Gulf Islands Trip, April 2009

We caught the 9:35am ferry at Swartz Bay (1 stopover on Pender Island) on a sunny Saturday morning. As our destination on Mayne Island was in walking distance to the ferry dock we decided to leave the car behind which meant we only had to pay the very reasonably priced $9.45/adult fare.

Stephen had left a note for us on Facebook just in case he couldn't make it down to the dock in time to meet us:

"...our road is directly behind the sign. It's about a 15 minute walk...feel free to let yourselves in and make yourself at home (the tea is above the stove)."

Gotta love that friendly BC hospitality!

When the ferry arrived at the dock at Mayne Island, Stephen was there to meet us. On the walk back to their lovely home, he and his son filled us in on a few facts about our new surroundings:

• Mayne Island is about 10km in diametre, a little under 30 square km in area
• the island is located roughly half way between Tswassen (Vancouver) and Swartz Bay (Victoria)
• Back in the day it was a regular stopover for Aboriginal peoples travelling between the mainland and Vancouver Island
• The Aboriginal name for Mayne Island roughly translates to 'party place'

After a quick lunch we headed off down the road on foot towards the trail. Setphen showed us a 'secret' short cut from a hiking path near their home to Halliday Viewpoint. The shortcut involved taking a service road/path for a few km before veering off onto a mining road and then scrambling about 50m up a slope to a deer path. We followed the deer path for about 100m before scrambling a few feet up a somewhat steeper slope to meet the main hiking trail in Mount Parke regional Park. We spent most of the afternoon trekking on the park's gentle hiking trails enjoying beautiful panoramic views of the Navy Channel, and Saturna, Prevost and Saltspring Islands.

In the late afternoon we made our way to Wild Fennel via the shady Old Gulch hiking trail only to discover upon our arrival at the restaurant had closed until the evening. Too bad! Stephen's description of their menu sounded delicious...guess we'll just have to save a visit to Wild Fennel for our next trip to Mayne.

Tired, hungry and perhaps a little cranky, we walked a further half hour along one of the island's quiet roads to 'the village' where we gorged ourselves at the Saltspring Lodge on yummy grilled salmon salads, large orders of friends AND onion rings and cheese cake. Yum! We also stopped at the grocery store on the way home to pick up a peach pie and a tub of ice cream for later on in the evening.

After a few hours of conversation, warm pie and a couple of beers we hit the hay early and in anticipation of another big day.



The next morning, we got up early and Baasje and I caught the ferry to Galiano Island. A larger island - about 26km across and 6 km wide - just west of Mayne Island. The fare for the Mayne to Galiano trip was $5/person. We also learned that our return fare to Swartz Bay from Galiano would be covered in the fares we had already paid, meaning our weekend transportation expensese would amount to a grand total of $30 for both us us. What a deal!

Galiano was a bit of a metrolpolis compared to Mayne Island, but it maintained the same quiet, slow-paced atmosphere with little traffic (more like next to no traffic). There was a 'food wagon' at the ferry dock serving German and Indonesian dishes and the smells were delicious. As it was still breakfast time, Baasje and I made our way up the road to "Grand Central" a neat little train themed diner for eggs and bacon. Delicious!

After breakfast we walked for about 45 minutes on deserted roads to Bellhouse Provincial Park were we encountered the most amazing coastline I've seen out west yet - a weathered and ridgy sun bleached sandstone beach. I took many, many pictures. After an hour or so exploring the coastline at Bellhouse we returned to the road and walked a further hour and and a half up winding roads to The Bluffs. From the ridge walk at The Bluffs we took in beautiful views of the Gulf Islands and Mount Galiano.

When it was getting close to mid afternoon we started on our way back to the dock to grab lunch and do some beach combing before catching the 4:40pm ferry back to Vancouver Island. Tired but happy we removed our boots and stretched our legs on the almost empty ferry and began to make plans for our next trip to the Gulf Islands. I think it's safe to say we'll be back that way again (and again, and again).

47 km on the Juan de Fuca

Total cost of four day hike for 2 people: About $300 including...

$200 for new gear and food
$12 parking
$40 camping fees ($5 per person, per night)

Bears: No sightings, but did see scat at a few points along the trail

Day 1 - Trailhead at China Beach (km 0) to Bear Beach (km 8.7)

Our trip began with the 2+ hour long drive from Victoria to the Juan de Fuca trail head at China Beach on a cloudy and grey, Good Friday morning. Noticing the skies growing darker the closer we drew to Jordan River, we soon gave up hope the weather would make turn for the better. When Baasje and Mike returned to the trail head after depositing one of our vehicles at the far end, it was just past noon and we decided to delay lunch and hit the trail, anxious to get going before the rain hit. Gladly, the rain held off for most of the first leg of our journey, a series of relatively easy ascents and descents through vibrant green (despite the gloomy light of overcast skies) forest.

When we arrived at Bear Beach (km 8.7) in the mid-afternoon we briefly considered pressing on towards the next campground at Chin Beach (km 20.6). Had the weather been fairer, I expect we would have kept going.  As it was, we quickly came to the conclusion that none of us were keen on the possibility of setting up camp after after nightfall in the rain.  After taking a tour of the already crowded campground to scout out our options, we squeezed onto a campsite with an Australian who was hiking solo. Thankfully he was a good sport about sharing. After we'd pitched our tents and filled our bellies with dinner and smores for dessert (thanks, Mike!) we settled down to a fantastic night of good conversation and music around the campfire.


Day 2 - Campsite at Bear Beach (km 8.7) to Chin Beach (km 20.6)

Bear Beach to Chin Beach is the most physically demanding stretch of the Juan de Fuca trail. The section is comprised of continuous steep ascents and descents - a heart pounding grind with 50 lbs on your back, especially when the weather is wet. By mid-morning the steady rainfall had turned the path to series of slippery mud puddles deep enough to reach mid-shin in spots. It took us most of the day to travel the 11 km to Chin Beach, with only a few short breaks to grab quick bites to eat. With the ladders and bridges wet and slippery, keeping our feet required quite a bit of focus. The effort and hardship was not without it's rewards - the views were beautiful and the sense of accomplishment I felt at the end of the day is what hiking is all about. When we finally reached our destination we were able to grab  a good campsite beside the creek with a great view of Chin Beach (see pic above).  We quickly set about cooking and inhaling dinner before spending a few hours resting sore muscles and checking the damage from the spills we'd all taken on the trail.


Day 3 - Campsite at Chin Beach (km 20.6) to Little Kuitshe Campground (km 34)

The second day of the trip had been one of the most physically demanding hikes I'd ever encountered, and the third day turned out to be, by far, the most mentally challenging. Steady rain continued throughout the day and turned the trail into an endless, soupy puddle that eventually waterlogged my boots (that on previous trips had miraculously seemed impenetrable to water). Mud also began to seep beneath my gaiters, soaking my pants to the knee. As the day wore on, the condition of the trail began to deteriorate to the point where we were regularly coming across sections that were completely washed out, resulting in some treacherous detours. Once we'd worked past these rough spots it was sometimes difficult to determine where the trail picked up on the other side and we ended up having to backtrack of find our way a few times. As it can sometimes go at moments like these, the sites from the trail were breathtakingly beautiful - Sombrio Beach appeared gorgeous and moody in the grey mist and at one point we climbed high into the clouds during a particularly stunning interior section of the trail.

Day 4 - Little Kuitshe Campground (km 33) to Botanical Beach (km 47)

Thankfully the section of the trail from little Kuitshe Campground to Botanical Beach is the easiest leg of journey. If you're looking to experience the Juan de Fuca on a gentler scale, I would suggest taking on this portion of the trail. The path here is well maintained and many of the trouble spots have been smoothed over with boardwalks and wooden steps (some even with railings). Despite an uncomfortable night's sleep and sore legs we were able to cover the 14 km to Botanical Beach (the longest stretch of the trip) before mid afternoon. The shoreline on this section is very pretty and there are many interpretive signs along the way to enhance the experience.