slammed shut. I woke in the night to the sound of rain on the roof and and the waves lapping the shore. Very peaceful
Day two wasn't quite as enjoyable. Had our coffee and toast and headed for Port Hardy. Our plan was to have a look around and then go out to the ferry terminal and stay the night. We had been told we could do that. Wrong! You can stay but they charge you $22 ...they say it is to discourage people from camping overnight. If they don't want you to stay there just make the rule ...don't try to scam more money from people. Then she told us there was no power on board for us to plug into to keep our fridge running for the 17 hour trip. The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Typical BC Ferry bureaucracy. So we are back in Port Hardy parked along the waterfront watching eagles, ravens and gulls fight over fish scraps put on the beach by locals.
The rain stopped and it is windy but warm. There are no signs saying "no overnight camping" so hopefully we will get a sleep without RCMP knocking at our door telling us we have to move on like the gypsy vagrants we are:)
Another local just brought a pail of fish carcasses and put them out right in front of us. Just waiting for the eagles to arrive. Heating up chili for dinner and then an early night. We have to be over at the ferry terminal by 5:30/6:00 tomorrow.