We're Here!

With the help of my amazing kids and their spouses, we did the U-Haul 'adventure in moving', and over the (Cdn) Thanksgiving weekend just past, ferried from Tsawwassen and drove across Vancouver Island to Ucluelet, where we are now officially moved in.

iPhone 4 photo via Snapseed

Here's our trusty hauler, Eeyore, a 34-foot plodder that, with the expert packing of my daughter, engulfed the entirity of our household.

Not an especially fun beast to drive, Eeyore sucked back the gas like a professional drunk, while wallowing alarmingly on the turns. The final section between Port (Alberin) and the Ucluelet/Tofino junction is astonishingly narrow and very twisty and provided much excitement.

Our new place nestles in the rainforest, and as I write this, I can turn my head to any window and see nothing but green! We are just a few minutes walk from both downtown Ucluelet, and from Big Beach and the starting point of the Northern portion of the Wild Pacific Trail.




Big Beach is essentially our backyard beach and provides a lovely view that is identified as a great sunset watching point. The huge logs at the back of the beach are a perfect seat to view out seaward, looking for whales and waves. Sitting, gazing and listening to the surf while the salt tang of the ocean mixes with the aromas of wet sand and kelp remains, you can be one with nature. I've never been into religion or meditation, but there is something primal in this environment that can best be described as "food for the soul".




As we sat enjoying the view, a gull repeatedly dive-bombed something just below the surface of the tidal pool it was within. We'd never seen this activity before and it was fascinating to watch.

The Wild Pacific Trail is also a few minutes walk from our door and winds north along the coast for 8.4 km with cleverly isolated benches that offer stunning views.

One of our favorite locations is Wickaninnish Beach, which we drive to in about 10 minutes. This is a beautiful wide sandy beach that is a pleasure to walk on. It is also a favorite with the surfers and features a section near the middle-south end that channels the waves together for higher peaks.

Everywhere you walk here on the beaches and the trails, there is just so much to see, so much to explore, so much to learn.

And so much to photograph! Here's a little sprig of berries just along the edge of the trail.



More to come as we carry on exploring!