Day 18...it is time to hear from Pauline and her adventures on the ocean...

Since our last post we said goodbye to Vancouver Island and made our way back to the mainland...but not before my activities switched from hiking to Paddling.
On Monday July 3 ten of us, (4 Germans, 2 Dutch, 2 Brits, an Aussie and me, the token Canadian) took the opportunity to paddle for an entire day on Barkley Sound just north of the Broken Group Islands in the Pacific Rim National Park. It was a lovely calm day with several seal colonies, bald eagles and one Oyster Catcher (that for our non-birding friends is a bird that apparently catches oysters). The views of the surrounding mountains and islands were  beautiful.

Patsy here...while Pauline was exploring the waters Simon and I were exploring Ucluelet. It is a very interesting town. Simon and I made many friends. We stopped at a food truck called the Raven Lady for an amazing (there's that word again...) lunch of oysters...They were spectacular...smoked, fried and steamed...yummmmm!!
Pauline again...
On Tuesday morning 4 of us ( 2 Belgians, 1 German and the token Canadian) were out early around the islands in the Tofino Harbour over to Maeres Island to learn some history of the island and the native protests in Clayquot Sound that took place in the 80's.

...and they're off...please note Lone
Cone Mtn in the background...
no clouds...go figure...

This paddle was also an opportunity to see Tofino from the water and to see the top of Lone Cone Mountain (remember the one we took 3 hours to climb and never saw a thing but clouds...)
Patsy here again...
While Pauline was playing around the water Simon and I toured Tofino for the last time...and then we went back to our beach to spend our last afternoon at the Pacific Ocean...
So...we said goodbye to our friend Joe at Wya Campground

and we headed out to Victoria where we stayed with Pauline's friend Randall who she worked with 35 years ago at Expo in Tennessee. It is good to keep in touch with people you know...

From Victoria to the ferry to the mainland and then we were off to Vernon BC where we are staying with our friends Gladys and Sheila and Jonathan. Pauline also worked with Gladys 35 years ago in Tennessee. It is good to keep in touch with people...

Yesterday I golfed at The Rise a course designed by Fred Couples situated 1000 feet above Okanagan Lake. The vistas were breathtaking and the course was great.
1000 feet is really high...

Today we golfed at a really nice course called Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club. Apparently you have yo be able to spell the name by memory in order to get a membership there.

We visited a few wineries in our time here as well as a Cidery. While we were not cider drinkers before...we were pleasantly surprised and for the first time in the history of our Friday nights we drank cider with our pizza...a new tradition?? We'll see.

On the down side, there are hundreds of forest fires burning out of control at the moment in BC. On the golf course we could see the smoke and certainly smell it although it is considerable distance away. We are reconsidering our travel plans so as not to interfere with emergency vehicles and people who need to relocate. Our thoughts are with them as we continue our travels...