Qualicum Beach captured our attention when we were there. Strolling along the seaside promenade, we had views of Lasqueti and Texada Islands and the snowcapped peaks of mountains on the mainland in the distance. Qualicum has a strong belief in heritage preservation and their antique shops, galleries and museum are definitely worth a stop.
Campbell River, another seaside town, is known as Canada's Salmon Fishing Capital. On a visit to the Marina, this came as no surprise - from the pier we saw masses of masts. Campbell River is also acknowledged as one of the top five scuba diving destinations in the world because of its exceptional under-water visibility, diversity of sea life and wreck sites.
'As Wild as You Like!' is a Campbell River slogan. Between skiing Mount Washington and diving the Strait of Georgia, this appears to be an apt slogan. There are trails meandering through lush forests that are worth exploring where the sounds of wildlife are a song in your ear. From the beach, we watched cruise ships, freighters, barges, sailboats, yachts and the ferry to Quadra Island travel through Discovery Passage. There is a Maritime Museum with a collection of more than 500 artifacts, some dating back 2,000 years. There is also the John Hart Dam operating at upper Campbell Lake that is worth visiting - if you're a dam lover.
Traveling the road to Gold River is also worth the effort although it is a bit of a trek. It is considered the 'Cave Capital of Canada'. Upana Caves are particularly accessible and safe for novices who enjoy the sport of spelunking. There are also many more miles of caves to be found in the area for both the novice and the more adventuresome. Not being quite that adventuresome, we didn't try this sport.
The West Coast Trail follows the contours of the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island and is one of Ucluelet's main attractions. Although we didn't go on the West Coast Trail, we did follow other trails near Ucluelet's lighthouse. At Lighthouse Park, if the day is slightly foggy, you may hear the signal warning boaters to be aware of the rocky and treacherous shoreline. The rugged shoreline, as seen from the walking trails, is typical of a lot of the western island's coastline. During winter storms the breakers can be as high as twenty feet. Ucluelet is popular for whale watching expeditions and each spring celebrates the migration of 20,000 gray whales.
Long Beach's shoreline is miles of sweeping white sand. When we were there, the surf was high and surfers were enjoying the excitement of catching a wave. There are many warnings to surfers, and others, to never turn your back on the ocean and to be especially careful around the water's edge.
We also stopped at Cathedral Grove Provincial Park located at Cameron Lake. The park is a preserved section of lush old-growth forest; many trees are 800 or more years old. Walking among these giants, we marveled at their beauty, endurance and resiliency and the power of nature.
There are many great places to visit on Vancouver Island - Victoria and Telegraph Cove I will write more on later. But a real exploration of this interesting island would take some time to complete. Another exploring trip to look forward to doing.
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