backlog 1

September 10, 2006

 

From Gray Bay, 21 KM from Sandspit on Queen Charlotte Islands

 

We arrived on the Island yesterday the BC ferries hold quite the schedule. We needed to leave Terrace at 2AM arrive at the Ferry terminal in Prince Rupert at 4 AM for the 6 AM sailing. We picked FD up enroute to Prince Rupert. The ferry itself is so much smaller than we are used to down south. The loading of the vehicles is quite the operation, and include things like Container Trailers without the trucks to save cost and space.

 

The trip over was very nice the ocean was quite calm, the time to cross was about 6 ½ hours. We had a cabin, and both my wife and her Bro we snoozing for a good part of the trip. I went down for breakfast then found a good spot out on deck out of the wind to sit and watch the waves go by. We saw several pods of porpoise as well as a group of whales.

 

I am about 25 feet from the incoming tide at our campsite at Gray Bay. I am just sitting here listening and watching the crashing waves around me. It is just as advertised, miles and miles of unoccupied beaches. Got up this morning coffee in hand and walked and walked , the tide was quite the ways out and took advantage of this to explore a couple of the smaller outcrops that were reachable with the tide out. Many species of Seabirds also took advantage of the outgoing tide to pick the beach and tidal pools for their morning meal. Every pool I nosed through was teaming with various types of life from hermit crabs to fish. After doing a run back to town for a few necessities I walked back down the road from camp to hike into Secret Cove, we have the brother-in-law's dog, Bexley with us, and both he and Andre and myself went on the hike.   Well Bexley is still a young pup, not really sure of how strong he is or how fast, of course everything is play play play. He was doing his best gazelle manoeuvres chasing down a chipmunk or squirrel, bouncing through the high grass. Then he gets so far ahead you can no longer see him. All of a sudden you hear low growls and crashing bush, thinking it is a bear you prepare yourself, well if it isn't Bexley again. Bugger!   He will also get ahead of you , far ahead, then sit and raise his shoulders, looking intently behind me. Who says dogs don't have a sense of humor? At least I hope they can enjoy these games they play on us. ;-)

 

I believe we are heading up to the North Side of the Islands tomorrow. I am hoping to hit "The Purple Onion" in Queen Charlotte City since not only do they have the best coffee on the Island but they also have internet there so I can upload this and perhaps my pictures so far.

 

If you ever get a chance to come to this Island make sure you take it, it really is something to experience. From Hiking, camping, fishing (Coho right now), hunting (Deer are abundant here and your total limit is 6 deer.). Just so much to do and such a beautiful place and I have seen so little of it so far.

 

EOF -LC