2007: Bamfield - An Adventure

Labor Day Weekend!

Leaving at 6:30AM – back packs, water, lunch & cameras – dressed for wind and rain – we’re off to Ucluelet.

The Seaway Express leaves Ucleuelet at 9:00AM. We are to be on the dock by 8:45AM. The Seaway Express is a 40 passenger boat that ferries people between Ucluelet and Bamfield; cruising through the Broken Island Group. Their ads specify that during the 1 ½ hour cruise they will show a sea lion colony, stop for whale sightings, etc. The return cruise is at 5PM from Bamfield.

Right in the harbor in Ucluelet, California sea lions are hanging out. As we leave the harbor, a glance to the far shore, and there is a black bear on shore. A few minutes out of the main harbor, there is a major Stellar sea lion colony. We can certainly hear and smell them. Jostling each other, some crawling up the rocks, others are sliding off, some in the surf. A few jagged rocky islands over, there is a majestic eagle perched. The sea and little rocky islands are full of sea birds and gulls. The ocean is calm with only wind ripple on the surface.

Cruising into the Pacific Rim Island Group, we see the whale- watching zodiac, the captain announces whales to the starboard. As we zigzag through the islands, there are several whale sightings, some only the spouting, some the back, and some the perfect tail as they sound. Wow – what a day so far!

Arriving in Bamfield there are boats everywhere! We are told it is the annual 3 day salmon fishing derby with a $10,000 top prize.

From the research done, and the map downloaded, and the advice from the guide, we have planned to hike across to Brady’s Beach – 25 minutes – have our lunch and just hang out first. Of course, that isn’t what we do. We walk the harbor boardwalk first – looking for the Bistro – to find it doesn’t open 'til noon. So off to Brady’s Beach from the far end. We walk the back streets, well OK, wide rocky paths. Mostly, the residents seem to get about with quads with a wagon or trailer in tow. This side of Bamfield is only accessible by water - there is no road to West Bamfield. There are a few vehicles, mainly rough looking rust buckets. West Bamfield is much bigger than we had thought; it’s 45 minutes to Brady’s Beach from the far end. The road down is steep and longish.

The beach, oh wow! The view, oh wow! There are several campers with tents set up right on the beach. There are several very private nooks amongst the rocks with shelter from the wind. Just awesome! Walking along the beach, close to the surf line, I find a perfect moon snail shell – the perfect gift from the ocean for the day! There are some rocks, perfect for sitting and having lunch, and viewing tide pools filled with anemones, limpets, mussels, etc.

Then, a hunch, it’s time to go! The weather is about to change. Light rain comes as we are almost to the top of the slope; it's another 15 minutes back to Bamfield. We walk down the boardwalk again to the Bistro. Just as we step inside – the rain changes to a deluge. We enjoy really good sandwiches and cappuccinos while sitting on the roofed deck, looking out on the harbor and watching it pour!

The rain quits just as we are ready to leave. The small population obviously has a sense of humor. Penny lane is deep with pennies, button alley is – yes, deep in buttons. Bamfield Creations, the resident potter is an arduous climb up a lengthy steep staircase, from the boardwalk, up the lane, along the ‘road’ and into her sales studio. Now we have walked all the ‘roads’. The studio features her pottery and music, and other artisans works like hand crafted soaps, knit caps & scarves, paintings, etc. A pleasure to visit, then back down to the boardwalk.

The cat house project is very interesting. Dozens of feral cats have been trapped, spayed & neutered, etc. [How do you trap feral cats????] The 18 not adopted yet are fed and housed by volunteers. The story and the houses are part of the charm of the village and the interest of the boardwalk. The gallery on the boardwalk is next, from photo cards to glass work to paintings to pottery to sculpting to jewelry, talented artists are offering their works for sale.

Just as we are reaching the main dock we witness the high drama of the police zodiac taking off after a speeding boat doing much more than the 7 knot maximum speed limit in the harbor, complete with flashing lights and a bull horn demanding they ‘hove to’. Wonder what a speeding ticket costs for speeding in the harbor????

Just hanging out, watching the harbor and the variety of boats, we wait for the return of the Seaway Express. The wind has been coming up all day. While the harbor is sheltered, we can see out to sea that there is a storm surge coming up.

And oh yeah – there is a storm alright. We are traveling almost broadside to a 1.5 meter swell. It’s exciting, hanging on to the bars in the roofed open middle deck, spray in our faces laughing like hyenas. Watching the surge pound up against and over the little rocky islands. It’s wild! And whales – they’re everywhere. We must have seen a dozen or more. Trying to take pictures from a rocking boat is impossible!

Wow what a day trip! And all for under $200 including gas!

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