A Walkabout in Victoria – Elwha Dam RV Park, Port Angeles, WA 9/13

We woke late this morning and really enjoyed lying in bed and experiencing the sights and smells of the rain forest. There was a steady patter of soft rain all night that turned to a light mist. This campground is exceptionally beautiful and when I saw the park staff raking the sites that sure explained a lot. Only one small catch, Ned managed to get a hot shower, but I could only get cold water. Needless to say it was a very quick shower this morning. By the time we got to downtown Victoria it was noon, but the skies were definitely clearing up and we decided to take a walking tour of the city. After a quick bite to eat we visited The Empress Hotel and enjoyed seeing people at high tea, the art galleries and gardens. We walked along the harbor to the Market Square and Old Town, thru Chinatown and other parts of the city. We thought we’d check on tickets for tomorrows ferry and found out it was already sold out. Yikes! A quick change of plans was in order. Instead of staying another night at Goldstream Provincial Park we decided to catch the 7:30 ferry, landing in Port Angeles at 9:00 pm. Since we had some more time to kill before boarding the ferry we decided to view the stately homes in Rockland. This area reminded us a lot of Piedmont in the Oakland hills. We came upon the Governor’s Mansion and spent a good hour or so walking the grounds. There were several acres of gardens that were just marvelous. They varied from wild gardens, to tree shaded rhododendron groves, rose gardens that smelled divine, Asian and Japanese gardens, and beautiful water features. We had the entire place to ourselves as we meandered thru all the paths. Sweet! After driving a little more thru the residential areas of the city, we decided to park in the ferry lot and hoof it to the other side of the harbor for dinner. Fish and Chips with beer for Ned and a salmon wrap for me. The sun finally broke out and we were treated to crystal clear skies with sunrays beaming down on the water and boats. Once we got thru the grind of customs it was fun riding the ferry at sunset. The view from the boat pulling away from the waterfront was magical. You could see the hotels and government buildings lit up and their reflection in the water. (See today’s pic). As we pulled into Port Angeles after 9 pm, the crescent shaped moon looked gorgeous over the sparkly city lights. This was the first ferry ride we’ve done at night and it was quite fun. Ned and I passed the time by playing Skip-bo on the boat. (Ned figured I wouldn’t whine quite as much in public). Once we reached Port Angeles we drove around in the dark looking for a place to camp. After a couple of failed attempts (either too pathetic or the gates were closed) we found a private RV park. Good news – we have wifi. Bad news it’s a private RV park and we’re camped under a glaring security light. Tomorrow off to explore Olympic National Park and the weather forecast calls for sunshine!

On the high seas again – Goldstream Provincial Park, Victoria, BC Canada

It rained most of the night and was still going at it as we woke this morning. Needless to say it wasn’t a group breakfast at the campsite. We were all heading off in different directions today so the first part of the morning was everyone concentrating on getting their things together and getting situated. After a couple of misconnections, we finally all synced up at the Laundromat in town, grabbed a quick cup of coffee and had an opportunity to get our laundry done. At about 10:30, Josh said his good-byes and walked into town to catch the ferry. I admit there was a tug at my heart as he walked into the rain, with a fully loaded backpack in tow, off to his next adventure. (Be safe Josh and remember to call your mom when you get off the mountain!). Since there was still some time before our next sailing, Denise, Ned and I decided to explore the island. We drove to the west side of the island, to Lime Kiln State Park, to see the lighthouse. Even though there was still a light drizzle, it didn’t stop us from walking around the grounds and getting some great views of the park and lighthouse. Our noses were plastered against the door of the lighthouse looking in when we got lucky. The local park ranger was giving a private tour to his cousin and wife and asked us if we’d like to go along! He was a very friendly fellow who told us about the whale study taking place and the history of the lighthouse. We were able to go to the top of the lighthouse and were rewarded with great views - we could even see Victoria which was 9 miles away. It was fun to watch the harbor seals and porpoises play in the water, too. Afterward we visited the museum and learned a lot more about the transient and Orcas whales. I had no idea that so many pods of whales hung around these parts! Denise left for her ferry back to the mainland and Ned and I ventured to the other part of the island to check out the county park and the exclusive resort at Roche Harbor. As we headed back to Friday Harbor we realized that in 24 hours we had driven on every main road on the island. Mmm – I’ve decided that I’m not an island girl. Lots of fun to visit, but a little too claustrophobic for me. Hanging out waiting for the ferry to take us to Victoria, British Columbia was a good excuse to grab a very late breakfast and get caught up on email and check the upcoming weather. Crossing the channel to Victoria it was quite foggy and the captain kept blowing the foghorn and slowing down periodically to listen for small vessels. Ned was asked to leave the “picklefork”, the elevated walkways on each side of the bow, so the crew members down below wouldn’t be disturbed looking and listening for small craft or hazards. As a result, our ferry crossing took a bit longer than scheduled. Our destination for the night was Goldstream Provincial Park, about 10km outside Victoria, but we decided to poke around Victoria first. The view of the Olympia Peninsula was fantastic! Victoria was still shrouded in clouds, but the storm front ended over the peninsula, thus the sun was shining “God-like” right on the mountain. I’m not sure the picture captured it, but for what it’s worth here it is. We eventually made our way to the campground and were completely surprised by the beauty of this park. Our last two trips into Canada we were not overly impressed with the campgrounds. Everyone was crowded together and were parked helter-skelter. This one is heavily wooded and the campsites are far apart. It feels more like a National Park, even like Mt. Rainier which we just visited. It’s still raining so we’re having an evening of “dining-in” and perhaps play a game or two of skip-bo. Here’s hoping tomorrow brings some better weather so we can hike or ride bikes. I’m beginning to get a little antsy, but glad we have a day off from riding ferries or being held captive on a small island.