Along British Columbia's Pacific shore lies a very large island that is home to urban Victoria, rural fishing villages, and wilderness reserves. Victoria is on the southern tip of the island, and it's about 350 miles from Victoria to Cape Scott on the northern tip. The climate is much like Washington state's, so the vegetation and terrain reminded us of hiking in the Cascades.
Photo: Pools of rainwater reflect the dusk sky at Kennedy Creek Rapids.
Border crossings-- Coming from Washington, you can get to Vancouver Island by Washington State Ferries (out of Anacortes), Black Ball Ferries (out of Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula), or by freeway from Seattle. We rented our VW camper bus in Bellingham and headed north, opting to avoid crowded Blaine and cross into Canada at the trucker's crossing. This was a good move, as there was no wait.
BC Ferries-- BC has much classier ferries than Washington: nice dock facilities, large ferries, on-time service, and comfortable passenger spaces. We caught the late afternoon ferry from Tsawwassen ('tWAS-sin) (near Vancouver) to Nanaimo (nah-NY-moe), had dinner on board, visited the gift shop, and arrived by 8:00 pm. On our return, we got a mid-day ferry from Swartz Bay (north of Victoria) back through the Gulf Islands to Tsawwassen. Fares are comparable to WSFS (around US$28 one way with a car and two people).
South Island-- The populated southern part of the island is where you'll find most of the modern development. Ferries from the mainland and from Washington dock in Victoria or nearby Sidney. Shopping and dining are the main attractions here.
Photo: Near Yellow Point, a prehistoric-looking creature flies low along the gulf waters at sunrise.
Central Island-- The island's "waistline" is marked by Highway 4, running from the towns of Nanaimo on the eastern shore to Tofino (ta-FEE-no) on the west coast. This is the main (paved) road crossing the island. Once you leave the urban south island, you know it. You're in fish-and-timber country now.
Strathcona Provincial Park-- In the middle of the island is a fairly large, mountainous park. Access the main part of Strathcona PP via the town of Campbell River, or go into the Mt. Washington area via the skier's back way, from Courtenay. (The two routes do not converge.)
North Island-- As you travel north, you encounter less development and more clearcuts. The fishing villages here gave us a glimpse of how Washington's coastal settlements might have been in the 1930's.
East Coast-- There is a strong contrast between the island's east and west coasts. A main highway, now being rebuilt, runs north out of Victoria, along the east coast to Nanaimo, and continues to Comox/Courtenay, Campbell River, and ends in Port Hardy. Fishing is the big tourist attraction along this coast, as it is almost everywhere on the island. The famous Inside Passage begins in the Strait of Georgia, on the island's east coast.
Gulf Islands-- These are BC's version of the San Juan Islands, scattered randomly in the calm waters between the island and the mainland. The main ones--the Pender Islands, Salt Spring, Mayne, Galiano, and Saturna Islands--each offer the yuppie bed-and-breakfast and kayaking fare you would expect. These are accessible by BC Ferry from Vancouver Island.
West Coast-- This is the wildest part of the island, with miles of beach and undisturbed wilderness. In fact, the entire west coast is mostly inaccessible, except afoot or afloat. Long Beach is accessed by Highway 4 from Parksville, and most of the commercial development is centered just north of there, around the village of Tofino. We stayed a night at Green Point Campground, one of the many that dot the shore.
The island's only national park, Pacific Rim NP, is comprised of three parts: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands north of Tofino, and the West Coast Trail. The scenic West Coast Trail is not accessed by Highway 4, but by driving northwest out of Victoria on Highway 14, through Sooke (SUE-k). This road stops at the trailhead, and no road leads north from there. This remote, 77km trail is the most popular lowland hiking attraction on the island. The Broken Group Islands are accessible by water taxi operated by the Teskamet (TESH-kah-met) Tribe.
Traversing the Island-- Driving from Nanaimo to Tofino took us about 3 hours. The winding, two-lane road climbs steadily to a low pass, then drops into Port Alberni, a shipping port that is closer to the east coast than the west, where it opens into the Pacific. The town is small and touristy, with great seafood. We continued west on Highway 4 to Kennedy Creek Rapids, where we stopped at sunset to take photos and play on the rocks. The road follows the waterway, finally terminating at a small stretch of coastal road that connects Tofino to Long Beach.
10/96. Pronunciations provided here are best guesses. Cool Trails provides no guarantee that you won't be laughed out of the pub for using them.