June 12, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Ucluelet, Attractions
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This place is awesome. I convinced two friends to join me and they were so enamoured they visited again the next day.
The Ukee (local-speak for Ucluelet) Aquarium is open seasonally and admission is $5. It’s stocked with loads of live ocean critters caught on purpose and by accident from the local waters. The best part? They release the creatures back to their natural habitats when they’ve outgrown their tank or at the end of the season.
The Giant Pacific Octopus was incredible. We saw it while it was feeling feisty, so it did lots of colour changing, siphoning and suckering in its tank. The staff even fed it a crab! It didn’t actually eat the crab while we there – who wants to chow down with an audience watching? – but it was impressive nonetheless.
The Aquarium isn’t in a huge space, but it’s jammed to the gills with undersea goodies and a couple of touch tanks. Look for sea stars, jellies, anemones, corals, fish, snails and the disco decorator crab tank (you have to see it to believe it). The staff members were friendly and very knowledgeable.
If it’s raining on your next visit to Ucluelet or Tofino, the Aquarium would be a great way to spend time. Even if it’s sunny, tear yourself away from beach to visit the aquarium and see all the ocean morsels that call this part of the planet home.
June 12, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Port Hardy, Hiking
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Wow, Cape Scott was amazing, It blew my mind. The 16.8 KM hike to Nels Bight was an experince I want to share with everyone. The first 3 km take you to Eric Lake a beautiful lake. I wish I had time to fish in there or bring in a canoe. As you keep walking theres cool Boardwalks and amazing scenery. I dipped my feet while eating lunch in the Fishermans River. that was nice. when we finally got to the beach (not to brag 4hours and 23 minutes) I was stunned to see how big the beach was. We camped out for 4 days. We thought we might be bored but were we wrong. We walked to experiment bight as well. The dune Neck was really cool. The history was rick with First Nations Culture. It is a must go....Don't get scared on the logging road either..We did it in a 1988 Honda Civic!!!!!!
June 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Burns Lake, Outdoor Activity Tours
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I absolutely love going on drives. A little road adventure each week at least keeps me happy. I live in a small are so one would think that after a while of driving around that you could run out of places to go and see, but that is simply not true. A drive that one can take and still never see the same thing twice is the Francois Lake Loop. A free Ferry ride, small resturants at each ferry landing, dirt roads and paved roads, and wildlife gallore. Plus tons of Resorts or free rec/campsites in case one wants to do an overnight drive on a weekend. I think anyone would have a great time on this drive. There is even the Skins Lake Spillway to see or stay at the campground too! And its a different way to get to either Houston or Fraser Lake in case one is sick of driving on the highway all the time.
June 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Lumby, Dining
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I found a great place to stop for coffee in Lumby, British Columbia. It's the local Health Food Store, but they also provide coffee and snacks and even better.....
free internet service. I didn't expect to find any service here. I tried the local library, but they do not offer wireless.
The Health Food Store is owned by Betty and her husband Ron who are great at making you feel welcome. They even let me bring my puppy inside as it was so hot outside. I spent at least three to four hours there drinking coffee and working on my blog and other projects. You can find out more information about their place at: lumbyhealthfood.ca
"Lumby Days" starts soon and the town is planning a big celebration for its yearly event. If you are planning on being in the area you should check it out! The dates are June 12, 13, and 14th.
June 08, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Beaches & Swimming
With all this sunshine and excellent weather we've had here in Prince George, it wasn't long before 3 local youths with a map and a thirst for cool, fresh water headed out to Opatcho Lake, a small wilderness lake located 48km southwest from the city. Even if gravel logging roads and rural direction-finding is not your thing, Opatcho is just one of the hundreds of lakes almost immediately available to anyone living in or visiting the Prince George area. Once at Opatcho, its easy to see why this lake is often overlooked: beautiful Ste. Marie and Buckhorn Lakes are larger and closer, but therefore usually busier.
The water, once we arrived, was surprisingly warm, despite the lake being up to 77' deep! When knee-deep close to the shore, don't be surprised to feel (gentle) nibbles from the lakes very own welcoming party: standing in the water and peering through the shimmering surface you can size-up the Rainbow Trout that are stocked here every other spring (a bright red stripe is commonly seen on the sides of Opatcho Lake fish). According to local sources, the lake is actually a quality fishery in which "above-average" sized Rainbows can be found. A quota of two fish can be caught, to ensure the lasting success of the Rainbow populations.
Also at the lake, a floating dock waits to be jumped off of, and a day-use area big enough for a family or two is great for swimming, picknicking, canoeing, fishing and camping short-term (a campsite is located onshore, maintained by the forestry service). The best part of the day: finding a quiet lake to be personally enjoyed and relaxing by a crackling campfire to dry off!
June 08, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Port Hardy, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
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Hello my fellow travelers,
My name is Joe and I've just moved to Port Hardy for the summer. I will call myself a visitor becuase that is what I am. While making the drive up to Port Hardy, I found that in between Port McNeill and Port Hardy this is sort of a bear alley. I saw 8 black bears just in 34 kms!!!! I was so happy to see the bears eating the grass. I wish I had my camera ready, I could have taken pictures of these beautiful creatures. I will have to drive that way on day again.
When I arrived in Port Hardy the first thing I noticed was its beauty. It had a small town feel but without the "I'm going to be bored all the time" feel to it. I drove to the Visitor's centre to get an understanding for the area, and where to figure out where I was living for the summer. They were so helpful. The amount of activities they gave me are limitless. I can't wait to get out and explore this area!!!!!
Joe Strongback
Till next time!!! :)
June 07, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Golden, Skydiving & Gliding
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If you have ever wondered how Mount 7 in Golden got its name, there is no better way of finding out than by going tandem paragliding. However, by late June, the answer is always gone. For a hint, think of summer sun melting winter snow.
Golden is the epicenter of Canadian paragliding. All Canadian distance records have been set from this peak above Golden, including a tandem distance of 128km! The beauty of tandem is all the hard work is done by the guide. You get to focus on the adrenalin and euphoria.
June 07, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Golden, Biking
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The longest lift-accessed vertical Bike Park in Canada is starting the 2009 season on June 12. Kicking Horse Bike Park at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort has been going through extensive trail renovations and improvements for the last two years. 2009 promises to be the best season ever. Each run starts from the highest elevation of any Bike Park in Canada, high in the Purcell Mountain's alpine. See the Beginner/Intermediate video to whet your appetite.
June 06, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Sechelt, Wildlife Tours
We've seen lots of wildlife around Sechelt in the last little while.
A herd of 8-10 harbour seals travelling together will often appear for a few moments just off our dock - first one head will pop up, then another, and finally the whole herd, only to gracefully slide back under the water.
The last few days, just before sunset, we've seen a Hooded Merganzer with a flock of six chicks riding atop her back - it's really quite entertaining as it appears there's only space on her back for five of the chicks. So, as the one trailing chick attempts to climb on, one or two others fall off, with this scene repeating itself several times. Undaunted, the mother steadfastly paddles to her evening resting site.
Naturally, our resident family of eagles is very interested in all of this action. This year there are four who have returned to our cove - two juveniles and two adults. The juveniles are quite active early in the morning, whirling and chasing each other through the sky.
It's a great time of the year, watching this timeless saga of wildlife passing through the various phases of their annual reproductive cycles.
June 05, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Gardens
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Located just 30 minutes north of Prince George is a botanical surprise that would impress everyone from the most educated botanist to the energetic 5 year old. Jim Good, owner of the Goodsir Nature Park has spent a lifetime travelling the country, collecting interesting and rare plant specimen and bringing them back to his 100+ acre property to replant and nurture them. He then offers guided tours throughout his property, telling the stories of his plants, including what they are, where they came from and extensive information about the plant. What is even more impressive than his knowledge is his pride of his collection, which is obvious as he fondly talks about his journeys and his plants.
After taking a walk with Jim though out the park, go to one of his newly installed picnic areas that are over looking a small beaver pond. While sitting her it is common to see beavers, muskrats, ducks, geese and an abundance of other wildlife. There is also a little museum that boasts probably over a 1000 plant specimens that Jim himself has collected.
All in all, if you are travelling north to Alaska, or just spending a few days in the Prince George area, I highly recommend the Goodsir Nature Park. It is amazing to see what one man's hobby can produce.