June 14, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Haida Gwaii/Queen Charlotte Islands, Hiking
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The Yakoun River, the largest river on Haida Gwaii, is well known for it's abundance of salmon and trout, as well as the giant Sitka's that forest the area around it.
Hiking into Yakoun Lake, about forty minutes outside of Queen Charlotte City by Forest Service Road, is very popular. However, hiking along the river uncovers more difficult trails. As with any hike, it's always best to go in a group and watch out for black bears!
Last month a group of us ventured along the river. It was wet and the hike was challenging. It did rain for a bit, but we were prepared with rain jackets and were sheltered by the trees. We saw remnants of logging practices, and of course, large Sitka's all along the waters edge.
During the summer months, we expect it to be a much dryer hike, but there are no promises! It's best to always bring your rain gear, just in case!
June 13, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Chetwynd, Festivals & Events
This past weekend in Chetwynd sure was one for the books; there was so much to see and do that a person almost didn't have time for it all!
First thing Thursday morning when I was taking my morning walk through the Rodeo Subdivision I could hear the chainsaws starting up their buzzing, which was super exciting! I have usually always been around for the championship, but had missed it for the last two years so I was quite happy to be in town for this years.
There were so many new vendors down at the site selling arts and crafts, and lots of great food and snack; this was a great thing because it was quite warm out all weekend so having food and drink readily available was great!
After seeing everything around the site on the first day I didn't think that I could be surprised any more, until Saturday morning came and there were two horse and buggy teams taking people on rides from downtown to the carving site! I wasn't so much interested in the ride as I was in just playing with the horses, who were big sweet hearts which is no surprise being raised by locals to the Chetwynd community.
This weekend was the best example to remind me just why I love being a local here, and calling Chetwynd home: the people are awesome, the events get better every year, and there really is nothing better than getting to spend the weekend outside with new or familiar faces enjoying artists work their magic!
June 13, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Richmond, Festivals & Events
Don’t forget to click either 720P or 1080P in the YouTube box! =)
The moment we’ve all been waiting for finally happened! The tall ships went head to head in a giant SEA BATTLE on day two of Ships to Shore in Steveston! The Lady Washington (Interceptor from the 1st Pirates of the Caribbean movie) vs The Hawaiian Chieftain! Who wins? Well, both are still floating so I’d say technically it was a draw. However if I had to choose a winner for the most decisive shot, I’d say The Hawaiian Chieftain stole victory. She scored an amazing kill shot in a dramatic broadside in the wind in the final moments of the conflict! (watch the video!) What a great show! Who doesn’t like a good sea battle?!!
Stay tuned for the final coverage of Ships to Shore 2011 soon!
- VideoChris
June 13, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Shopping
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Everyone loves a toy store. The Toy Box on 10th street Dawson Creek is one of the busiest and most popular shops in town and a real hit with visitors looking for a special souvenir. This store is known in neighboring communities as a destination for shopping as well as a favorite with locals.
The store is packed to the rafters with toys, games, crafts, books, puzzles, remote control airplanes, trains, models, art supplies, teacher resources, science kits and wind chimes.
No one gets bored in this store, it doesn't matter how old a person is, there's a lot of great stuff to check out. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to look around, you will need it.
June 12, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort Nelson, Dining
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Some people like rainy days and others do not. For some folks, the rain can be a welcome occurrence, as it allows them the opportunity to sit back, read a book and relax. For others, the rain spoils their plans for outdoor activities like hiking, camping or simply basking in the sun.
Either way, one thing is for certain, we cannot control the weather on our travels, even with the best of laid plans. And sometimes, as hard as we might try, we cannot out-drive it either; sometimes the rain is here for a stay, whether it be lingering or looming.
So let us embrace it and not race it!
One of my favourite rainy-day pastimes—or any day, really—is to sit back with a great cup of coffee, and I know a lot of our travelers enjoy their cup of joe too! So let me give my fellow caffeine-aficionados the scoop on the lovely cafes here in Fort Nelson!
Located in the middle of our shopping district, is a charming place called Capp*A*Lu’s. You’ll find it in the same shopping plaza as Subway and Rexall IDA pharmacy. They have a great selection of hot and cold drinks as well as some delicious homemade goodies; Capp*A*Lu’s is known to make some very fanciful cakes and cupcakes worth every last bite. Here you can grab an extra-hot macchiato and fresh baked item and cozy up on their couch.
Just around the corner from Capp*A*Lu’s you can find Down to Earth Health Shop. In this modern and eco-friendly building, you will find a bright and spacious café. Committed to both green living and healthy lifestyles, Down to Earth has a variety of organic treats ranging from Power Balls to cream cheese-topped cinnamon buns. Indulge yourself with good company over great, earth-friendly coffee.
Less than a block away from the Visitor’s Centre is the Northern Rockies Café. Stop here not only for a great cup of Seattle’s Best coffee, but also if you need to fill the gap in your stomach; they have yummy daily soup and panini specials as well as several homemade entrees.
So, go ahead and take a rainy day and turn it into something special, something that you will remember, by visiting coffee shops and indulging in the local flavours and conversations.
June 11, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Chetwynd, Festivals & Events
Hey everyone!
Just wanted to inform you all about the Chainsaw Carvings that are going on in Chetwynd! They're so amazing, I've been having such a great time looking at them for the past three days. Each year, I look forward to seeing who will be coming, and what they create.Each carver definitely has there own style and way of showing their creativity.
I love to see how they turn a huge piece of wood into a beautiful masterpiece. There are a few places you can go and get a snack, my favorite place is the Mini-Donuts! You can get about fourteen mini-donuts in a bag for only $3.50! There are a few different flavours to choose from, I like the cinnamon ones the most! This year they're also selling Screamers!Screamers are Vanilla ice cream and Slushi IN ONE!
I highly suggest coming to the annual Chainsaw carvings in Chetwynd! It's a fun experience for anyone, so come check it out! The carvings are almost complete and I'm looking forward to seeing how they all look in the end! I will definitely blog about the end results tomorrow!
June 11, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Powell River, Boating & Sailing
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Wind, waves and perfect anchorages await those lucky enough to spend time in Desolation Sound, a 30-square-mile premier cruising area and the province's largest marine park, due south of West Redonda Island on British Columbia's glorious west coast.
With the sun just peaking back in BC, a few friends gathered up supplies and plenty of sunscreen to get out and play in the wind up in Desolation Sound. Two of the days we were joined by resident Orcas and porpoise who joined us in playing of the surf.
We enjoyed sunny, windy days and cool refreshing nights filled with fresh Pacific seafood bounty -- crab, oysters and Salmon!
June 11, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. James, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Tucked 53km off of highway 16 west, what was once a buzzing hub of trading activity, is the Fort St. James National Historic Site. This wild land is the home of the Nak'azdli First Nations and the Stuart Lake Outpost which in 1821 became Fort St. James with the amalgamation of the North West Company and the Hudson Bay Company. This trading post was alive and active until 1952 and is now authentically maintained.
My friends and I expected to check out the site very quickly on our way to Smithers. However the people there were so knowledgeable and friendly that we ended up staying for four hours. We learned so much, ate traditional food, tried our hand at measuring fur quality and played at ladel a traditional archery like sport, but much better! We also enjoyed a picnic on the shores of beautiful Stuart Lake. This is a stop you will not forget and will not want to miss.
June 11, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Sooke, Beaches & Swimming
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Sunshine, salt air, the bark of seals and... fossils await for those lucky enough to beach comb the fossiliferous shores near the fishing community of Sooke on Vancouver Islands' southwestern edge.
Sooke was originally inhabited by the T'sou-ke, a group related to the Salishan First Nations, who found the mild climate and sea access ideal. A fossil field trip brought me there last summer to explore the tidepools and well preserved marine fossils near the seaside exposures at Muir Creek.
Along the beachfront, you can find blocks of late Oligocene, 20-25 million year old, sandstone full of small gastropods, bivalves and barnacle bits of the Sooke Formation. By the late Oligocene ocean temperatures had cooled to near modern levels and the taxa preserved as fossils bear a strong resemblance to those found living beneath the Strait of Juan de Fuca today.
Mammal material, echinoids, coral, chitin and limpets are also found here but are rare. The largely intertidal assemblage of fossil species, many of which will look familiar as you've seen their modern relatives, tell us that the formation was layed down near shore.
The thickly strewn layers you'll see as big fossiliferous blocks and the lines of fossils you'll notice in the nearby cliffs suggest that they may have been deposited along a strand line. What you're sure to notice is the great ocean view and how easy it is to find something spectacular.
Whether you make a day of it or just a twenty minute luxurious beach stroll, your pockets will be filled with a healthy serving of ancient clam stew!
June 11, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Biking
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This bike ride started off in Dawson Creek in the quest to see the Chainsaw Carving Championships in Chetwynd, BC. All 9 hours of riding was worth it. This bike ride was an amazing way to see the landscape south of Dawson Creek. Once I cruised down into Chetwynd I found the town very friendly and the hospitality ever so welcoming. I really enjoyed my stay there, hotel and food was more than expected.
The focus of my trip was to experience the annual chainsaw carving competition that Chetwynd is known for. The ambiance and anticipation was evident throughout the town. Everyone from the coffee shop to the local pizza joint was advertising and talking about it. When it came time on Thursday morning to find where the competition was held, I could literally find it by the trail of cedar scent in the air.
There was the sound of chainsaws everywhere, wood chips were flying and men were leaning into the wood with their saws giving it there all. 12 different tents set up with huge slabs of cedar being carved upon. There was excitement and awe in the air from the artists who worked diligently on the clock to the sound of a horn for their break time, to the on-lookers in the audience. I have never seen anything like this; there were artists from all over the world and even a couple local artists competing. Local vendors were also set up with amazing artifacts for sale from carvings to hand knit sweaters to healing magnetic jewelry. Crowd pleaser vendors were also set up making sure there was an endless supply of mini donuts and coffee, yum, yum.
This event started on Thursday morning and runs through to Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately I could not stick around to see the final products. This is a must see event if you are in the area this weekend, bike or by car. It is only about an hour drive from Dawson Creek. If you require information about the event or directions, please be sure to check in with the Visitor Information center in Dawson Creek, they will answer any questions you may have.
Until next ride-adventure, Happy Chains!!