Emily and I toasted a rain- and cold-free night's sleep with oatmeal and coffee in the morning. The weather had improved drastically since our adventure beyond Whistler on Highway 99. We packed up camp and set out to the west coast along Highway 14. By the time we arrived in the town of Sooke, our destination, the sun was shining brightly. Emily grabbed another cup of coffee and perused a cute shop/deli for gifts for her friends and family. She then visited a jeweler next door while I crossed the street to sift through the piles of treasure at a thrift store. I purchased three old vinyl records for $0.50 Canadian each. (Now I just need to buy a record player to listen to them.)
We proceeded in a loop further along the coast and then inland as Emily came to the conclusion that she could live in Sooke. It may work out well for the both of us. She could visited me in Vancouver and I'll come to see her in Sooke once we both move out this way.
We traveled a few kilometers inland to the Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. The potholes were formed in the creek by swirling water and sand that had slowly cut holes into various rocks. I made lunch near the car while Emily scouted out a picnic spot. She found a great one situated on a cliff overlooking a small beach beside a pool in a creek. We enjoyed our simple meal under a hot sun while we guessed whether a very reluctant wader would venture further into the creek or chicken out. (She chickened out.) By the time we were finished, some high school kids had shown up and were starting to scramble around higher on the opposite cliffs. They were clearly locals and knew exactly where to swim and climb. They were planning to do some jumping and were more than happy to let me take their pictures.
Emily and I hiked a little further along the creek. We met with a woman from the organization that had campaigned to make the area a provincial park. They had succeeded only two years previously. Nice work!
Unfortunately, it was getting time to leave Vancouver Island. Conrad brought Emily and I to Sidney, located on the southeast side of the island between Victoria and Swartz Bay (where we had arrived.) We stopped for a few groceries, then boarded a ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. We had to change ferry boats in Friday Harbor before floating to Orcas Island, the evening's final destination.
Friday Harbor seemed to be a bit of a tourist trap. The ice cream was expensive and I did not feel well after eating shitty pizza. But I rallied in time for our 10 PM departure to Orcas Island. We had booked a place right next to the ferry terminal on Orcas. As it was late, the staff was just leaving; They showed us to our room and gave us our key. Unfortunately, it was the wrong key and we didn't realize it until the staff had left and we had locked ourselves out of the room with our bags inside. Emily "located" our key thanks to a little reconnaissance work (some might call it detective work, some might call it breaking and entering - I planned to deny all involvement were she apprehended.) The hotel was old and supposedly haunted. The scary portrait of the woman hanging on the wall watched me prepare for bed. Creepy.
We proceeded in a loop further along the coast and then inland as Emily came to the conclusion that she could live in Sooke. It may work out well for the both of us. She could visited me in Vancouver and I'll come to see her in Sooke once we both move out this way.
We traveled a few kilometers inland to the Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. The potholes were formed in the creek by swirling water and sand that had slowly cut holes into various rocks. I made lunch near the car while Emily scouted out a picnic spot. She found a great one situated on a cliff overlooking a small beach beside a pool in a creek. We enjoyed our simple meal under a hot sun while we guessed whether a very reluctant wader would venture further into the creek or chicken out. (She chickened out.) By the time we were finished, some high school kids had shown up and were starting to scramble around higher on the opposite cliffs. They were clearly locals and knew exactly where to swim and climb. They were planning to do some jumping and were more than happy to let me take their pictures.
Emily and I hiked a little further along the creek. We met with a woman from the organization that had campaigned to make the area a provincial park. They had succeeded only two years previously. Nice work!Unfortunately, it was getting time to leave Vancouver Island. Conrad brought Emily and I to Sidney, located on the southeast side of the island between Victoria and Swartz Bay (where we had arrived.) We stopped for a few groceries, then boarded a ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. We had to change ferry boats in Friday Harbor before floating to Orcas Island, the evening's final destination.
Friday Harbor seemed to be a bit of a tourist trap. The ice cream was expensive and I did not feel well after eating shitty pizza. But I rallied in time for our 10 PM departure to Orcas Island. We had booked a place right next to the ferry terminal on Orcas. As it was late, the staff was just leaving; They showed us to our room and gave us our key. Unfortunately, it was the wrong key and we didn't realize it until the staff had left and we had locked ourselves out of the room with our bags inside. Emily "located" our key thanks to a little reconnaissance work (some might call it detective work, some might call it breaking and entering - I planned to deny all involvement were she apprehended.) The hotel was old and supposedly haunted. The scary portrait of the woman hanging on the wall watched me prepare for bed. Creepy.
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